Page 86 of The Even Odder Couple

ChapterTwenty-Six

SPENCER

My heart’s banging in my chest. And not the good kind of heart-bang. This type hurts. Letting go of Tess might be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But we have to talk. Now. For the sake of self-preservation. Herself. Myself. Both our selves.

Tess blinks. “What’s going on?”

“I’d like to tell you it’s all Frank’s fault, but—” I cut myself off as my gut clenches. Take a deep breath. “I can own my part.”

She swallows hard. “Your part in what?”

“The bet.”

“Oh.” The word drops like a stone between us. Tess takes a sip of air then shifts her jaw, probably thinking up worst-case scenarios.

“He didn’t bet me to kiss you.” I run a hand through my hair, shaking my head. “Nothing like that.”

She exhales, but her shoulders remain tense. Her body’s on the defense, and I get it. She must have whiplash from tonight, not to mention the last two weeks. Ever since the car wash, I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Or why. But it’s been blowing back on Tess, and I’ve got to put a stop to it. Now.

“That day you and Jill were at the car wash,” I begin again, “Frank was giving me a hard time—again—this time claiming no girl in her right mind would ever date me.”

A crease forms in her brow. “Oh,” she says again. Another stone plunks on the ground. I basically just suggested she kissed a guy my brother said no woman in her right mind would date. Not a compliment for either of us.

“I don’t remember our exact words,” I rush to say, “but I definitely fought back. I told Frank I was plenty datable. And when he bet me I couldn’t find someone in the next month, I dared him to give me his car if I did. The red Mustang,” I add, even though she didn’t ask. “Frank’s been working on it for months. And I just … I wanted to make his head explode.” I blow out a breath, realizing how stupid this all sounds. Tess must think I’m so, so stupid. And I agree with her. All this time she’s been telling me to loosen up. Now I did, and it’s ruined everything. “Frank made me promise not to tell anyone. Those were the terms. I couldn’t say anything to you.”

Tess shifts her jaw, processing. She’s figuring out she was part of it. Maybe not at first, but at some point. “So what didyouput up?” She widens her stance and narrows her eyes. “What would Frank get if you lost?”

“My down payment. All of it. The money I’ve been saving for a house.”

“Whoa.”

“Yeah. I know.” I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. “It’s the most insane thing I’ve ever done. At the time, I almost couldn’t believe Frank took me seriously. Like, did we really just agree to this? But, yeah. I think he’s serious.”

She nods slowly, taking my words in. I can practically see the wheels turning in her brain, and none of the conclusions put me in a good light. Not that I deserve good lighting. But still. This sounds so much worse now that I hear it out loud.

“It all makes sense,” she says, still nodding, brain still wheeling. “You were acting so weird at the coffee shop, standing close to me. Ordering one of everything. Being nice in front of Frank…” Her voice dies off.

“I am nice,” I say.That’s the best you could come up with? I’m nice?

“And tonight, during the movie.” A breeze picks up and leaves rustle about our heads. “He was sitting right behind us. That’s why you—”

“No.” I’m not even sure what I’m disagreeing with, but I can’t let Tess think for even a moment I didn’t want to be close to her. All on my own. “That was real. Tonight was real. That kiss—”

“Stop.”

I stop.

She squares her shoulders and meets my gaze. “I get it.”

“You do?” Somehow my roiling insides don’t feel better.

“You didn’t have time to make something real happen with Kayla, and you didn’t want to ruin a future with her over a dumb bet.” She makes a little sound in the back of her throat. “You must’ve been pretty disappointed when she sat with Clive tonight.” Her shoulders sink. “So I was your next logical choice.”

“That’s not how it—”

“Close enough.” She cuts me off. “And like I said, I’m not mad. I’m the one who pushed you and Kayla together before you were ready. You’re the man with the plan. Always thinking things through. Analyzing every move. You don’t make mistakes. That’s my territory. I’m Tess the Mess. My life is chaos. Why would I even notice, right?”

“I tried calling off the bet.” I say this as if the words might salvage the situation.

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