Page 4 of Betting on the Brainiac

“Tell me again how he didn’t fall madly in love with Ava?” She is both those things plus beautiful.

“Time,” Ruby says. “That’s always his issue. And that’s why I’m asking if he can come work at Gatsby’s during the day. He needs a quiet space with Wi-Fi access to do his software thing.”

Software thing. It’s like every element of Austin society has an unspoken agreement that if a job has anything to do with computers, the person just says they’re in tech or software so we can all move on.

I still sense a trap. “What’s the problem with his office? Or his house?”

Ruby shakes her head. “Don’t know. This is coming from Charlie. He asked if I knew of any places Oliver could work, and I thought about Gatsby’s. If I didn’t know Oliver pretty well, I wouldn’t bring it up. But I do, and if this helps him out, great. It costs me nothing to ask you. Oh, wait, except for an interrogation. Probably wouldn’t have asked if I’d seen that coming.”

I pick up my salad fork. “I’m seventy percent less suspicious now.”

“He said he’s happy to pay a couple hundred a month to cover any utilities he uses or whatever because it’s still cheaper than renting a separate office space.”

“Sold.” I may loathe almost everything about my upbringing, but the ability to monetize nearly anything and see exactly howto use the profit has its perks. That extra cash from the tech nerd will go straight to my pocket because the Gatsby’s owners like to keep me happy, and I know exactly what to do with the money: my besties don’t know it yet, but they’re about to start wearing luxury caftans from my second job.

“Tell him to meet me there Wednesday morning.” I give her a time and make a mental note. Tech Nerd is now a Wednesday problem, but this is Monday, and Mondays are for Netflix binges.

The new season ofEngaged and Enragedwon’t watch itself. Those manipulative producers are counting on me, and I won’t let them down.

Chapter Three

Oliver

Ruby Ramos stands inmy doorway, looking pleased with herself. My across-the-hall neighbor, Charlie, leans against the doorframe behind her.

“Your solution to my crowded and noisy office space problem is to work at Gatsby’s?” I ask. “Isn’t that one of the biggest nightclubs in town?”

“Not during the day. My roommate works there and she’s tight with the owner, so she kind of has the run of the place. It’s only open on the weekends, and even then, staff don’t start coming in until around 5:00. Until then, you’ll have about a million tables or booths or bars to work at plus Wi-Fi.”

“Who is this roommate?”

“It’s Madison,” Ruby says. “She’s cool.”

Charlie mouths,Hot.

It’s not a selling point, but it doesn’t hurt. So a feature, not a bug. “Where is it? I can’t be too far from the actual office.”

She names a street that’s a few minutes from our building and strolls into my apartment, plopping herself on my sofa. Charlie drops beside her. “There’s only one catch,” she says.

“Let me guess. I have to take her on a couple of dates to help you win another bet?” Not that taking out Ava had been a hardship. If I had any free time at all, I might have tried to win her over for real. She’s gorgeous and fascinating. Easy to be around too, but that was almost the problem. Our chemistry was mid, at best. And my job pretty much rules out a social life.

“You and Madison aren’t compatible. Well, maybe your senses of humor are?” She looks at Charlie, who nods. “So senses of humor. But literally nothing else.”

“You don’t have any other roommates you’re going to throw at me, are you? Because Ruby, my beloved, you and Charliearemy social life.”

She looks from Charlie to me. “We only see you when we barge in to watch movies because your screen is bigger.”

“Now you understand my schedule. That’s the most action I get all week.”

“Disturbing,” Charlie says mildly.

Ruby rolls her eyes. “I get it, Oliver. Can you stop sucking the joy out of my amazing problem-solving powers?”

“So you’re not throwing this nightclub roommate at me or any other roommates I don’t know about yet?”

“No other roommates, and you and Madison aren’t happening. But you can help each other out, and you’ll get the biggest office in Austin out of it. And the quietest.”

I’d settle for a quiet closet if the Wi-Fi is fast. “What’s the catch?”

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