Page 26 of The Bet
“You know Max, don’t you?” Briony continued, unaware of the tsunami of confusion that swept through him.
“Max,” he scrubbed his cheek, fully aware that Max had been playing him the whole time. “Yeah, yeah, I remember now.” He’d been so preoccupied with trying to hit on her that he hadn’t remembered.
“Nice meeting you.” Max winked at him, then dropped her gaze to his crotch before lifting it back to his face. “Thanks for the …conversation.” She picked up her cocktail glass and the pair of them walked away, their hands around each other’s waists.
Luke hooted with laughter. “Did you just try and chat up a lesbian andfail?”
“Shewas playingme.” It had pissed him off. She’d treated him like a piece of meat.
“You’re losing your touch, pal.” The grin never left Luke’s face and he ran his hands through his long floppy hair, sweeping it away from his forehead. Girls seemed to love that shit.
“She’s alesbian, dude,” Xavier retorted. “That’s hardly fair.”
“Exactly,” Luke was laughing so hard that his eyes were watering. “And Kay didn’t even want to know you, and your girlfriend dumped you just a few days ago.”
Xavier blinked a couple of times in quick succession. Was his friend deliberately trying to depress him? “She’s an actress. They’re easily bored. Nothing’s forever with those kind of people.”
“Forever?” Luke scoffed. “Since when were you looking forforever?”
“Fuck you.” Maybe hewaslosing it.
“Truth hurts.” Luke walked off to serve another guest, leaving him to sit by himself. As he stared at the empty shot glass, contemplating his boring evening, Lime Green Bikini edged into the periphery of his vision, only she hadn’t been in that green bikini all day, but the name suited. And he wished she was wearing it now. Unfortunately, she still had on that sexy dress she’d worn earlier to the wedding. It still showed off her slim legs, and slender body, but her in a bikini would have been nicer to look at. She had the kid with her.
He brightened up, and walked over, determined to prove a point. “What have you got there, Jacob?”
“We’re going to look for crabs.”
“Crabs? Now?” He looked at his watch. “Kind of late for that isn’t it?”
“Uh-huh,” replied Jacob, solemnly. “That’s what Izzy said.” Xavier ventured a glance at Izzy, but she only stared back coldly. His insides prickled because he had no idea why she looked so pissed.
“If you’re hungry, buddy, there are some crabs on the seafood platters.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the buffet tables.
Jacob made a face, as if he had only just made the connection. “Arethere crabs?” Jacob asked Izzy. She cut her eyes at Xavier. “Great answer, Einstein,” she said, coldly.
“She talks,” he said, returning Izzy’s hard stare, and holding it, refusing to look away. If they were going to have a staring contest, he was going to win. She was going to have to look away first.
“There are crabs, Jacob,” she said, looking away before he did. “Just like the salmon and the prawns.”
Jacob’s face contorted with pain. “I’m going to be a vegenarian like you,” he said to Izzy.
Xavier couldn’t help but laugh. “Avegenarian?What’s that buddy?”
“Someone who likes animals.”
“You mean a vegetarian,” Izzy said, correcting him. She had turned her back to Xavier, effectively blocking him out of the conversation. “You won’t be able to have hot dogs, then,” he heard her say.
Jacob’s lips pinched together tightly, as if the idea had lost its appeal. “I don’t want to go looking for crabs anymore.”
“Good,” said Izzy. “Because I think it’s too late. How about we go back to the waterfall tomorrow?”
The kid’s face lit up like a firework.
“Promise?”
“Promise. There were a lot of rock pools around that area, do you remember?” The kid nodded.
“That was easy enough.” Xavier tried to make conversation, but Izzy ignored him.
