Page 62 of Bad Wolf

I try to shake out of the mood I’m in and get it together for Jack. None of this has anything to do with him. None of this is his fault.

I shake it off and exit the bathroom when Gunner hip-checks me back into the door.

“I ignored your behavior at dinner the other day, but I need to ask, do we have a problem?”

“No.” I shake my head.

“No one gets to be disrespectful to Coralie in her own house. Do you understand me?”

I roll my eyes, “Look I’m here for Jack. My argument with Coralie has nothing to do with you.”

“It is my problem. You’re upsetting her.”

“Then let me go. I don’t want to be here. I’m only here for Jack,” I repeat.

He nods but says, “You’ll paste a smile on your pretty face and play the game. You’ll be civil to Coralie and when Jack announces the winning team, you can leave.”

“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth.

“I have given you every opportunity to open up to me about all of this and the invitation still stands. You can come to me any hour of the day and I’ll listen and help, but you will not, under any circumstances hurt Coralie in my presence.”

I nod. One day, when I’m not so pissed off at the world, not so up my own ass, I’ll remember that he put me in my place for being a dick to my sister, and thank him for loving her as much as he does.

I head back into the living room and fake civility.

After an hour, the challenges are tied at two a piece, Coralie sounds a horn on her phone and everyone turns to look at Jack.

“That is the sound of the quick fire round,” he says with utter glee.

“Quick Fire round? What the hell is that?” I ask, wiping the sweat from my face. As long as I don’t look at Wren, I’m fine. Which is easier than I thought it would be because the challenges Jack has set up are nuts.

One involved a hook, a duck with too-tiny hoops, a kiddie pool, and numbers and letters. It was the most frustrating thing ever.

“I’m just going to pop in every now and again with some questions about someone. You’ll earn points.”

“Oh my God, how did you think of this?” Anna says with wonder.

“Well, this part I saw on YouTube. It’s a game about how well you know your family.”

He picks a ping pong ball out of a cookie jar and lifts it up, revealing a K and I know I’m up.

“Fine, hit me with it.”

He shuffles the cards he has in his hands and asks if I’m ready. I give a thumbs up.

“Okay. How old was Mom when she got her ears pierced?”

“Thirteen. Too much of a crybaby when she was younger, and she still cried even then.”

“Correct. Next. Who fell off the dock at the lake while he was trying to impress a girl?”

“Scott.”

“What is Adam’s most prized possession?” I look to Hollywood, “It’s his signed Kelly Slater surfboard.” He nods his head, pride shining in his eyes.

“Go for one more.” He takes a breath, but the buzzer goes off.

“That’s six points. Well done.”

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