Page 89 of Don't Bet On It
“How?” Zach looked genuinely curious.
“What if Tallulah and I break up—not that we’re even in a real relationship yet, but I’m working on it—and it turns into a war zone in the lounge?”
“That would not be ideal,” Zach replied. “Do you think you and Tallulah are going to break up?”
“We’re not really together yet,” I grumbled. “I have to convince her to take a chance on me.”
“Um, I saw the two of you in that tacky Paris bar two weeks ago,” Rex countered. “I was cutting through to avoid a dust storm, and she was practically on your lap. You guys didn’t even notice me, and I gawked for a good ten minutes.”
“You watched us?” That was gross.
“Don’t make it sound as if I’m a creepy voyeur,” Rex chided.
“Aren’t you?”
“Only with my future wife.” Rex was stern. “If you guys didn’t want anybody to see what you were doing, why do it out in the open like that?”
I opened my mouth to tell him to stuff it, but different words came out. “It was supposed to be a friends with benefits thing. That’s what we agreed on.”
I must have sounded pathetic because they took pity on me.
“Let me guess. You want it to be more than that,” Zach said.
“It is more than that. It always has been. I just didn’t realize it.”
“And my marriage with Olivia was real way before I realized it,” Zach said. “Things like this happen.” He held out his hands and shrugged. “When it’s meant to be, it’s going to happen, regardless.”
“It’s likeJurassic Park,” Rex agreed.
Did he think he was explaining something? “Um, what’s likeJurassic Park?”
“Oh, he’s going somewhere with this,” Zach said dryly, his eyes twinkling.
“I am going somewhere with this.” Rex shot his best friend a testy look. “InJurassic Park, life finds a way. In Vegas, love finds a way.”
“Wow” was all I could manage.
Zach made a snickering noise. “Yes, profound, huh?”
“I don’t even know what to say,” I muttered.
“Well, don’t say anything.” Zach turned matter of fact. “Just listen. I knew you had a thing for Tallulah long before Rex saw you in the weird Paris bar—what were you guys even doing there anyway when there are so many other good bars?—and I saw you zip-lining together when I was visiting Mickie Finnz about a month ago.”
My mouth fell open. “You saw us too?”
“You guys weren’t exactly discreet.”
“But … we were trying to be.”
“Well, you’re both terrible at it.” He grinned. “If we were recruiting spies, you guys would be last on the list.”
“Unbelievable.” I rubbed my forehead. “Does that mean we’re not in trouble?”
“Why would you be in trouble?” Rex asked.
“I already told you. I know what you said about fraternization, but the rule is still on the books.”
Rex pursed his lips. Was he getting angry? When he burst out laughing, I realized that wasn’t the case. “You do realize that I’m engaged to my former boss, right?”
