Page 11 of Counter Bet

“Why do you always ask such hard questions. That’s like being forced to pick between chocolate or sex.”

I grimace. “Shit. Yeah, that’s an impossible choice.”

“Right!” She says, pushing up on her hands. “My little alien people need a baby and possibly even an alien dog if I have time.”

Her head disappears from view.

Chuckling, I sit back up and grab the pink spray can.

When Steph has finished her little alien family, she joins me on my side. “Oh, my God!” she laughs behind her hand. “That looks like it was drawn by my baby cousin.”

I tilt my head, pursing my lips. Itdoeslook like it was painted by a three-year-old. I stand up and round the car to inspect Steph’s work. The laughter that bubbles up inside of me reminds me of easier times. “Wow, Steph. What a masterpiece!”

She rests her forearm on my shoulder. “I know, right! I bet Van Gogh is turning in his grave with jealousy.”

“Oh, yes! Definitely!” I reply, holding back a laugh. “And not just him. Mozart too.”

Steph snorts a laugh. “Mozart? Really? He was a composer Dallas?”

“Even so,” I reply, looking at her pointedly as I pack away our discarded cans. “I bet he’s turning in his grave with jealousy. The dude could compose music, but could he paint?”

Amused, she hands me the last can. “Good point.”

As I glance at the car, a thought occurs to me. “You do realize his dad will take the car for a new paint job, and it’ll be like nothing happened.”

She brushes her curls away from her face, then takes the bag off me. “But not before his friends see it.”

We share a smile.

I see something out of the corner of my eye, so I look to the end of the drive. Ben swaggers between two parked cars. There is no other way to describe his cocky walk.

His friends trail behind him.

Ben is dressed in his usual skinny black jeans with rips at the knees and his favorite black and white vans. A black band t-shirt with a tear in the collar hugs his chest. He makes everything look effortless.

“What do you think?” Steph beams, holding her hands out like she’s presenting the car to a potential buyer.

Ben whistles, and Matt and Josh laugh behind him. “Wow…”

“Wow?” Steph puts her hands on her hips. “Is that all you have to say?”

Ben scratches the stubble on his jaw, glancing over at Matt and Josh for help. “It looks…” He blows a raspberry, at a loss for words, and lifts his hand before dropping it back down by his side. “I dig the flower theme.”

I grin, turning to Steph. “He digs the flower theme.”

She purses her lips and gives me a look that says,“You think you won this round?”

My smile grows wider.“I know I won this round!”

“Well,” she says, taking Ben’s elbow. She steers him past Nina and April. “What about my side?”

He squints. “Are those green blobs?”

Steph squeaks.

I double over laughing, stifling the sound with my hand.

“It’s an alien family, Ben! Do they look like blobs to you?”

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