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“You’re out of your mind.” I rake my fingers across my chin. Good thing I shaved this morning. No stubble.
“All right then,” Frank says. “Put your money where your mouth is. Or your love life, more specifically.” He points a finger at me, and I want to swat it away. But I don’t. “I’ll give you a month to get a girlfriend. You know what? Forget a girlfriend. Just a girl who’ll go out with you multiple times. I’ll bet you can’t do it.”
“A month? Ha!” My scoff is so big it practically scoffs itself. “That’s so much time. You’re pretty much handing me the win.”
“I don’t think so, Spence. Ithinkyou’ll find every reason in the book why all the girls in a thirty-mile radius aren’t right for you. One at a time. In fact, you’ll probably keep a list.”
Now that he mentions it, Idohave a list. Of volunteers at the library. Some of them are even single. And under forty. I’m sure I can convince one of them to go out with me. Maybe even more than once. And the way Frank’s smirking now, I’d sure love to teach him a lesson in humility.
“Okay.” I gulp. “You’re on.”
“Ha!” he barks. “Seriously? You’re going to date a girl just because I bet you that you couldn’t?”
I nod, even as I’m already questioning this decision. Asking a woman out just to prove my brother wrong really isn’t a Spencer move. Maybe this isn’t the best idea after—
“All right then,” Frank says. “I’m in. But we’re gonna need some stakes. There’s got to be a winner and a loser here. There’re always winners and losers.” He crosses his arms, mulling. Mulling.
So I start mulling too.
If I suggest something extreme—something IknowFrank would never go for—he’ll have to say no. And when he refuses, I’ll still get the satisfaction of victory. I may not end up a winner, but I won’t be a loser either. I glance down at the Mustang, all red and gleaming and gorgeous.
Flashy.
My brother’s insanely proud of that car. He’d definitely never risk it. “How about if I’m successfully dating someone in the next month—you give me the baby.”
Frank pops his eyes open. Wide. “Yeah, right.” He scoffs and there’s laughter behind his gaze. My brother’slaughingat me with his pupils.
“Why not?” Heat rises in my throat. I was trying to bait him with something he’d never go for, but now I’m the one feeling baited. My brother never takes me seriously. And I’ve had just about enough of him treating me like I’m a joke. “Are you afraid of your little brother’s newfound animal magnetism?”
Frank shakes his head. “When you say stuff likenewfound animal magnetism, I’m even more positive you’ll lose.” He narrows his eyes and moves his face close to mine. I can practically see his wheels turning like twin rainbow wheels of death. “All right, little brother. Let’s say Idoput up the baby. What doIget when you can’t get a girl to date you?”
I square my shoulders, keep my voice steady.Never let ’em see you sweat. “I guess you’ll get the satisfaction of being right for the first time in your life.” I add a smirk to the end, figuring Frank will start cracking up and blow me off. Then this whole discussion can be over. It’s equal parts outrageous and making me outraged. I’m over it. Over Frank.
“That’s not good enough by a long shot,” he says. “The baby’s a big deal to me, so you’ll need to risk something big too. I’m not worried you’ll win, but handing over that car would cost me the full amount I’d be able to sell it for.”
Hold up. Is Frank actually thinking about this? He can’t be that stupid, can he? He scratches the scruff on his unshaved chin. “If you lose,” he says, “you have to turn over all the money you’ve been saving up.”
I gape at him for a beat. This isn’t stupid. It’s ludicrous. “My down payment?” I guffaw.
“Why not?” Frank’s eyes flash. “Unless you’re afraid you’ll—”
“No!”Yes.
My gut clamps down like it’s caught in one of the many vises in Frank’s shop. In my peripheral vision, I see Tess approaching with the mayor. We’re running out of time, but in this moment, I just want to prove Frank wrong. My chest burns with so much wanting. More than anything. More than money. More than all logic.Who am I right now?
“Fine.” My voice is gruff, and I’m already regretting every single syllable I’ve spoken to Frank today.
His smirk is back in full force. “Well, look at you, little brother. Finally acting like a man.”
I feel sick.
Is this really happening?
This can’t be happening.
I’m not letting this happen.
“Of course I’m going to need proof,” Frank adds. “I’m not handing my car over without it.”
