Page 6 of One Bet

“I want my hair back.”

I glared at the beautician then smiled at Avery. “You know, I’m kind of glad this happened, now I can see your face, every adorable freckle, the intensity of your eyes.” And because I could, I brushed my thumb over her lips. “This perfect mouth. You’re beautiful, Avery, and I think you should show it off.”

Even though I’d started it as nothing more than a means to make her feel better, I meant it. Now that I could see her face, I couldn’t stop seeing her face. I didn’t want to stop.

“Do you think Ryder will like it?”

Ryder, right, that lucky bastard. What was I thinking anyway? My lust skidded to a halt, just because I was between chicks didn’t mean…anything. I pulled back and stood, crossing my arms, fighting for my reassuring smile now. “Um, yeah. Yeah. He’s gonna…he’s gonna love it.”

She sniffed again but looked over her shoulder at Reba. “Okay. Go ahead.”

Reba gently pushed Avery back so that her neck rested on the curve of the shampoo bowl, and she set to work.

An hour later, she twisted the chair so I could see Avery, and while I already knew how beautiful she was, I added a new word to my list for Avery, exquisite.

5

Avery

I’d never been to a football game before. Not when I was in college and certainly not since, but this was the homecoming again. The “beat the Trojans” game that put all the former students in one section of the stadium and had the whole place chanting for the Glouster Gators.

The air smelled like fresh popcorn, hotdogs, and cold air. The cheers started right about the time they introduced the team that had won the last championship at Glouster; Keaton’s team. From where I sat, close enough to God I could hear the angel’s harps, I couldn’t make out more than his shape, thank God, but my stomach still clutched when he waved to the crowd and the crowd…they were hopeful, wildly hopeful if the noise level was any indication, that this year’s team would bring home another crown…or trophy…or pennant to hang.

I didn’t care, I never cared. Right now, I needed to talk to Alex, who had yet to arrive. He was twenty-seven minutes late. He probably hadn’t stopped tailgating yet. And probably wouldn’t until right around the fourth quarter.

I twisted my head from one side to the other, checking both walkways that led to our seats. It wasn’t until the marching band turned up for their spirited rendition of the Glouster fight song that I saw him trying to weave his way through the crowd to the seats I’d bought him and his “friend.”

He leaned over and kissed my cheek, beer scenting his breath. “Hello, beautiful.”

I smiled, if he could keep that kind of talk up for a couple of days, this week might not actually kill me. I had hope.

“Hey. It is so good to see you.” And I meant that. After that night in his bar when we’d first met, he’d become a friend. More than that, he’d become someone I could count on even though we hardly ever managed to get together. Although we talked at least once a month, we hadn’t seen each other in at least a year, I missed his smile. It was pearly white and wide. Genuine in ways people just didn’t smile anymore. His smile was home to me. “So, where’s your friend?”

“She made a pit stop at the bathroom.”

“She?” Oh no. My plan spiraled. Circled its way from brilliant around to flop.

His skin turned the same shade of red as his shirt. “Yeah. You’re gonna love her. She’s a teacher, like you. She’s beautiful and smart. Actually, you might know her, she went to school here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box that could have only held the death to each of my hopes for the remainder of homecoming week, but I was happy for him. More happy for her when he opened the box and the sunlight hit a three-carat, at least, circle cut diamond.

“Woah. That’s gorgeous.” I leaned in to inspect the ring just as he snapped it closed and pulled away to shove it into his pocket. “She’d be a fool to say no.”

“You think so?” I’d known Alex for years and had never seen him nervous. Ever. This guy had confidence in spades, but not the cocky kind that turned people off. He had a sexy kind of confidence made of humor, happiness, and optimism. Ordinarily, back then, and probably now if I was honest, I would have hated him for it, but no one hated Alex Rhodes. Ever.

Then I saw her, the woman of his dreams, Susie Chastain. Coming toward him and smiling as she gave him a little wave and threaded her way to the seat. She planted a kiss on him that was more appropriate for a movie love scene than a football game then she held out her hand to me. “Avery?”

“Hello, Susie.” And why were we pretending we hardly knew each other? We’d been close once, bonded over our heartache.

Her eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe it’s you.”

She slapped Alex’s shoulder, and he winced. “You didn’t tell me your best friend was Avery.”

He widened his eyes at her, and she grinned.

If ever two people in this world belonged together it was them and I wanted to hear their story, I really did, but my head was spinning. I didn’t want to be the girl who went without her fake boyfriend for the week while Keaton, still the big man on campus, flashed his pretty smile at every girl he saw while I had to watch. The pretense was better than loneliness.

Around me, the crowd stood as our receiver crossed the goal line and the referee’s arms went up. The fight song blared from the band section and the ring of lights around the stadium flashed red and white. Alex grabbed Susie by the waist and kissed her, again, like they were alone and not in a crowd of at least fifty-thousand people.

But when I looked at them, not staring, just a quick glance, Susie’s eyes were open and bored. Then she shot me a wink, and I knew there would be no happy engagement announcement this week. In a crowd full of people whooping and cheering, I couldn’t figure out her game, but my money was on her old grudge with the Alpha fraternity that broke her heart.