“Me three,” says Marcus, not to be outdone.
“Argh, forget it. You can’t even follow the most basic logic.”
“Logic? I’m not surewhatI just heard, but it definitely wasn’t logical.” Ben’s huffing all over the place.
“Don’t try to Jedi mind trick me with your math voodoo. I know what I’m talking about.” I have no idea what I’m talking about, actually, but triggering him like this is delightful.
“You are completely wrong about this, but that’s not even the point.”
“Then what is the point? I hardly even remember what this argument is about now.”
“Me either,” adds Marcus. “But I amsohere for it.”
“Thepoint,” Ben says through gritted teeth, “is that I’m actually open-minded while you only pretend to be.”
“What?!”
“You heard me. I make up my own mind about what I believe while you just spout the party line.”
This again?“You’re going to sit there and tell me with a straight face that you’re more open-minded than I am? Seriously?”
“Yes,seriously. If people don’t fit into your little box, then they’re out. Just a piece of advice, Kate: You shouldn’t write people off just because they don’t think the same way you do. It’s a bad look.”
“I don’twritepeople off. And Idon’tneed your advice.” I stand and grab for my purse, but he gets to it first and holds it out of reach.
“Oh, you don’t? Because I’m pretty sure you wrote me off the second you met me—maybe even before—and I’ve watched you do it with plentyof others. Not five minutes ago you told Marcus you’d never date a Republican. How open-minded isthat?”
Marcus raises his palms and slowly slides his chair away.
“Knowing who I do and do not want to date doesn’t make me closed-minded. It makes mesmart.”
I make another grab for my purse, but it’s futile. He’s like a parent holding his child’s favorite toy out of reach. I have about a quarter of his wingspan.
He tilts his head. “You’re so sure you’re more open-minded than I am, prove it.”
“How exactly would Iprovesomething like that?”
“With a... bet.” He’s totally making this up as he goes along. I would laugh if I didn’t want to punch his face in.
“How will a bet determine which of us is more open-minded? Will there be ajurydeciding?”
His face sparks with sudden inspiration. “No. We’ll decide. I’ll come up with something you have to do that’s outside your comfort zone, and vice versa. It could be an event or a task or... I’m not sure what yet, but you get the idea. I think it’ll be pretty obvious who’s more open-minded after that.”
“So you’re going to force me to do something I don’t want to do?”
“It’s notforcingyou if you agree. It’s a bet. Those are the terms. Take it or leave it. Of course, if you leave it, you’re forfeiting. I’m automatically the more open-minded one.” His eyes glow with mischief.
I narrow mine in response. I’m no fool. This is clearly a trap, and if I take this bet I’ll be walking right into it. But how can I back down now? He’s painted me into a corner.
“So do we have a bet?”
Beat this guy at his own game.Whatever it takes.
“Fine. In, I guess.”
He reaches out and grabs my hand, giving it a little squeeze-shake. I squeeze back as hard as I can, trying to crush his bones. He smirks at my attempt, his smug grin silently taunting:Like you could ever hurt me.
“I look forward to proving you wrong.”
