Page 132 of What Are The Odds?
“Mainly.”
“Cool.”
Well, that conversation sucked. Could Ryker piss off so we could talk properly?
“Good break?” he asked me.
I nodded. “You?”
“Yeah. Fine.”
I scuffed my sneaker into the pavement. I was done with the small talk. Grace exhaled heavily, preparing the courage to say something. Her apprehension made me worry.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think. Seven flights to be exact.”
Her nose was pink. Even with as many layers as she was dressed in, she was still cold. I wish I could warm her up.
“While the bet was bloody ridiculous, and cruel, and total bullshit–” She moved her eyes between Ryker and me, scolding us in turn “– I know it was an off the cuff decision, and made before either of you got to know me.”
I shuffled from foot to foot, full of nervous energy.
“So, I’ve decided I can forgive you both.”
I let out the deepest fucking breath of my life. As much as I’d wanted to hear her say that, I hadn’t expected it. And we certainly didn’t deserve it. Grace held up her hands.
“But first, we’re going to see this bet through. Since you both like leaving things up to chance, I have one last game to play.”
The sinking feeling returned. I didn’t like the sound of that. Ryker and I shared an apprehensive glance.
“Here’s the new terms. The first one to find me by midnight wins.”
“Wins what?” I checked sceptically.
Grace shrugged, nonchalantly. “Me.”
Hell fucking no. Over my dead body. Who Grace was with shouldn’t come down to chance. And as far as I was concerned, Ryker shouldn’t even get a look in. She’d chosen me last time. If we were going to see this stupid bet through, I’d won. She’d fallen for me.
Ryker’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”
Grace nodded.
“But you and Holloway–”
“We’re wiping the slate clean. Starting fresh.” Grace briefly looked at me. “History doesn’t count.”
She said it simply, like what we had could be wiped away that easily. I was waiting for her to admit she was messing with us, and that Ryker could fuck right off. But she seemed quite convinced.
Ryker’s forehead knitted in question. “What if neither of us find you?”
“Then you both lose.”
I prayed she was kidding.
“Hughesy–”
“Are you in?” she interjected, looking me up and down.
Ryker studied me, eyebrows raised in challenge.
