Page 72 of Wanted Beta

I wish I was wrong about that, but I don’t think I am.

Standing in front of the grabber machine, I dig my last four quarters out of my purse, including the one Gio gave me.

It’s kind of random that I lost one of these today, and he was the one to find it.

He really doesn’t look like the kind of guy who hangs around in malls.

“I missed my shot at one of these today,” I explain as he moves to my side, keeping my focus on the silly plush toy to avoid getting any more dumb ideas in my head.

Too bad Gio didn’t show up before tonight.

I might actually have gone home with him.

“Because of the lost quarter,” he deduces.

“Pretty much,” I confirm as I shove the coins into the slot.

“Then, it’s a good thing we have plenty of change,” he tells me, smiling obliviously when I glance at him. He has no idea that he just insulted my skills with these machines.

I shake my head as the lights inside the machine flash.

“I can get it in two turns,” I assure him, focusing on my prize.

I tap the buttons to make the arm move.

Perfect alignment.

Now for the grab.

I let out a breath as I tap the button to make the grabber descend.

The second I take my hand away, I’m not sure I’ve got it.

Despite looking centred on the hedgehog, the grabber sways.

When it finally closes around the hedgehog’s body, I hold my breath.

It starts to rise, swaying as it goes.

“Come on, come on,” I murmur.

The hedgehog starts to fall, and I let out an irritable gasp.

It drops onto the plexiglass panel right before the prize slot, and it wobbles between the slot and the pit that I grabbed it out of while the grabber above moves back to its starting point.

“Don’t you dare fall back into that pit,” I warn it.

One last wobble and it drops into the prize slot.

“Yes!” I exclaim, crouching to grab it out of the machine.

It’s as cute and fluffy as it looked when it was taunting me from the pit.

I got my prize, and I didn’t need any help to get it.

“Impressive,” Gio murmurs.

I smile at him. “Done.”

---