Page 16 of Don't Game Me
“That wasn’t at all convincing. Let me guess. Guy trouble?”
Becca shrugged. “Busy. Really busy. Stressful. How’re you doing with everything happening with your game about to launch and the wedding?”
“Hanging in there. Grateful that Noah’s a god in bed. He proved it last night, but don’t tell your mom.” Tori’s face flushed red. “You probably didn’t want to hear that about your brother.”
“Not so much. That’s…eww.” She fake shivered. “But I’m glad you guys are happy. I can’t believe you only met six months ago. And you got out of the Stadium with Symphis…”
“The swiftness of the wedding seems to be a popular topic today. I know what I want, and it’s Noah. I love everything about his geekiness and, well, everything. If given a chance, we’ll make it. Our rush down the aisle is about fear we might not get the chance to prove we can make it.” Her voice wavered on the last bit and then lowered as if worried about eavesdroppers. “That business with Symphis and the gaming… It’s not exactly over despite what we say publicly. Not even your mom knows this, but I still get threats. It’s like he’s planning something big and just wants to remind me he hasn’t forgotten that I screwed him over when I left. Scares me every time my phone dings with a text message. We’re worried if we don’t do this now, there might not be a tomorrow to get it done. The day Symphis retaliates is coming.”
Becca swallowed past the dryness of her throat. She was pretty sure she played a big part in the impending retaliation. “I wish there was something I could do.”
Did that sound as apologetic as she thought it did? Oops.
Tori waved a dismissive hand. “This weekend is about celebration. Thank your lucky stars you didn’t get sucked into the Stadium.”
She grimaced and checked her phone for messages to cover her look.
Tori said, “I heard your date bailed. Screw him. You need to find a hot guy to make the trip worthwhile.”
“Maybe.”Found one. But it’s complicated.
“Speaking of hot guys, I heard you got a ride with Jake yesterday. How’d that go?”
“Is Jake here?” Becca’s stomach fluttered.
“Not yet. He texted your mom that he ran into you at the airport. I’ve heard many stories about the two of you having knock-down, drag-out fights.”
“We’re not that bad. We just rub each other the wrong way sometimes. How’s Jake been doing without your sister as his assistant this week? I heard Mom commandeered her for wedding stuff.”
“To see your mom butt heads with my sister over wedding details has been hilarious. You know my sister is all about perfection when it comes to organization. I can’t believe you and I will be sisters-in-law in two days.” Tori grinned, then chewed on her lower lip. “Heads up, there’s been talk about the bouquet thing. Do you have a plan?”
“Bouquet?” Crap, she’d forgotten she’d caught the bouquet at her cousin’s wedding last year. Her great-grandmother predicted every Harrison woman who caught a wedding bouquet would either be engaged within a year or remain unmarried and alone forever. The family believed in the prophecy with a scary zeal. “I hoped they’d forgotten.”
Tori stress smiled.
“I need to find a date to distract my relatives.” Hadn’t exactly gone well last night. But Jake wanted her, and that was a start. Kissing him had been incredible. Much better than anything she’d dreamed of.
Her face warmed.
Tori’s eyes narrowed. “Did you devise a nefarious plan again?”
“My plans aren’t nefarious.”
“The last time… You remember sucking down those shooters at my bachelorette party last month while claiming they’d make all of us enjoy Vegas even better? I ended up puking my brains out the next morning. You ended up wearing some guy’s underwear and singing karaoke when it wasn’t even a karaoke bar.”
Not one of her finest moments, but she had escaped gaming in the Stadium for the night. She also got docked three hundred dollars for doing so, pushing her gambling debt tab to over four thousand.
“We had a great time, didn’t we?” Becca asked.
“I don’t even remember how you got that guy’s underwear. Bad morning after.” Tori’s face broke into a smile. “But it was fun.”
“No foolishness involving alcohol this weekend. Scout’s promise.” She held up two fingers.
“It’s three fingers.” Tori laughed. “What’s your plan to thwart the bouquet insanity?”
“I’m going to get Jake to help me.”
“Jake Allen? The Jake who you can’t spend five minutes with without trying to kill? At least, that’s what Noah said.” Tori shot her ayou’re kidding meglare.
