Page 26 of The Bet

“My personal life is none of your concern. I don’t know what your problem is with me, but I’m not a game to play with. Stopmaking bets and trying to hurt my feelings.”

“You’re a bitch.”

I jerk my head back. I’ve never done anything to her. I rarely talked to her in school. Not by choice, but because she never spoke to me. I wasn’t in her click. “What did I do to you?”

“You got into National Honor Society when I should have.”

What the flip? That’s crazy. We were sophomores. Surely. I heard her wrong.“What are you talking about?”

“I was supposed to get in first. You stole my spot.” She crosses her arms and taps her shoe on the pavement.

I blink and stare at her. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re mad at me over something that happened our sophomore year of high school?”

“Yes. And, Jenna. She’s an even bigger bitch. She always had Anthony’s eye.”

“What?”

“Anthony Timmerman. I tried to ask him out, and he turned me down.”

“This is ridiculous. Tabitha, we aren’t in high school anymore. We’re adult women.”At least Jenna and I are. I don’t know what you are.

“You cheated your way in.”

Oh, my God. This “B” is crazy.“Fine. You can think whatever you want. I’m done with you.”

The door opens as a crowd of customers walks outside, chatting. Their laughter is a stark contrast to the conversation going on between us.

“I can’t believe you came here,” Tabitha growls. “You’re embarrassing me in front of everyone.”

“Get a life. You aren’t the center of the universe.” I shake my head. Tabitha is pathetic. Her present and future are too wrapped up in the past for her to get anywhere.

I twist on my heel and march to my car. My back is rigid the entire way on the off chance she starts swinging. I wouldn’t put it past her.

When I reach my vehicle, I hold my breath and spin around. Tabitha yanks open thedoor to her four-door sedan and slides inside. It’s gold with a dented fender and rust around the wheel wells.God, I feel sorry for her.

Chapter Nineteen

Rich

I grab my sister in a bear hug. “It’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, you, too.” She sinks into my arms and pats my back. Then, she punches me in the stomach.

“Fuck.” I blink and suck in a gulp of air.Shit.I stop breathing for a second.I should have never taught her to fight.“I deserved that.”

“Yes, you did.” She carries her overnight bag to the sofa and drops it with a thump on the couch. After she shifts her feet, she scans the room. “Lemon?”

“Tony sent his cleaning service over.”

“Tony?” Her shoulders stiffen. “Tony Timmerman?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes narrow into tiny slits. “How’s Mr. Wonderful?”

“He’s fine.” I study my sister. As much as she denies it, she’d been in love with my best friend since high school. But to therest of the world, she puts off the mortal enemy vibe at the mere mention of his name.

“I heard he was back in town.”

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