Page 28 of The Bet
“Bet me? Are you insane?”
“No. I’m going to prove it to you.”
“You don’t need to place a bet, Xavier. I think you’ve had too much to drink. Let’s see how you feel tomorrow.”
“Worried you can’t pay, dude?”
“Are you talking about amoneybet?”
“What other kind of bet is there?” Xavier asked.
Luke seemed to be thinking it over.
“Why, are you scared?” The man had been making digs all day, telling him he’d lost his touch, and now he needed to put his money where his mouth was.
“You don’t need to place a bet. I know you’re a hit with the ladies, okay? No need to get so confrontational. Don’t want you to go and do anything stupid, either.”
“Who said anything about doing anything stupid?”
“That’s the drink talking, not you.”
“It’s not the fucking drink.” He placed the glass down with more control than he felt. “You’ve been saying I’ve lost my touch, so why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?”
Luke crossed his arms. “Okay.”
“$10,000.”
“What?” Luke’s face exploded into surprise. “Are you crazy? $10,000?”
“$10,000 dollars that I can getthatgirl intomybed.”
“I don’t want you to do anything stupid.”
Xavier crossed his arms. “All above board, dude. I don’t ever use force to get a girl into bed. She’ll want it by the time I’m finished with her.”
“$10K?” Luke repeated. Xavier didn’t know what the big deal was. The dude had the money. He was loaded. Stinking rich. $10K to him was peanuts.
“You called it, dude,” Xavier told him.
“No,youcalled it.”
What the fuck did it matter? “You provoked me.”
“Didn’t realize your esteem was so fragile.”
“It’s not,” he scoffed.
“Is there a time limit to this crazy bet?” Luke asked.
“A month.” Xavier challenged.
Luke shrugged, as if he didn’t want to be a part of this. “I don’t know. What if she’s already got a boyfriend.”
“She hasn’t. I overheard her talking to Savannah. Anyway, are you chickening out now?”
“No.” Luke stopped wiping the glass he’d been wiping dry for the last few minutes. “A month doesn’t seem like enough time, and I’d hate for you to do something stupid.”
“I’m not going to do anything stupid. I don’t know what you take me for.” But the dude obviously doubted his sexual prowess. “3 months, if it makes you feel better, but I doubt I’ll need that long. Watch and learn, dude. Watch and learn.”
“You’re an idiot.”
