The Bet (The Bet #1)(32)

Taking a deep breath, he turned onto the correct street. The entire drive was quiet, up until he saw the sign and pulled into the parking lot.

“The zoo.” Kacey stated. “You’re taking me to the zoo?”

“Don’t sound so impressed,” Travis teased. “Maybe we can find an ass that looks exactly like my brother! Perhaps I’m being too hopeful.” He sighed and parked into the first available spot and turned off the car.

“What makes you think this is going to make me happy?” Kacey didn’t budge, her seatbelt was still fastened, her arms crossed.

Travis unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over. “Get out of the car and find out.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, Kacey glared at him as she unbuckled her seatbelt and threw open the door.

Geez, the reunion must have been worse than he thought.

They walked side by side to the entrance. Travis paid for the tickets and flinched when he noticed her walk ahead of him. He wanted to put his hand on her back, to touch the smooth skin peeking out from her dress. He hated his brother all over again for having the honor of touching something so sacred.

“So, where to, oh happy-maker?” Kacey had her hands on her hip.

“Are you going to be like this the whole time?”

“Like what?” Her lip jutted out. Adorable. She was trying too hard to be angry and hold a grudge.

“Look, I’m just trying to repair the damage done by my blood relation. You can participate or not. Your choice.”

Kacey broke eye contact and sighed. “You can’t fix that damage. It’s already been done.”

Honestly, he had no idea what kind of damage had already been done, he just knew they’d broken up and parted on bad terms, and to be frank, it wasn’t any of his business.

“I mean, what he did today,” Travis clarified. “Flirting with anything in a tight skirt and making you sit next to lustful women.” He winked. “Not to mention springing a ridiculous reunion brunch on you, when we both know how much you hated high school.”

“Key word is hate,” Kacey chimed in.

“Ah, there’s my girl. Now how about a smile?”

Her nostrils flared.

“A tiny one?” he asked, getting closer.

Her lips parted.

And suddenly a smile was the last thing on his mind. Crap, he needed to stop doing this to them. Slowly he backed off and grabbed her hand. “Follow me.”

With reluctance, Kacey trudged behind him, but he knew her better sometimes than she knew herself, a thought that often scared him, and again he was back to stalker status.

He cleared his throat when they reached their destination.

Kacey slowly approached the small glass container then looked up at him with confusion.

“Just watch,” he said, then looked around to make sure nobody was looking and gently tapped the glass.

Kacey cursed, a small child began to cry, and a mom gave them a dirty glare. All in all, it was the perfect surprise.

“You son of a—”

“Kace,” he interrupted. “Tell me you’re not smiling.”

She burst out laughing. “You creepy, weird man! Why the hell would you take me to the tarantula exhibit!”

“Because you hate spiders.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “How is that supposed to cheer me up?”

“It’s working.” He pulled her into a hug, purely instinctual, but she hugged him back. “Isn’t it?”

“Yes, you idiot. It’s working only because I’m too shocked and upset to do anything but laugh.”

“Ah, and she gets to the bottom of it.”

“Huh?”

Travis released her and looked back at the spider. “Sometimes, when life gets hard, and people make you angry or even when you’re scared, the best response is laughter. Laugh in the face of fear, in the face of what scares you the most. It’s the only way to get you through the things that bring you to tears.”

Kacey was silent and then said, “You’ve been drinking Grandma Nadine’s Kool-aid, haven’t you?”

“I do love grape,” he joked.

Kacey looked back at the spider and made a face. “Thanks. Oddly enough, this did work. I’m more worried about that stupid spider breaking out of its container than my horrible morning. By the way, when was I institutionalized?

“Oh, that was after the pregnancy.”

“Which was before?

“The cheating,” he confirmed.

“That explains it. I’m such a hussy.”

Travis nodded. “So, ready to go look for the asses?”

“You didn’t tell me Jake was here!” She slapped him playfully.

“Oh, there’s a whole cage of them. Just follow me!”

Travis took her hand and led her to the monkeys. The minute they stopped in front of the exhibit, one of them began pooping by the tree, another scratched its butt, and the other began licking a body part that shouldn’t be mentioned.

Travis sighed. “It’s like watching little Jakey grow up all over again.” He put a hand over his heart and sighed longingly.

Kacey covered her mouth in laughter. “Poor guy.”

“Don’t feel sorry for the child prodigy. He brings everything on himself and then some.”