Page 115 of Counter Bet

He grins and shifts us so that I’m seated between his legs. Then cups his mouth and hollers, “What do you say, guys? Are we fucking happy that Princess is back or what?”

I laugh, but my smile falls away when I catch Ben looking at me. Shadows flicker on his face, and his dark-blue hair looks black in the firelight.

He breaks eye contact and stares out over the lake.

I turn my attention on the fire, watching the flames dance while the others chat and laugh around me as though I’ve never been gone.

Only Ben stays quiet and pensive.

“Did you hear? I’m dating the chess geek,” Nina says, interrupting my thoughts.

I grin. “The lessons went well then, I take it?”

She wiggles her eyebrows, then tips the bottle back and takes a swig. “Em, he’s like a trained puppy.”

“Has anyone ever told you you’re crazy?”

Nina pretends to think about it before tipping the bottleneck at Steph. “She likes to remind me once or twice a month.”

Steph looks over at us questioningly. “Whatever she said about me is a lie.”

I giggle, leaning back against Matt’s solid chest.

He wraps an arm around me. “Where is chess boy tonight anyway?” he asks Nina.

She waves him off, hiccuping. “He’s preparing for tomorrow’s spelling bee.”

“Fuck off,” Steph laughs. “You’re making this shit up.”

Nina grins. “Am not.”

Matt’s deep chuckle vibrates against my back. “You’re full of shit, Nina.”

She looks affronted as she digs in her pockets for her phone. “Fine, you don’t believe me, dickhead? Let’s phone him.”

Dallas giggles from across the fire draws my attention, and I get caught in her gaze. We share another smile.

“Hey babe, let me put you on speakerphone,” Nina slurs, squinting at the screen.

“Give me that.” Matt grunts, pulling the phone from her hands when she tries and repeatedly fails to activate the speakerphone.

“Nina? What’s going on?” Chess boy asks, and we all cheer in victory when we can finally hear him.

“Here you go,” Matt says, handing the phone back to Nina.

“Hey babe, are you excited for the spelling bee tomorrow?”

We lean in closer to hear over the crackle of the fire and crickets in the tall grass behind us.

“Are you drunk?” the chess-boy asks.

Nina slaps a hand over her mouth, giggling. “He really doesn’t like alcohol,” she whispers and buries her face in April’s neck, shoulders shaking with muffled laughter.

“Nina?” chess-boy questions again.

“He sounds irritated,” Josh whispers.

“He really does,” April agrees, throwing her empty bottle in the fire.

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