The Name of the Game Read Online Free PDF

later the bathroom door slammed shut.
    Mitch shook his head. “God, you’re an idiot.”
    â€œWhat? I complimented her.” James took a sip of his wine—well, a gulp, really. She was the unreasonable one here, not him.
    Cecilia raised a brow. “You told her she looked nice.”
    What did they expect? For him to fawn all over her? Nice was a safe compliment, and fit his criteria for pleasantness. “Yeah? So?”
    Maddie huffed, shaking her head like he was too stupid to live.
    James adjusted his glasses and sighed. Hoping for a little male camaraderie, he looked back and forth between Mitch and Shane. “What’s wrong with nice?”
    Before they could answer, Gracie stomped back into the room, her boot heels hard, angry jabs on the newly stained, wide-planked wood floors. “You don’t tell a woman she looks nice. Grandmas are nice. Puppies are nice.”
    â€œThat’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” He cringed at the condescension in his tone. Unfortunately, old habits died hard. He took a deep breath and reminded himself to stick to the plan. He could salvage this situation.
    â€œI am not stupid,” she said, her tone filled with venom.
    â€œDon’t twist my words.” Anger stirred hot in his chest and he squashed it down. He would not give in. He was in control here. He drained his glass, much faster than he should have considering his light lunch this afternoon.
    â€œHow can you be so clueless about women?”
    In that moment, more than anything, he wanted to show her just how wrong she was about his supposed cluelessness. “I can assure you I’ve told plenty of women they looked nice without them throwing a hissy fit.”
    Two splotches of pink stained her cheeks. “I am not throwing a hissy fit.”
    â€œMost women would say thank you and go about their business. But not you—no, you have to make a big deal about the fact that I’m not fawning all over you.”
    On the couch the two couples’ attention bounced back and forth between James and Gracie as though they were watching a tennis match. He should stop. He needed to stop. He was a calm, reasonable man. He did not do scenes. He had an experiment to conduct.
    â€œI don’t want your stupid fawning. Nice is not a compliment!” She stood there, magnificent chest heaving, looking like a bull waiting to charge.
    â€œ Nice is a perfectly acceptable compliment,” he insisted stubbornly, even though logic dictated he apologize and get this over with.
    â€œYou might as well say I look horrible,” she yelled.
    Something snapped and he stood up, pointing at her. “Don’t even give me that load of crap when you don’t give a fuck what I think.”
    â€œYou’re right, I don’t,” she shouted.
    â€œLet’s calm down,” Shane said.
    â€œStay out of it,” James said, cutting a menacing glare at his brother before shifting back to Gracie. “Then what are we arguing about?”
    Her chin tilted. “Nothing. Forget it. Let’s go.”
    â€œFine,” he said, all his good intentions shot to hell.
    She stomped past him. “This should be fun.”
    He gave her a snide once-over. “I’m sure it will be real nice .”

Chapter Three
    Gracie stood against the wall in the trendy, River North restaurant’s bathroom while Cecilia and Maddie looked at her with twin frowns.
    Cecilia sighed, the sound exasperated. “I thought you were going to be nice.”
    After a near silent car ride, Gracie was still trying to figure out what happened. Why had she baited him into an argument? He’d been agreeable all day, and she’d jumped all over him. Yes, normal people understood a woman didn’t want to be told she looked nice, but she’d overreacted. And he’d yelled at her. Honest to God yelled.
    How did she explain to her friends that he’d been helpful and