Page 22 of Betting on the Brainiac

“Want me to hold a pillow over his face?” I ask.

Ava frowns at him. “Yes, but when he’s done with this foot rub.”

“That’s why you think Ruby isn’t setting you up with Oliver,” Josh says. “Because he’s not the kind of guy you’d kiss?”

“Exactly,” I say. “I don’t have a type—” Ava and Sami bust up laughing, and I glare at them. “I havea lotof types,” I continue, and Ava nods. “But there are a couple of types I’ve never been into, and Oliver is one of them.”

Joey smiles, pleased by this. “Dude is a nerd. Good call.”

“Let it go, Joey,” Sami says. “She went out with Oliver twice and dumped him for not being you. You won.”

Ava isn’t letting Joey’s nerd comment pass. “You should all know that I made Joey watch an episode ofFireflyand now he won’t let us watch anything else until we’re done with the series. Nerds love that show. You love that show. Guess who’s a nerd now?”

He scoffs. “It’s all right, but I’m glad there’s only one season.”

She lifts an eyebrow. “He bumped his elbow yesterday and cursed the ‘gorram’ door. That’s aFireflyswear.”

Joey sighs. “Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.”

“Also aFireflyquote,” Ava says.

“What if that’s exactly why Ruby picked Oliver for you?” Sami says. “What if—”

The front door slams and cuts off the question.

Ruby is home.

Chapter Ten

Madison

Josh’s eyes lock withSami’s, and Joey looks at Ava, concern on both their faces.

For a moment, I feel a sense of isolation. A few months ago, Sami and Ava would have traded glances with me first.

I shift up to my knees. “Ava, you and Joey probably need to handle this.”

He’s already up and holding his hand out to pull Ava up too. “We’re on it.”

They leave and Josh climbs onto the end of the bed. “I’ve never heard Ruby slam a door. How bad is it?”

“I’ve never heard her slam a door either,” Sami says.

I shake my head. “Ditto. So it’s bad.”

Josh tilts his head. “What is bad in this scenario? A breakup?”

“Anything that makes Ruby sad.” My voice is grim, and I know it.

“I thought none of you like Niles.” Josh sends Sami a questioning look.

“We don’t.”

This doesn’t seem to clear anything up for him. “So don’t we want a breakup?”

“Only if Ruby did the dumping,” I tell him. “Which I’m sure she did. She’s smart.”

“Smart enough to date that guy for five years?” Josh holds up his hands to ward off the murderous looks Sami and I send him. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever seen her not be smart about.”

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