Page 4 of The Bet

Chloe

As I arrange the last row of cupcakes on the metal tray, my back screams in pain. I open the plastic curtain to the shelving unit and slide the rack into the middle slot.

After I lean back, I roll my shoulders and turn my neck from side to side. Everything from my toes to my forehead aches. Standing on cement for twelve hours a day will bite me in the backside later in life. I should know. My parents have lived with back pain my entire life, but they love their little restaurant.

When someone knocks on the backdoor of the bakery, I jump.Rich. Holy cow. What’s he doing here?I rush to the door and pull it open. “You scared the crap out of me.”

“Sorry.” Rich flushes as he steps inside and shuts the door behind him.

“What’s wrong?” My heart pounds against my ribs.Firemen and police officers don’t pop up unannounced after midnight. Please, don’t let anything be wrong.

“Listen, Chloe, I don’t know how to tell you this.”

I clutch my chest. “What is it?”

All types of disasters run through my mind in an endless loop.Was there an accident? Are my parents okay?

No. My parents should be in bed by now. It can’t be them.My stomach churns.At least it had better not be them. Not that I want it to be anyone else.

Jenna? It can’t be Jenna. Rich would be freaked out if something were wrong with her. Besides, I talked to her two hours ago, and she was fine.

Rich sighs and stares at the ground.

Did something happen to Jenna? God, no.“Is it Jenna?” I grab Rich’s hands and clutch them with all my strength.

“What?” Rich’s eyes jerk to our joined hands.

“Good gravy, Rich. What’s wrong?”

“Shit. I’m sorry.” He turns his hands over and rubs the backs of mine with his thumbs.

The sensation of his touch goes straight up my arms and down to my toes.Stop being a wanton hussy. Someone’s hurt, and I’m mooning over Rich. What the heck is wrong with me?

“Everyone’s fine.”

“Then, what are you doing here scaring me to death.” I pull back, letting Rich’s hands drop to his sides. If everything’s okay, I don’t need to fall apart. As a fireman, he’s dealt with more than enough hysterical women. I don’t need to join the crowd.

“I went out with Jim and Eric tonight.”

“Why?” I wrinkle my nose.Jim and Rich don’t mesh. Why would they hang out together? They’re polar opposites.

Rich is loyal, supportive, and would give the shirt off his back to anyone. My eyes land on his broad chest.Stop it.I jerk my eyes back to his face.God, his eyes are so brown. That’s not any better.He reminds me of a chocolate fountain, and who doesn’t want to dip into some smooth, silky sweetness?

Jim? Not so much. Jim is selfish and rude. And, when I wouldn’t put out, he actedlike a petulant baby. When that ploy didn’t work, he’d turned into a jerk. I should have shown him the door the first night.

“Why did I go out with him?”

“Yes.” I arch my eyebrows and stare at him expectantly.

“I’m sorry, Chloe. I didn’t trust him. I haven’t trusted him since the day you began dating him.”

“I see.”Is he jealous?My heart skips a beat. I’d give anything for him to notice me as a woman.

He paces the floor. With him in my kitchen, the space seems impossibly small. My breath catches in my throat.

“I was afraid he was cheating on you, so I invited myself along.” He stops several feet from me and glances out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t know how to tell you this other than to rip it off like a Band-Aid. If I were a great talker, I’d ease into it. Jim’s outside the bar getting his dick sucked, and he wanted me to break it off with you.”

“Damn you, Rich.” I glare at him.

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