AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His eyes crept back to the jar, to the dozens of other fortune cookies within. Were they all like this, or had he lucked out and found a good one? Probably not. The statistical probability of him finding one of the only “good ones” if most were duds was pretty low, though he couldn’t be sure without opening at least a few more.
For now, he should assume that this,finally,was the Christmas present that Avril had promised him—scores of fortune cookies, which might all contain fortunes like the one that he’d just opened.
He needed a glass of water.
After obtaining it and resolving his parched thirst, he ended up back on the couch and staring at the jar of potential delights, which he held in his lap. Nearby, he could still see the original fortune that he’d opened. Its emphasis that he was not too open any more fortune cookies after the first remained plainly visible.
But how would she know?whispered a voice in his head.Take a few more peeks, make sure that it’s all on the up and up. Another red one, one or two blue and green ones. Figure out just what’s going on. Like she’d actually get mad if you did. She probably expects you to.
She was probably expecting him to experience this very conflict. At this point, Liam just assumed that everything went as the Machiavellian redhead planned. She couldn’t just give him a nice box of chocolates and call it a year. Instead, she had to throttle him with this intrigue and temptation. And who knew how long he’d have to bear it? With how many fortune cookies there were, depending on what the “rules” for opening them were, he might just be finishing up the jar bynextChristmas.
This was his white elephant. He understood that much.
He also hadn’t texted her just yet. Still holding the fortune he’d obtained from the red cookie, he had one hand free if he wanted to wrestle his phone out of his pocket and let her know what it had promised him as a gift.
Yet, he held off. He knew how long of a drive it was from here to Avril and Anna’s apartment. They were still a little bit out from their home, and the last thing he wanted was for Anna to end up seeing the salacious message pop up on Avril’s phone somehow. If there were any ways to ruin what had so far been a splendid day, that would do it.
Which left Liam hoisting two unbearable burdens of patience, not just one. He had to wait for Victoria to leave Tess’s house, just as he now needed to wait for Anna and Avril to reach their apartment. He expected the latter to be accomplished first, though he could always be proven wrong by a flash on his phone’s screen because Tess had texted him.
Tossing out the broken shells of the two fortune cookies he’d opened, he kept both fortunes by the jar, which he resealed. Throwing on some television, he did his best not to count the minutes. The best he could do was to count everyotherminute.
About ten of those later, he still hadn’t received a message from Tess. But he was certain Avril and Anna must have made it home by then. Phone in one hand, fortune in the other, he puttered away another five minutes before his anxiety released him and allowed him to stop worrying about Anna seeing his message.
You have to send me a picture of you in your favorite sports bra and runner’s shorts. #018
Dryness prickled his throat as he typed the words and sent them over. He immediately dropped his phone on the cushion beside him and went to get another glass of water.
During his return a minute later, he was just in time to see his phone’s screen light up.
Tess or Avril?
Speeding over to it, he hastily tapped it back to life. A message fromBig Sis Avrilsat on his screen.
It’ll be there shortly. I’m about to shower, too, so I’ll be nice and clean for it.
Before you do,Liam hastily typed,what’s the deal with these fortunes?
Thankfully, she hadn’t set her phone down, and he got his response within a matter of seconds. Not that it was much of an answer.
You’re clever, so I’m sure you’ll figure it out. There’s just one rule that you have to follow. No opening one unless I say so. I’ll give you the color you can open then, too.
Liam tossed himself back onto his couch, staring at her message. His fingers thudded back into motion.
You sure love your games, don’t you?
Duh,was the almost immediate reply.But don’t act like you don’t love that I love my games. Or that you’re not benefitting like crazy from them.
My hair’s turning gray because of you,he let her know.
An eighteen-year-old silver fox, huh? Well, we’ll see if you can pull it off.
Yeah, yeah.
See you soon!was her final message before hopping into the shower.Or… I guess you’ll be the one seeing me soon. Lucky boy.
Liam’s face heated up slightly as he set his phone back at his side.
Back to waiting, I guess,he thought with a sigh.
