Page 65 of The Bet
Chapter 19
“You’re going to have to do something with the extra money. It’s been lying on the kitchen table for over a week, Iz.” Cara’s mouth had specks of coffee-flavored cupcake icing across it.
“Don’t remind me.” She’d left Shoemoney’s cash lying around and hadn’t come to any suitable conclusion about what to do with it.
“I’m going to spend it if you don’t. We’re running out of toilet rolls.”
Izzy groaned.
“I can’t believe he had the audacity to come here and try to pay you off.”
“Me neither.”
Izzy shrugged. “He can’t buy me off.”
“No he can’t. But it’s not as if you were going to tell anyone. Have you told your parents yet?”
Izzy shook her head. No way. She had no intention of telling them at all.
“Why don’t you mail it back to him? That way you won’t have to see his ugly face again.”
Izzy nodded. “Or I could slip it into one of those charity donation boxes next time I see one?”
“But you’re not in a position to donate ‘unwanted money’ to charities. We’re a charity case right now.”
Cara was right. Izzy cradled her head in her hands. “I hate people like that. I hate people who think they can treat people like dirt and use them for their own sick perversion, and just walk away like nothing happened.”
They sat on the couch sharing a plate of cupcakes that Cara had bought. They were a day past the best before date, but they tasted fine. It wasn’t the healthiest thing to eat, but it was exactly the type of sugary lift Izzy needed.
“Xavier’s on to you,” said Cara, bringing the conversation back around to him again. Her friend was convinced that he was interested in Izzy, and she now regretted telling her about everything that had happened last week.
“He’s not on to me,” said Izzy. “He’s just being nosey.”
“He obviously knows that something shady’s gone on. When are you going to tell him the truth?”
“I’m not.”
“But he seemedsoconcerned.” She had told Cara about his suspicions and about their subsequent row at his place when he’d gotten the wrong end of the stick about the money.
“He’s a charmer, a player. I’m not falling for it.”
“He might really like you.”
She let out an irritated huff.
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop going on about it. Here,” Cara pushed the plate towards her. “Have another cupcake. You look like you could do with it.”
“If you’re going to shove the plate in front of my face like that I can hardly refuse.”
“Go on. You know you want it. It’s a lazy weekend, and you don’t need to rush over and entertain that kid either.”
She picked up another cupcake with half an inch of icing on top. She peeled back the paper casing on one side and took a huge bite, getting a mouthful of rich coffee flavored buttercream and soft, moist juicy sponge cake.
“But Savannah still wants to see me.” She had called yesterday. The Stones had arrived back from their honeymoon a few days early, and Savannah had told Izzy there was no need for her to go over as she and Tobias wanted to spend time with Jacob. So Izzy had lain in bed this morning, having a rare weekend where she didn’t have anything to do. Even her homework assignments this weekend weren’t too bad.
But then she’d called again, an hour ago, asking Izzy if she could come over as there was something she wanted to discuss. “I better start making a move.”
“Are you going now?”
