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Damn her.
She knew exactly what she was doing when she said that.
We made it back to the tent without bumping into anyone. It was weird to see the tent completely empty without lines already forming out the front, but at the same time, it was nice.
I didn’t get that rolling stomach feeling when I walked in.
I set my coffee down on the edge of my side of the stage and pulled myself up to sit next to it. Preston walked the length of it, straightening out the rope barriers, stopping every now and then to check they were straight while he ran his fingers through his hair.
I chewed the inside of my cheek. If he didn’t have a crush on me, why would he suggest the bet he did yesterday? Was there a way to find out if there was any truth to Reagan’s statement?
A best of three, maybe? And hope that I actually won one so he had to kiss me?
He’d looked shocked last night when I’d kissed his cheek. Maybe he had been expecting me to kiss him properly. Sure, I’d chickened out and gone for the loophole, but would he do the same if he had to kiss me?
“Hey, Preston?”
“Yeah?” He looked over at me from the door of the tent.
“You wanna do a best of three?”
“For what?”
“That bet, yesterday.”
He grinned. “Why? ‘Cause you lost?”
“I don’t have to give a reason.” I sniffed. “But yes, a best of three of yesterday’s bet. Whoever loses overall has to add five to the winner’s tally.”
“You know all I have to do is kiss one more person than you today and I’m going to leave you in the dust in this entire contest?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “You’re right, but it doesn’t mean that you’ll beat me. I’m ahead of you overall right now. You probably need the helping hand.”
He stared at me for a moment. “Fine. I’ll take the risk if it means I can win the entire thing.” He crossed the tent over to me. “Same stakes as yesterday?”
I nodded without saying a word.
His eyes met mine, and he held my gaze for the longest moment, so long that my heart beat a little faster. “You’re on.”
He held out his hand, and I put mine in his.
We shook.
And I hoped like hell that I’d win because I wasn’t sure I could get away with kissing his cheek again.
I also kinda, maybe, a little bit, wanted him to kiss me.
CHAPTER ELEVEN – HALLEY
Pucker Up
“You’ve lost your mind,” Reagan whispered to me as we were handed our fries. “Do you know that?”
“I know I have, but it’s all your fault. You were the one who said he had a crush on me.”
“I think he does. I don’t know. I’ve never waltzed into his apartment and actually asked him.”
Ava sighed. “It is your fault. If you hadn’t said it, she’d be getting on with her day. She can’t kiss his cheek again, Reagan.”
“I’m going to win,” I said resolutely. “But you two have to come in and kiss my cheek. I need your help to make sure he loses.”
Reagan rubbed her hand down her face. “Halley, have you thought this through?”
“No.”
She blinked as if she was expecting me to argue. “Okay, fine, listen to me. If Preston loses, he’ll probably kiss you properly.”
“That’s what she’s counting on, dufus,” Ava chimed in.
Reagan elbowed her, making her miss her mouth with her ketchup-laden fry and hit her cheek instead. Ava scowled at her.
“He’ll do the very thing you tried to avoid just twenty-four hours ago. Are you really sure it’s a good idea?” Reagan carried on. “I know how you feel about him. Do you really want to live the rest of your life knowing what it’s like to kiss someone you don’t think you can ever be with?”
“The way I see it, it’ll go two ways.” I held up two fries. “One, he knows that cheek kissing is a legit way to hold up the bet, so he’ll kiss my cheek. If he does that, he doesn’t find me attractive.”
“He’s an idiot because I’d do you if I were a guy,” Ava added.
“I’d do me, too,” I replied, making Reagan roll her eyes. “Two, he actually kisses me properly. Then I’ll know that maybe you weren’t far off the mark, and I can decide what to do about it. No, don’t roll your eyes again.”
“I can’t help it. This is so high school. I’ve never understood why you don’t just tell him you have a crush on him.” Reagan shook her head as we walked.
“Same reason Ava’s never told Ethan.”
“Actually, I’ve never mentioned that because I’m pretty sure my brother would go apeshit if I banged his best friend.” Ava tucked her black hair behind her ear. “Also, I’ve been with Butler for ages. As for you… Reagan doesn’t care if you bang her brother.”
