“Three grand? Jesus,” he repeated in disbelief.
“Well, you’re new. Three grand would be a stretch,” Bryce shrugged. “But you’re guaranteed 2K.”
“That’s what Orion said?” Auger asked, sitting up. “For sure?”
Callie picked her head back up. She stared at each of them, not quite believing what she was hearing. “Hey, wait, no,” she interrupted. “Bryce is probably mistaken…”
“Guaranteed, man,” he said directly to Auger, ignoring her completely. His eyes were bright. “And you don’t even have to win. Two minutes in the ring. Tops.”
Her stomach started to knot. Something was wrong here. Some carefully choreographed cart was going right off the rails.
“Auger, no way,” she said, shaking her head and trying to catch his eye.
We have a deal, man! she called out silently.
Bryce stood up tall, stretching his hamstrings one at a time. “Listen, you know I love you, man,” he began.
“Bryce, don’t…” Auger growled.
“—but you’ve been here six months—”
“Not by choice…”
“And it was supposed to be a couple weeks. Hell… your mail comes here now. And by the look of it...”
“No, that’s fine!” Callie interrupted again, sitting forward and looking at each of them. Neither would meet her eye and she held her hands out to each side. She could feel she was being boxed out, excluded like the unmated girl at a middle school make-out party.
Auger sighed. She tried to connect with him psychically.
Come on, man! You promised!
“Yeah,” he grunted, staring at the ceiling.
“I know you’re all good-ol-boy proud,” Bryce needled, excited by the upper hand he seemed to be getting. “A fresh start and all that… But you gotta start somewhere.”
“I have started,” Auger growled, his light brown eyes flashing dangerously. Bryce instinctively lowered his gaze.
“I know, I know…” Bryce admitted. He put his hands up like he was being arrested.
“It’s been easier for you,” Auger continued, one finger aimed at Bryce’s sternum, his tone a distinct warning.
“Yeah,” Bryce chuckled with a shrug. “Well, I’ve never been burdened with dignity. You know that.”
“I’ve got resumes all over the neighborhood,” Auger said almost to no one. Bryce didn’t answer.
“I know you do!” Callie pitched in helpfully. “You’ve been persistent. Something will come through! It’s just a matter of time now.”
“There’s that new coffee shop…” he continued like she hadn’t said anything. “Those roasters, what are they called?”
“Amped,” Bryce said mechanically and dropped to the floor. He stuffed his feet under the lazyboy chair and started doing crunches.
“That sounds perfect,” Callie said, her head bobbing back and forth between them like an animatronic doll. Neither seemed to notice.
Am I invisible or what? she wondered.
“Amped,” Auger repeated dully. She nodded her enthusiasm.
“I’m not waxing my chest,” he said suddenly.
“No!” she blurted out, standing to face him. Her chest twisted like it could fold in half.
We had a deal!
“What?” Bryce said, breathing heavily through his reps despite his efforts to remain cool. It had always bothered him that Auger was naturally buff even though he never seemed to lift anything heavier than a beer can.
Auger twisted his square jaw as though he was pushing the ideas around in his mouth, and they tasted terrible. “I’m not waxing, like, anything. Or tanning, or whatever it is you do to get that… color.”
“You’re pretty hairy, man…” Bryce said uncertainly, scowling.
Auger sat up and folded his arms over his massive chest. Callie stood there, shaking and helpless. He wasn’t budging, she could tell. How had he changed his mind so fast?
“Hey, come on, Auger,” she started again, frantically trying to dive into his eye-line, “if it’s the money, don’t worry about it. There’s time. You’ll catch up.”
He glanced at her, nostrils flaring... that drive-by sneer he used to give out when they were kids, like she was dust. She crumpled a little where she stood.
Fucking jerk. Fucking lying asshole... JERK!
“You’re gonna be sorry…” Bryce crowed. “If one of those guys gets a hold of all of that…” he paused mid-crunch and gestured at the pelt of light brown hair that covered Auger’s torso. “It’s gonna be dire. I kid you not — it will rip right off.”