The Love Wager (Mr. Wrong Number, #2)(72)

Like she was livid because he’d ruined her relationship with that guy.

Because she wanted Alex, not him.

“My apologies, Hal,” he said as he finished putting on his pants, feeling like a chump for grabbing at the chance to sleep with her one last time. He hadn’t been able to resist being close to her again, even knowing he’d regret it afterward.

Hell, if he were being honest, he’d been half hoping it would change things.

“Sure,” she said, biting down on her lower lip and yanking up the sheet a little higher.

Looking at her suddenly felt physically painful, and he had to get the hell out of there before he made a fool of himself. “I’ve got to go move my car before it gets towed.”

He pulled on the rest of his clothes, and as he grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter, she said, “Bye, Jack.”

And then she went back into the bedroom and closed the door.

Well, fuck.





Chapter

TWENTY-NINE


    Hallie


Jack: Can I call you?

Hallie dropped her phone on her desk, sighed, and hated the way her heart was racing at the sight of his name on her phone.

Because it had been two weeks.

Two weeks of radio silence.

At first, she’d been glad he hadn’t texted—she needed a clean break, emotionally speaking, from their games. She’d cried through her shower and halfway to work the morning after their last time, whereupon she decided to nut up and knock it off.

Jack was her very best friend, and that was all that mattered.

But then . . . he never came back. He didn’t call her and he didn’t send a single text.

In her wildest dreams, she wouldn’t have imagined he would just disappear from her life.

She missed him so much it was almost unbearable. She closed out of her spreadsheet and texted: It’s 6pm and I’m swamped and trying to finish so I can leave.

Before she could add to that, her phone started ringing.

“Son of a bitch,” she whispered, just before she answered with a terse, “Hello?”

“Hey. How’s work?”

How could the sound of his voice be so overwhelming? She looked at the wall clock and said, “Great. What’s up?”

“Do you maybe want to get some food tonight?” He sounded serious, and she hated that that was what they’d become: serious people who didn’t talk anymore. “I was hoping maybe we could eat and kind of figure out what’s going on with us.”

Her brain screamed, Where the hell have you been for two weeks?!

She sighed. “I’m behind and have to play catch-up. Sorry.”

“What about tomorrow night?” Jack asked.

She wasn’t sure why she said it, but she said in her breeziest voice, “I actually have a date.”

“Oh.” She heard him clear his throat before he said, “Through the app?”

“Yeah.”

“Still trying to win the bet, then?”

As if. As if she even felt like dating again. And how dare he tease her, like they were friends or something. She tried sounding lighter still when she said, “Of course I am. I need a vacation, Jack.”

“Not as much as I need that World Series ball. Want to get Taco Hut afterward?”

Are you freaking kidding me? She powered down her computer and said, “Sounds good, but I think this date might be a good one, where tacos won’t be necessary.”

“Is that right?” His voice was deep.

She swallowed. “Yes.”

The silence felt loud and slow-moving, and she opened her mouth to say something, anything, when he said, “I guess we’ll play it by ear, then.”

“I guess so.”

“Where’s the date? Charlie’s?”

“Yes, but—”

“See you tomorrow, Hal,” he interrupted, and then he was gone.

She hung up the phone and cursed loudly since her office door was closed. Dammit dammit dammit! Had she lost her mind? She’d agreed to meet Alex to talk, but it wasn’t a date, and she definitely didn’t want to see Jack.

Shit.

She should’ve just told him no, but her brain had shorted out the minute she’d heard his voice.





Jack


“Oh, my God,” Olivia screamed, staring at him like he’d sprouted a second head. “So you haven’t talked to her since that night?”

“Shut the fuck up, Liv,” he muttered, flipping off his sister as she freaked the hell out over his ridiculous situation. He looked at Colin and said, “How do you not bang your head on the wall every damn day for having to deal with her?”

Colin grinned and looked at Olivia. “I find better ways to channel my aggression.”

“I am going to puke.” Jack picked up the bottle of Dos Equis and said, “For real. That’s disgusting.”

Colin and Olivia laughed, and as much as it pained him to admit it, they really were a great couple. Somehow their differences made them perfect for each other.

Fuckers.

“So you’re in love with Hallie.”

“No.” He groaned and said, “I mean, kind of. Yes. Yes, I am.”

Livvie said, “But she only wants to be friends.”