Page 37 of Call My Bluff
“Uh—”
“Perfect! I’ll see you out there! I’ve got to fix my mascara first,” she declared. Then she let her smile spread into a megawatt grin. “I’m so glad you didn’t give up!” she added, and then she turned and left the kitchen before she could start laughing. She could practically see Noah’s best-laid plans flashing before his eyes.
He’d be gone before dessert.
“Okay, so... whatwas that?” Jake asked the question as he reversed from the parking lot, and Noah slumped against the cushioned seats of his friend’s truck and tried to form a reply.
The short answer? He had no idea.
The longer answer? Olivia had lost her mind. Or been body snatched. Or maybe both.
She’d spent the entire party plastered to his side, introducing him to people as her boyfriend and basically acting like her brain had been scrambled somewhere between the kitchen and the living room.
She’d even called him “honey bug.”
Twice.
Noah stared through Jake’s windshield with blank eyes, barely noticing as the town’s landmarks flashed past the windows. Olivia had been more enthusiastic than expected on New Year’s Eve. Not that it had slowed him down, but it had surprised him—especially after she’d been so clear about her rules.
Both of whichshe’dbroken, by the way.
And then she’d slipped under his arm and fled. She’d left her coat, left her shoes, and left him—still bracing himself against the wall and not totally sure he could move without falling down.
Was it possible it had all meant more to her than he’d realized? He was always up front about his intentions, but occasionally a girl got the wrong impression anyway—though never to quite this extent.
He went over it all again.
Was itpossible?
No.His common sense spoke up now.It was not possible.There was no universe where Olivia Cohen would fawn over him the way she had at dinner—not even if she were having their wedding invitations engraved. In fact, she’d probably bust his chops even harder if she liked him than she did now.
But she doesn’tnotlike you, a little voice pointed out.
That was true, too. She couldn’t be totally turned off by himand still kiss him the way she had; he didn’t think that was possible, either. So, what was he missing? Why was she asking him to come to a family event, calling him cutesy names and using the B-word? Why was she—
His thoughts ground to a halt so fast he almost heard them screech.
She was trying to get rid of him!
Noah smiled as the realization dawned with startling clarity. Oliva Cohen was trying to get rid of him... by latching on like a leech. If he weren’t on the receiving end of this tactic, he’d have applauded her efforts; for anyone else, it would probably work.
But Noah wouldn’t be giving up so easily.
He sat up straight as a sudden sense of excitement filled his chest. “That,” he said, turning to Jake, “was desperation. It’s like...” He searched his memory for what the whole night had reminded him of and finally hit on the right file. “Have you ever seen that Kate Hudson movie where she’s trying to scare off Matthew McConaughey by acting like a psychopath?”
“Umm, yeah. But I’m surprised you have.”
“My mom likes it,” Noah replied, waving Jake’s words away. “Anyway,that’swhat Olivia is doing!”
Jake slowed for a red light and flicked his eyes toward his friend. “You know they end up together in that movie, right? Is that the goal here?”
“No,” Noah answered quickly. Happily ever after was for fairy tales, and even those could be rewritten. “But she doesn’t get to just toss me aside,” he went on. “If Olivia wants to pretend we’re a happy little couple, then I’m going to call her bluff.”
“So, the plan is... what, exactly?” Jake asked.
“The plan,” Noah said, still putting the pieces together inhis mind, “is to go all-in. Put the chips on the table and force her to show her hand.”
“So, you’re just going to play chicken and hope she ducks first?”
