Page 240 of Double or Nothing

“Just until you need to leave for the dinner.”

“You need to be there too, Bryce, remember?” she says.

“So? I’ll take a suit now. Make it work.”

Jack folds his arms.

“Why?” he asks Alice. “Why don’t you want us to help you back at yours? I can do it. I don’t have a prissy suit to get dressed up into for the grand Otley gathering.”

“Don’t!” Her voice is breaking. “Please, Jack. This is hard enough. Having you there would make leaving impossible.”

“Good,” Jack says.

“Please!”

He falls silent. Waits for her to continue.

“If you come back to mine, I’ll spend every minute waiting for you to go. I’ll watch the clock. All I’ll be thinking about is how long I’ve got left before I have to say goodbye again.”

Her hand tightens around the suitcase handle.

“I can only do this once.”

“Fine,” he says. “Whatever.”

Jack picks her case up for her. Alice starts to protest, but he’s already on his way out the front door, carrying it towards the lift.

The three of us wait outside the elevator doors once they’re summoned. The energy at a total one-eighty. Yesterday, there was never any distance between us. Now Alice stands just a few inches away, and the space feels like miles.

The lift arrives.

Jack wheels the case inside.

Alice follows it.

He keeps one hand around the handle.

“I could break the lift. Just give me the nod, and I’ll do it.”

“I know.”

“It would take hours to repair, but who gives a shit? I’ll foot the repair bill.”

“I still have to go.”

“I could kidnap you, if you want? Break the lock and barricade you inside? Just give me a wink if you want me to.”

Alice gives a sound that is almost a laugh.

Then she puts her arms around him.

Jack holds her with his whole body. No careful distance. No pretence that this is temporary or harmless.

When he finally releases her, he keeps one hand against her face.

“Call us.”

“I will.”