Page 52 of The Love Wager

He made a noise that sounded like a snort. “It sounds to me like the guy knew he couldn’t get a table and made up the whole reservation story just so he could look charming.”

Hallie opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. “That is ridiculous.”

“And you’re home at ten, TB, so obviously there isn’t a lot of sexual chemistry there.”

“I know you want that stupid World Series ball, but don’t ruin this for me.” Things with Alex were amazing and perfect so far and were exactly what she’d been looking for. But Jack was a tiny bit right on that front. On paper, Alex was perfect. But she’d yet to feel any sort of burn for him.

She liked it when he kissed her—he didn’t cram his tongue down her throat or lick her face off—but it definitely didn’t have the these-clothes-must-come-off vibe she’d had with Jack during that drunken elevator ride.

But that would come.

And probably wasn’t all that important to the overall relationship, anyway.

“Sorry, sorry.” She heard him clear his throat before he said, “How’s Tig?”

Hallie rolled over onto her side and grinned. “Everything I could ever want in a bestie.”

His chuckle was deep and raspy, like he was tired. “I should bring him some catnip. I can’t give it to Meowgi anymore because he gets too hyper.”

She loved the way he sounded annoyed and in love all at the same time whenever he talked about his kitten.

“You should. He misses you.” Hallie kind of felt likeshedid, too, because they hadn’t hung out in a while. “He wants to show you his new place.”

When she’d gone back to the shelter with Alex to officially adopt Tigger that day, she’d been shocked to see Jack after she’d told him he didn’t have to come. He said that he was on his way home and just thought he’d swing by to see if she needed any help, and then he’d been surprisingly friendly to Alex as the three of them got her fluffy boy into his carrier.

It had been unexpectedly sweet, and she honestly hadn’t known what to make of it.

He said, “I’ll be in Minneapolis for the next two weeks on business, but I’m having dinner with Kayla the Friday I get back. Maybe I’ll swing by afterward.”

“Sounds good.” She looked over at the window and at the darkened city beyond it. “How are things going with Miss PhD, by the way?”

“Good.” He cleared his throat and said, “We’re both so busy with work that we haven’t talked a lot, but good.”

“Dinner is promising, though, right?” she asked, wishing he’d share a little more about Kayla. He said things likeShe seems great, but he never really went into any detail.

“Yeah, it’ll be great,” he said. “I imagine I’ll be over at your place around ten, if that works.”

It’ll be great.What did that mean? She said, “We can DoorDash ice cream and watch a movie.”

“It’s a date,” he said.

Hallie turned her eyes back to the ceiling.It’s a date.She wondered, not for the first time, if she was being honest, what it would be like to actually date Jack. She didn’t want to—sheloved their friendship—but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t think of their hot hotel sex and theirPride & Prejudicemoment in her living room from time to time.

They ended the call not long after that, and then Alex called her.

She liked talking to him, really, but she couldn’t help but notice their conversations lacked thefunthat always accompanied a call with Jack. It was probably an unfair comparison, though, because no one had the easy banter she and Jack had. They were friends, which was what made it so comfortable and natural, and she and Alex were stillbecomingsomething.

It had nothing to do with Jack, and everything to do with their newness.

Easy explanation.

Jack

Jack was waiting for the hotel elevator when his phone buzzed. It was Hallie.

Hallie:Help! Going to dinner and can’t choose.

The picture that followed was of two pairs of shoes— high-heeled black boots and a pair of black pumps.

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