Page 398 of Double or Nothing

I get another glow of happiness. Of pride. In me, in Bryce, in Jack. In the way I took a stance against oppression and they were there to stand with me.

Time to celebrate.

I open the fridge and take out a bottle of De Chante. Then I find three glasses and place them in front of Jack.

“Pour, please,” I say.

He looks at the glasses.

“Actually, I’m more of a respectable coffee person now.”

“Not tonight, you’re not.”

His grin returns.

“That’s my Soul Girl. Such a bad influence.”

“Three glasses, please. Don’t make mine pathetic.”

“I would never insult you that way.”

Jack works on the bottle while I plug in the Toastique Pro. I load the bread with cheese, mushrooms, pastrami and more cheese on top. As much filling as the machine can hold.

So much that the lid refuses to close.

Bryce watches me struggle with it.

“You’ve overfilled them.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“You have.”

Jack looks between us.

“I’m staying out of it.”

“Good boy. You’re learning,” Bryce says.

“I’m responsible now. I know my place when it comes to kitchen appliances.”

“Since when?” I ask him. “This is news.”

“Since Bryce bollocked me and told me to adhere to the green light and not the red. He had some fire in him.”

I put my weight against the lid until it clicks shut.

“There. Did it.”

Bryce shakes his head.

“The cheese will leak out.”

“Then we’ll eat the leaked cheese.”

Jack passes me a glass of bubbly.

“A woman with solutions. There you go, Bryce. Another challenge to your Toastique Pro authority.”