Oz and Jameson stare mutely, disbelief etched on both their slack-jawed faces.
“A little kid beat you at basketball?”
“Oh my god,” I grind out, annoyed. “Yes.”
I chance a look at them both; Oz is clueless, but Jameson…Jameson is studying me through narrow eyes. Suspiciously.
In two seconds, she’s going to be sniffing the air for my bullshit.
My roommate prattles on, oblivious. “I still don’t get why you’re buying him shoes. Did he swindle you?”
“No. I lost a bet.”
Oz laughs. “You bet a little kid he couldn’t beat you at basketball? What an idiot. You’re always losing bets.” He steals a piece of watermelon from the cutting board. “Jesus, Zeke, how much money do you lose every year blowing bets with people?”
Enough.
I blow enough.
But Oz isn’t done giving me crap. “Didn’t you bet Gunderson he couldn’t get that girl to go out with him? Then when he won, you had to pay him a hundred dollars, and he used it to buy a textbook he needed for his econ class.”
Jameson crosses her arms, scrutinizing me. Her wide blue eyes rake me up and down, head to toe, blue irises boring down, hard.
She is so annoying.
“And what the hell was that gimmie bet with Erik Janz? How could you have bet that moron three hundred bucks on the Louisiana game? Everyfuckingbody knew Florida was going to get their asses handed to them, but you bet him they’d win anyway.” He takes a chug of water. “Then what does he do with the money? Huh? Spends it on a new starter for his piece-of-shit car. Man are you a dope.”
When he’s done bitching at me and finally leaves the room, I look up to find Jameson still watching me, arms crossed, mouth twisted into a thoughtful expression.
“You know,” she says slowly, taking a few steps forward. Advancing on me. Taps her chin with the tip of her forefinger. “I thought I had to watch my back around you—you know, right when I started dating Sebastian and started coming around. I thought it was only a matter of time before you hid in the bushes to jump me.”
She gives an airy little laugh, pushing the black glasses perched on her nose farther up the bridge, leaning back against the counter to mimic my stance when I wish she would just leave.
“Jump you? Why the hell would you think that? I’m not a fucking psycho.”
Her brows rise. “Well yeah, I know that now—deep down inside, you’re just a big softie, aren’t you? All talk and no show.”
“Screw you, James.”
Another lilty little laugh. “Only you would tell someone to screw themselves when they were trying to be nice.”
I can’t meet her eyes.
“Oh…my…god,” she says breathily, drawing out the three words in a torturously slow preamble. “I know. I know why you do it.”
Her words are slow and deliberate. She braces a hand on the counter
I make a pfft sound, yanking the fridge open and peering inside so I don’t have to look at her face. She’s aggravating the shit out of me.
“What is it you think you know, smartass?”
She snaps her fingers.
“Remember that bet with Oz? The one where you bet him five hundred dollars to kiss me in the library? You did it because you knew he was broke and needed money.”
“You’re crazy.” I stare at the milk. “You’ve known me for all of two seconds.”
She ignores me, chattering on, warming to the subject. “But you don’t just make bets with anyone. You make bets with people who need help. It all makes sense now.”
Jameson playfully pokes my bicep with a fingernail.
“You know this kind of makes you a philanthropist, don’t you?” Gasp. “Holy crap, Zeke. You’re…nice!”
“Shut up,” I grumble. Why the fuck won’t she just go away? “Are you done yet?”
“You’re not even going to deny it!” She cackles, slapping her thigh with an open palm. “Don’t worry Angry Daniels. I won’t tell anyone your dirty little secret.”
I feel her palm patting me on the bicep as she airily breezes from the room.
She sticks her head back in.
“No one would believe me anyway.”
She winks.
For all her prim and proper ways, Jameson Clark really is a fucking smartass.
Zeke
This fundraiser is packed.
Which is surprising given that it’s not a huge organization we’re here to raise money for. From the entryway, the moment we walk in, I immediately begin casing the joint. I don’t know why I do it, but every time I walk into a room, I take note of the size, the exits, and the people in it.
So I stand here, Violet waiting patiently beside me.
Over in one corner, I spot Nancy from the Big Brother office, head thrown back and laughing at something a gray-haired dude is saying. She’s about as dolled up as she can get: full-length mother-of-the-bride dress, hair curled, eye shadow so bright you could see it from the moon.
There’s a band setting up, a small area sectioned off for dancing in the center of the room¸ and lining the perimeter, long banquet tables showcase the raffle and auction items. The moneymakers. Stars of the show.
The fundraiser isn’t as formal as I’d expected; people are milling about, most of them with drinks in hand, in all styles of attire. Khakis. Dressy denim. Suits and ties. Floor-length numbers.
Stifled, I yank at the tie around my neck that seems to have gotten tighter on the ride here—like a noose.
My black suit coat stretches too snugly across my broad back and shoulder blades. The collar of my baby blue shirt buttoned too high and cutting off my air supply. Shoes too new and stiff to be even remotely comfortable.
Fucking Coach.
I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t forced me to be.
And with Violet, no less.
Quiet Violet, waiting patiently next to me, near the coat check area, her calm demeanor only slightly quelling my resentment at being here. Always serene, always composed—if you don’t count the random, nervous stuttering.
Her colorless blonde hair is down and arranged in loose curls down her back, a stark contrast against the dark-as-night dress coat she’s wearing over her dress.
I know it’s a dress because I checked out her pale bare legs when she was climbing into my truck, plum-colored heels boosting her height by several inches, the pastel nail polish she’s always wearing playing peekaboo out of the tips of her shoes.
Cheeks pink. Lips dark burgundy. Lashes long and coated with black mascara.
Pretty. Real fucking pretty.
When she smiles up at me, skin positively glowing, flush with excitement, her teeth are straight and perfect, highlighted by her dark lips.
Violet bites down on that lower lip, probably chewing off her lipstick in the process, then beams up at me, hopeful and sunshiny and bright, like she’s waiting to blow sunshine up my ass.
She looks happy, but I didn’t come here to have fun and I didn’t come here to fundraise. Or socialize. Or see people.
I’m here out of some twisted obligation.
“Daniels. Son,” says the devil himself.
I turn to acknowledge Coach with a dispassionate dip of my head. He takes inventory of me, of my attire, and I take in his. Shoes, pants, shirt, eyes raking up my expensive paisley tie, his critical blue eyes are shrewd, shifting once I pass his inspection.
However, when he turns his attention on Violet?
His entire demeanor changes. Relaxes.
Softens.
“Want to introduce me to your beautiful date, Mr. Daniels?”
Nope.
I nod in her general direction. “Coach, this is Violet.”
She blushes, nervously tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ears. Her shiny rhinestone earrings sparkle.
I wonder if she’ll stutter when she has the chance to speak.
Coach grins down at her, his hulky physique towering over her. He casts a disappointed glance in my direction, mouth set into a hard line.
“Now, now,” he chastises. “I know you were raised better than that, Mr. Daniels. Why don’t you introduce her again? This time show some respect, eh?” He winks at Violet.
Fucking dickhead.
It takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to turn on my heels and crash back through the door we just strolled through to get in here. I’d do it too—I’d fucking bolt, with little thought to Violet’s ability to keep pace.
I suck in a breath, tempted to loosen this fucking tie around my neck and yank it off completely. It’s choking the shit out of me.
“Coach, this my tutor, Violet.” Dammit, why the hell did I say that? Even I know I sounded like a fucking asshole, especially after the whole thing at my house with my roommates.
I take another drag of air, dialing down the angry a notch, and start over.
“Coach, this is my friend Violet, from school. Violet, this is Iowa’s wrestling coach.”
“Good to meet you, Mister…” Violet’s inflection rises at the end, waiting for him to supply his name.
“Just Coach will do fine, young lady.” He smiles. My brows go up—this is the first fucking time I’ve ever seen the bastard smile.
I note that when Violet extends her hand, Coach gives it a gentle but firm shake.
He likes her.
Well, at least I did something right by bringing her.
“You kids heading to the bar for drinks?”
The bar? Now that’s the shit I’m talking about.
“You’re not drinking tonight, are you Mr. Daniels?”