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“Don’t be mad. It was just a silly bet the two of them had on…on when you two would finally pull your heads out of the clouds and see what was right in front of you,” she rushes out.
I’m not mad, but I am pretty flabbergasted. “Wait… What?”
“Are you kidding me?” SJ booms, then I lose it.
I can’t control my laughter as I fully understand what happened. I can absolutely see Sam making a bet on when we would get together, but Charles?
Never in a million freaking years did I see that coming.
As my laughter finally subsides, I straighten and ask the question burning the tip of my tongue. “So…who won?”
SJ whips his head over to me. “Don’t encourage them!”
I lift my hands palms up at my sides, a smile still on my face. “What’s it matter now? The cat’s out of the bag, so to speak. I wanna know who won.”
“I’ll tell you if you answer my question. That’s how we’ll know who won,” Sam says with a mischievous grin, seemingly recovered from the earlier embarrassment now that I’m interested in the outcome.
“Nobody won because we aren’t telling you,” SJ says, unwilling to give into their playful antics. He’s so damn serious sometimes.
The giggles have subsided, and I walk over to stand in front of him. “What’s the harm in a little fun?” I ask before turning back to his dad and sister. “What were the terms?”
SJ sighs and sits on the couch behind him. He effortlessly pulls me into his lap and settles in. I lean forward, more curious than ever.
Sam smirks and sits on the arm of the chair across from us. “Well, the terms are rather interesting because we all won a little something if you two got together.”
“Do tell,” I say.
“Well, it was more a bet on how long it would take you two. Not a question of if,” Camilla says.
“Mom, you were in on it, too?” SJ asks incredulously.
“What? I want you to be happy, and Nora makes you happy,” She answers simply, and my cheeks warm at her sentiment.
“This was all Sam’s idea,” Charles says, throwing his youngest under the bus.
I laugh because I one hundred percent believe him. She roped them into it for sure.
“SJ just needed a little push, and you agreed.”
Charles nods. “Yes, I did agree with that part.”
SJ groans again. “I can’t believe I’m related to you people.”
“Oh, hush. It wasn’t anything serious, and it’s not like we were betting against you. We knew you’d figure it out eventually,” Camilla says.
This might be the most entertaining night I’ve had in a long time. SJ squirms in his seat, Charles still looks thoroughly embarrassed, Sam looks like the cat that ate the canary, and Camilla looks so damn happy. I think I might love these people.
“Sam, you’re killing me here. Tell us.”
She pretends to contemplate telling us before she claps her hands and spills the beans. “Mom said it would take SJ until after his assignment. She thought him having to say goodbye would be the turning point.”
I turn towards Camilla. “Sorry, you didn’t win.”
She just shrugs her shoulders. “That’s okay. This is so much better.”
Sam continues. “I thought it would be when SJ caught your stalker.” She nibbles her lip then turns towards her father. “I guess you won because I’m pretty sure they would’ve already told us if they caught David.”
The older man has a knowing smile on his face and pride in his eyes when he looks at SJ. The two of them have a silent exchange, one that makes SJ nod.
