Page 12 of The Billion Dollar Bet

Instead of heeding her instructions, Devin kicked of his shoes and stepped over the threshold. “I said, we’re having a picnic today and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Cassie watched with dismay as he brushed passed her and sauntered into her living room. He had the good sense to have closed the umbrella and leaned it against the wall at the front door. She picked it up and shook the water from it before hanging it on the hook.

“Listen, Devin Mac-whatever,” she snapped. “Who do you think you are? I think you’d better leave – now.”

“Nope.”

He’d set the basket on the floor, plopped himself into the sofa and propped his socked feet on her coffee table. Cassie shoved his feet off, and stood with her arms akimbo as she contemplated how to get him to leave without actually calling the police.

“What have you got to lose?” he said. “I went to all this trouble to make the picnic basket all by myself.”

“Who does a picnic in this weather?” she retorted. “Are you out of your mind?”

“You can have a picnic in any weather, my lovely lady.”

“I’m not going out in this weather with you?’

“Who said anything about going outside?” he sat up. “This is a good a place as any to have a nice picnic.”

“What?”

“Our date can be right here,” he reiterated. “You won’t send me away in the rain, will you? You’re not that heartless.”

Grabbing his arm, she pulled him from the sofa where she began to shove him towards the door. But Devin only made a U-turn and returned to the living room. He ran behind the sofa and stood there.

“What did you tell me the other evening?” he asked. “Catch me if you can?”

“You expect me to run after you?”

“Yes, if you can catch me, I will leave.”

Cassie rolled her eyes. “Oh God, what did I do to deserve this punishment on a rainy Sunday morning?”

“What do you say?”

“I’m not chasing after you.”

“Then what do you say we get to know each other,” he suggested. “Two hours. We have our picnic, talk and if you still hate me by the end of a couple of hours, I will leave.”

“No.”

“Two hours, I promise I’ll leave after two hours.”

Cassie sighed. “One hour.” That was the only way she saw that she could get him to leave.

He grinned. “One hour.”

Chapter 10

As soon as she consented to spend time with him, Devin opened the basket and produced a single yellow rose. He thought it was appropriate to show how much he appreciated her saying yes to their date. From his little research about the color of the rose, it signified friendship and platonic love. What Devin was feeling was anything but nonsexual. But if he was to get to know a girl like Dr. Melody, he was willing to start out as friends.

Hesitantly, she took the flower with a smile and brought it to her nose. “This smells divine. You know I’m not sick, right?”

“Huh?”

“Giving a yellow rose means you want me to get well.”

“And it also means I am delighted to see you.”

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