Page 5 of Wanna Bet?

“Liar.”

Myah rinsed her hands and grabbed a towel. “Even if I did, which I don’t, it wouldn’t matter.”

“Oh?”

“He would never ask me out.”

Kaylee’s eyes lit up. “There it is.”

Myah frowned. “What?”

“That,” Kaylee said, pointing at her, “was not denial. That was resignation.”

Myah opened her mouth to argue, then paused because that part was true. Jace would never ask her out. He barely spoke above a murmur. He ordered like he was afraid of inconveniencing the universe. He smiled like it was something he rationed carefully.

Guys like that didn’t flirt. Guys like that didn’t ask out girls who wore mismatched earrings on purpose and had a rotating collection of novelty socks or once tried to convince a customer that oat milk was made like cow milk just because the customer annoyed her.

Myah was good at flirting. She knew that. She was bold and playful and a little ridiculous. She leaned into eye contact. She knew how to make people laugh.

Jace looked like the kind of guy who would short-circuit if she winked at him too hard.

“You’ll never get Walk-Up Guy to go out with you,” Kaylee said lightly.

The words landed between them. Myah felt something spark. A flicker in her chest.

She turned slowly. “What did you say?”

Kaylee’s smile sharpened. “You heard me.”

Myah laughed. A bright, easy sound. “Please.”

“Please what?” Kaylee knew what she was doing. Myah had a hard time saying no to any dare, especially ones that involved muscular, dark haired men.

“Please,” Myah said, “I could get him to go out with me if I wanted to.”

Kaylee crossed her arms. “You absolutely could not.”

“Oh my god,” Myah said. “You underestimate me.”

“I’m being realistic.”

“No, you’re being rude.”

Kaylee shrugged. “He’s shy.”

“So?”

“So,” Kaylee said, “he’s not going to make the first move. And you’re not actually going to try.”

Myah tilted her head. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because,” Kaylee said, “you like the fantasy more than the follow-through.”

That… annoyed her.

Myah planted her hands on the counter and leaned forward. “You wanna bet?”

Kaylee’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, I was hoping you’d say that.”