Page 136 of Betting on You

I got off my stool and went to the window, not knowing what to say or how to look at her. Smiling felt wrong, but so didnotsmiling. So I just said, “Hey.”

Her eyes went up to my hair. “A bun? Really?”

I nodded in agreement with what I knew she was thinking. She had strong opinions on the bun. “Yes, I’ve given up.”

“Listen, I need to check out a boogie board for a guest who’s coming in late. Can I get it charged to room 769?” she asked, ignoring my bun rebuttal entirely. “Please.”

“Sure.” I tabbed through the necessary fields on the computer until I got to the right screen. My face was on fire and my hands were shaking, and I wasn’t sure if it was from guilt or fear that we’d never be friends again.

I could tell by the expression on her face that she was going to take the board and go, and I knew I needed to say something.

It was now or never.

Butwhat?

What could I possibly say to make her forgive me?

“I’m so sorry.” I glanced up from the computer screen and said the first thing I could think of. “I’m a jerk and the worst and totally deserving of your scorn, but I ambeggingyou to forgive me.”

Her eyebrows went down.

“I know, I know, I know,” I said quickly, talking as fast as I could, trying to think of more ways to get through to her while she was standing in front of me. “Even my apology is annoying, right?But I just want you to know that I never hoped or thought you’d cheat on Aaron—”

“Bailey—”

“And I was bettingonyou, not that that made it any better—”

“Can you shut up?” she asked, her eyebrows going even lower. “This groveling is pathetic.”

My words froze in my mouth, because I couldn’t believe she’d told me to shut up.

But then her mouth turned into a little half smile that made me want to cry happy tears. Actually my eyesdidfill with tears, because I missed her so much. She said, “What you did was super assy. Like,superassy.”

I nodded and sniffled. “I know.”

“But Charlie told me—after he and Theo fought, by the way—that you took the bet to show him how wrong he was. And he told me you felt shitty about it the whole time.”

“I totally did,” I agreed, adding, “Not that that excuses it.”

God, what had I been thinking?It was surreal to me, that I’d ever gone along with it.

Freaking Charlie.

“Are you okay?” I asked, realizing that she’d been coping with her own loneliness. “About Aaron, I mean.”

She puckered her lips and lifted her shoulder. “I guess, yeah, but I miss him.”

I swallowed and nodded.

“A lot,” she added, looking so sad that I wanted to hug her, even though I knew she wouldn’t let me.

“Have you guys talked at all?” I asked, wishing I could fix it for her.

She shook her head. “I’m too scared to call him.”

Yeah, I definitely understand that.“You should, though.”

She just sighed, like she had no idea what to do, then said, “So can I catch a ride home with you after work? My battery’s dead, and I don’t want to wait for my dad to pick me up.”

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