Page 23 of Betting on You

So why did it feel like we kind of did?

“So on-brand for my girl.” She lifted the cup and took a long drink before saying, “Ooh—but so good. Do I have time to get a malt?”

I said, “No,” and at the same time both boys said, “Yes.”

Nekesa stuck out her tongue at me, and I glanced down at my watch. “Well, be fast. I don’t want to be late.”

“Such a Protostar,” Theo teased, and I couldn’t believe he was self-assured enough to mockmewhen we’d only just met.

“Takes one to know one,” Nekesa said, “Mr. Private School.”

“Did you really just say that?” Theo said, giving Nekesa a flirty smile. “Miss Public Education?”

“I think I did,” she said, grinning.

“Looks like someone upped the attitude since we last met.” I watched as Theo tilted his head and gave her an appraising look. “I’m not sure if I’m scared or if I like it.”

“Oh, you’re scared,” Nekesa replied, meeting his gaze before turning and walking to the counter to order.

“I think I’m both,” Theo said, laughing as he followed behind her. “I’m scared and I like it.”

As soon as they were out of earshot, Charlie said, “Those two aresogonna hook up.”

“You aresowrong,” I quickly snapped at him. Even if she was being a little flirty, that didn’t mean she was going to cheat. “She’s got a boyfriend.”

He gave me a level stare before saying, “So what?”

“So she’s super happy with Aaron, that’s what.” Typical Charlie, assuming the worst. “Theo’s just an old friend.”

“An old friend who looks at her likethat.”

I followed his gaze over to the counter, where Nekesa was laughing loudly about something. And, okay, Theo was staring at her.

Pretty intently, actually.

He was staring at her as if she’d just told him the most wonderfully shocking thing he’d ever heard in his life. His eyes were very nearly sparkling, for God’s sake. Still, I said, “He’s looking at her like he thinks she’s funny.”

“Trust me, if those two start working together, they’ll be banging it out in under a month.”

“You’re disgusting,” I said, not at all shocked by his cynical assumption. It was exactly what Charlie in the plane would’ve said, as well as Charlie at the movie theater. He might have changed in some ways, but his penchant for assuming the worst remained the same.

“I’m right, though. Even if she’s happy with Aaron the Great, those two have entirely too much fun together for it to stay platonic.”

“So you still subscribe to the same idiotic theory about friendship?” I wasn’t sure why I was even posing it as an inquiry when his opinion was obvious.

“It’s not a theory, Glasses—it’s a fact,” he said, stretching out his long legs under the table. “And coworkers are the worst, too, by the way, because they don’t realize they’re becoming ‘friends’ until that ‘friendship’ turns into attraction, which ultimately becomes a hookup.”

“That’s a trash theory.” I watched just over his shoulder as Theo and Nekesa laughed together as they stood in line.He’s wrong, right?I said, “I guarantee you, no matter how much those two might work together, nothing will happen between them except friendship.”

“Care to make a wager?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement even as his mouth stayed in its patented snarky half smile.

“On what?”

“Gimme your phone,” he said, holding out his palm.

“What?”For some reason, I pulled it from my pocket and handed it over. “What are you doing?”

“Putting in my number so we can work out the details of our bet later.” He glanced toward the counter. “Shhh—here they come.”

---