Page 59 of Double or Nothing

“That still doesn’t make it right, Liz.” I pause, trying to collect my thoughts. “Then, right before Mac dragged him off, he told me he loved me.”

Her squeal nearly blows out my eardrum.

“Don’t get so excited,” I warn.

“I was excited the moment you told me he was coming back. Deny it all you want, sugar, but you and Sutton will be back together before you know it. That’s it? That’s what has you so upset?”

Even though she can’t see me through the phone, I shake my head in response.

“No, that’s not all. What has me so upset is he’s forcing me to have dinner with him tonight.”

“Forcing you, huh?” I can hear the amusement in her voice, the insinuation I didn’t need to be forced or coerced into dinner with him more than clear. “How exactly did he force you?”

“He was having a raging party in his room, disturbing the hotel guests. He said the only way he would shut the party down was if I agreed to have dinner with him,” I say with a sigh.

“Well, that’s not so bad. Though he could have come up with something more… pleasurable… for both of you.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Okay, fine. If you’re not interested, if you don’t care, then don’t go.”

“I told you, I don’t have a choice.”

“We always have a choice, Kat. He may have forced you into agreeing, but he can’t force you to follow through. Besides, you already got what you wanted. Why should you keep up your end of the bargain?”

Worrying my bottom lip between my teeth, I contemplate what Liz is saying. Maybe she’s right. There is no reason I have to go through with it. The party is over, the guests are happy, and I got what I wanted. Nothing says he has to get what he wants.

“You are a genius.”

“For the record, I think you should go. I think you should hear him out and work things out.”

“Noted.” As much as I hate to admit it, there’s a small part of me that wants to go. The part that tingled the moment he was near me. The part that misses what we used to be. The part that remembers the pain, the hurt, the end? It’s so much stronger, so much more. “Want to head to Neon Nights tonight?”

Liz groans, frustrated I’m not following her advice.

“Pick me up in an hour.”

“That’s my girl.”

Chapter 29

Sutton

I glance down at my phone for the tenth time. It’s twenty after eight. She’s late. She’s making me wait, trying to piss me off, and she’s doing a damn good job.

Strumming my fingers on the table impatiently, I take a sip of my beer. Trying to temper my anger, I tell myself she’s going to show. She’s just late. Probably stuck taking care of a client. If that’s the case, why didn’t she text?

Another glance at my phone shows, it’s now eight-thirty. Frustrated, I grab the phone off the table and type out a message.

Me: Where are you?

I wait a couple minutes but get no response.

Me: You’re not coming, are you?

A few moments pass before her response comes through.

Kat: Nope.

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