Page 242 of Double or Nothing

“Soon. Yeah. Later.”

I step out and the doors close between us.

The lift begins descending. I watch the number lowering above the door.

Jack looks at me.

“Go.”

“What?”

He points towards the fire door.

“The stairs. You can beat her down. Just fucking go, Bryce. It needs to come from you, not me.”

My heart begins to pound.

“Jack, it’s not that –”

“Fuck off. You’ve got one shot, BT. Vault down the stairs, be waiting when the doors open and profess your undying love.”

Sixteen.

“I can’t simply ambush her in the lobby. There’s a lot at play.”

“Of course you can. It’ll be romantic.”

“This isn’t a romcom.”

“Then make it one.”

Fourteen.

I look towards the fire door.

Jack steps closer.

“Tell her everything you’ve spent years refusing to say.”

“And then?”

“Then she gets to choose.”

Twelve.

I take one step towards the fire door.

Jack watches me.

For a moment, I see the stairs. The concrete flights spiralling down through the building. I imagine myself leaping down them, arriving breathless as the lift opens.

Alice would see me.

She would understand.

But then the rest would follow…

Bill finding out.