Page 61 of No One Wants That (Blitzen Bay)

Raine grabs Mason’s last chip and then heads over to me. “Give it.”

“No,” I say, closing my hand over my chip. “I haven’t slept with a Chili’s waitress.”

“Yes,” she says, prying my hand open. “You haven’t slept with a Chili’s waitress, you’ve slept with several, but nice try on the word play.”

“Like Mason said,” I say, swatting her backside, “you’re on your own the next time we’re in the field.”

“All talk as usual,” Raine says, looking around for her next victim.

“Damn, I’ve never made it this far in the game,” Elle says, displaying her two chips. “I think it’s just Kit, Raine, and me.”

“Oh, sweet Noelle.” Raine lets out a long sigh. “Never draw attention to yourself. She has to go, Kit.”

“Yep,” Kit says, putting her arm around Elle. “Sorry, babe. You can’t brag like that when you’re playing with competitive freaks like Raine and me. Never have I ever left my fiancé at the altar.”

“Kit! Why?” Elle says, her face melting into a pout as she grabs her chips and holds them close to her chest. “Why are you bringing that up?”

“It’s okay, baby,” Nash says, hugging her. “That’s how we met. It’s a happy memory. Now give your chips to the mean lady.”

“Fine,” Elle whines, looking up at Kit. “You are mean.”

Kit kisses the top of her head. “You know better than to get in the way of me winning a game. Just you and me now, Raine. And we really don’t know each other that well. Want to call it a draw?”

Mason, Millie, and I burst out laughing.

“What?” Kit says, looking around at us and then back at Raine.

“Raine would almost literally rather kill someone than lose to them,” Mason says. “She’s more competitive than I am and that’s saying a whole lot. Sorry, Kit. You’re toast.”

“But you don’t really know anything about me,” Kit says, sitting back down slowly. She pulls her legs up to her chest and forms a little ball with her body.

“I know enough,” Raine says, smiling as she walks over and stands right in front of me. She glances at me and then back over at Kit.

“Girl code!” Kit says, putting her hand in Raine’s face.

Raine pushes it away. “Never have I ever . . .”

“Raine!” Kit yells—her voice getting shrill. “Girl code!”

Raine looks over her shoulder at Millie. “Mills?”

“Girl code.” Millie nods. “You have to honor it.”

“Fine. I’m still good. Never have I ever,” Raine says as she looks from me to Kit again, “fallen into a lake trying to pet a raccoon.”

“Yep!” Kit jumps up and shoves her chips at Raine. “I did that! You win.”

“Wait,” I say, looking back and forth between them. “I don’t get it. Were you going to say something else?”

“Oh, sweetie. You really don’t get it, do you?” Raine leans down to hug me. “Now, stop trying to figure it out and give me the twenty you owe me.”

She holds out her hand—eyebrows raised—until I pull out my wallet and pay her. She walks around the patio collecting money from everyone and then fans herself with the bills.

“I’ve got a hundred and forty new dollars burning a hole in my pocket and it’s still early,” she says. “What should we do?”

“How about a ladies’ night?” Kit says, jumping up as I try to put my arm around her again. I’ve been trying to cozy up to her all night. Every time I do, she pulls away. Something’s changed from this afternoon, but I’m not sure what.

“Ooo, yeah,” Elle says. “Why don’t we head over to Big Bear? They have a few bars over there that are fun.”

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