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“Deal.” The word slips out, light and airy, a feather on the wind. I cling to the thought of a few hours pretending everything is normal, that I’m just another girl caught up in the thrill of potential romance, not ensnared in a scandalous liaison with three men who should be off-limits.
“Perfect.” Callie grins.
The bell rings again, signaling the end of recess. As the kids pile back into the room, their energy infectious, I feel a pang of envy for their simple joys, their unblemished futures. If only life remained as straightforward as a playground game.
“See you tonight, Brie,” Callie whispers, squeezing my hand before she turns back to the kids.
9
BRIELLE
I scan the crowd, searching for Callie’s signature brown hair and red nails, surprised by how loud it is. I thought it would be mostly older women who wanted a break from bingo, but it’s actually a pretty healthy mix of people.
“Wow, look at you!” Callie’s voice cuts through the noise as she emerges from the sea of people. Her eyes widen as they take in my clothes, an eyebrow arching playfully. “I mean, damn, Brielle. Going for the gold tonight, aren’t we?”
Her compliment washes over me, and I can’t help the smirk tugging at my lips. “Just felt like dressing up a bit.” I shrug, though the truth is I had three different outfits laid out on my bed before deciding on this one. The dress, a deep plum that offsets the green in my eyes, was the boldest choice.
I don’t get the chance to dress up often, so I really do relish when I get the chance.
“Bit of an understatement, don’t you think?” She circles around me.
Heat blooms in my cheeks at her words. The silky material of my dress whispers against my skin. “It’s just a dress, really.”
“Girl, it is so not just a dress,” Callie counters with a playful scoff, wrapping her arm in mine while guiding me to a table. “You look smoking, Brie. That color on you? Deadly.”
I can’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction knowing that the dress does exactly what I intended. “Did everyone in the city decide trivia night was the hottest ticket in town?”
“Seems like it,” Callie responds. With a slight raise of her brow, she leans closer, her voice dropping. “Did you know there’s a thousand-dollar prize up for grabs tonight?”
I shoot her a look of disbelief. “A thousand dollars?” My voice comes out sharp, edged with shock. “No, I had no idea.”
“Yep,” she says, popping the p with a smirk. “Things just got serious.” Her eyes twinkle with a hint of mischief, and I can tell she’s already planning what she’s going to spend the money on, as if she’s already won.
“You do know your choices of winning aren’t very high, right? You don’t even know who the first man to walk on the moon was,” I point out.
“That’s not true…it’s Armstrong something…oh, that doesn’t matter! Have a bit of confidence in me.” She rolls her eyes, looking at the drink menu. “Now, what are you having to drink? We have to go big. The Midas Touch has this gold leaf thing floating in it.”
“Sounds perfect.” The words roll off my tongue as smooth as the liquor I’m about to order. “Two of those, please.”
Callie flags down a waiter, young and fairly attractive, his smile a weapon he’s all too aware of. He saunters over, confidence in each step, his gaze lingering a touch too long on Callie’s plunging neckline.
“What can I get for you two ladies?” he asks, leaning in, a lock of brown hair falling across his forehead in a calculated move of boyish charm.
“Two of the house specials,” Callie responds, but her voice doesn’t mirror his flirtatious lilt. She’s as poised as a queen on her throne, uninterested in the court jester before her.
“Coming right up. And if you need any…extra assistance, don’t hesitate to ask. For anything,” he adds.
He walks away with one more wink at her. Callie catches my eye, an eyebrow raised in silent amusement, and I huff out a laugh despite myself.
“Could he be more obvious?” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
“Like a dog with two tails,” she agrees, her lips quirking in a smirk.
“Isn’t this the whole point, though? Attending trivia night so your mom can lay off about you snagging a good guy and popping out a few kids?”
“Please,” she scoffs. “As if I’m going to answer ‘at trivia’ when people ask how I met my soulmate. But what about you, Brielle? What’s your game plan with everything?”
Her question lingers between us. I hesitate, my pulse quickening. My plans are a tangle of desire and confusion, every man who’s touched me woven into the fabric of my intentions. But admitting that to Callie feels like revealing too much.
