Page 5 of My Best Bet

“Is it?” he asked me again, completely patient.

“Yes, it’s okay, go!” I laughed, feeling a genuine smile on my face as I shooed him away. It felt practically foreign.When was the last time I smiled like this?

His face practically lit up. “Good.”

“Quick! Let’s go!” the boys urged him, but he was still looking at me.

“100 bucks,” Colt suddenly announced.

“What?!” His buddies’ mouths dropped open and they stopped pulling at him. They knew this was serious. I’d neverheard any of them place a bet that high either. It was always a five or 10, maybe a 20 if it was a huge dare.

Colt licked his lips again and nodded. “Hundred bucks says I marry her one day.” His face was smiley, but his eyes were serious as his friends all roughed him up and shouted out theiroooh’s.

I looked around the hallway again to make sure there was no other ‘her’ present. Becausewhat?Was he being serious? Or was he just making a joke and they were all about to laugh at me?

But something in his eyes told me he was being serious, dead serious, and that made a thrill race through my entire body.

For the first time in… ever… I feltseen.

Andwanted.

For no reason at all.

It didn’t make sense.

This was… It was crazy.

Hewas crazy.

“You boys get back here!” Hans yelled from right behind me now.

The boys disappeared then. The heavy rink door clanged shut behind them, making the hallway appear dimmer, but I could still hear their voices as they ran through the rink.

I just laughed at the wild boy and his wild friends.

And I really hoped he was being for real… that I would see him around. That he would kiss me again.

At that time, it really was just an innocent hope.

I had no way of knowing that hewasserious. That he’d become my greatest distraction in the best and worst ways possible.

“Mer!Thereyou are!”

I whipped around to see Piper striding toward me in her bright pink yoga set, her long blonde hair swishing in the high-pony she always wore.

“What are you doing?” she asked with wide eyes, grabbing my arm to pull me back toward the rink with her. “Iryna’s been looking for you. Better tell her you were in the bathroom or something, she’sonone today.”

Right.

Iryna.

And Dmitry.

And the throw triple.

My neck immediately itched again.

2.Colt -Her-present day

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