Page 178 of Double or Nothing

Her head turns.

“I need to. It’s Sunday dinner. It’s quite a thing in our family.”

“I understand the concept. Meat, vegetables, and judgement from a domineering daddy who wants to pimp your womb out. Don’t go. End of.”

“I need to.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, Jack. I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to find out more.”

I groan. Such a fucking drama.

“About what? Whether your father has already booked the church? I imagine so. Here’s to Mr and Mrs Otley. Hip, hip, hooray!”

Her jaw tightens. “You aren’t being helpful.”

“I’m not trying to be. I’m trying to talk some sense into you. It’s not as if you want anything to do with the Otley surname. Correct me if I’m wrong, which I’m not.”

Her hands flap in the air at me, frustration pursing her pretty mouth.

“You don’t get it. Not at all!”

I laugh. “Here we go again.”

My chortle is short and sharp and much angrier than I intend it to be.

She stares at me, and I keep going because apparently I’ve forgotten how to stop.

“It’s not a hard game to read. I know you want Bryce. That’s the most obvious thing in the whole bloody universe. So, what’s it going to be? A farewell to BT Maddocks and hello to a life with a Parker polished diamond ring on your finger?”

Her hands tighten back around her mug. Mouth still pursed. Eyes raging.

“And what about you, hey? Where do you fit into all of this?”

The question catches me.

“What about me? It’s nothing to do with me.”

“You’re getting angry. Why?”

“I’m not angry.”

“You are.”

I have to scoff. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Why do you care, Jack?”

There it is. The card I don’t want on the table.

I sit back.

Easy.