Bet Me

  He hung up, changed out of his work clothes, and started for Emilio’s, trying not to think about Min. That didn’t work, so he switched over to chaos theory, of which he had only vague memories. The Butterfly Effect, he remembered that, the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Hong Kong could cause a hurricane ten years later in Florida or prevent a tornado ten years later in Texas, take your pick because it was unpredictable. That was Min; she’d looked harmless that first night, and then she flapped her wings two weeks ago and now he was a mess. She was a goddamn stealth butterfly.

  He looked down the block at the front of the Gryphon Theater, half expecting to see Min standing there since it was the first night of the Elvis revival week. Nope. Which made sense, since events did not repeat in chaos theory. Somehow, the idea that it was science made the whole thing a lot less worrisome. He wasn’t insane, fate wasn’t stalking him, he was just standing on the edge of chaos. Much better.

  He turned down the street to Emilio’s, trying to remember what “the edge of chaos” meant. It was something about flipping a coin, something about the edge being the moment when the coin was in the air. The point at which the system was pure potential, about to choose a path. Or something about a pile of sand, adding sand a grain at a time, and the edge of chaos being the point at which the critical grain landed and the pile either shifted or turned into an avalanche . . . Cal slowed as he remembered a grad assistant in a baggy blue sweater, his hair standing on end from his complete earnestness about the subject, saying that the edge of chaos was a time of turbulence, mental chaos if the system was a human being, but also the time of greatest potential, possibly the place where life starts. “The place,” the grad student had said, “where the system cascades into a new order and moves from being to becoming.”

  Cal shook the grad student out of his head, and pulled open the door to Emilio’s. When he got inside, he heard Roger say, “Cal!” and he stopped, frozen, knowing before he turned that Min would be there, strange attractor, effective butterfly, locus of fate. He turned and saw her, sitting at a table with everybody else, looking like a startled cherub, her beautiful lips open in surprise, her dark eyes wide, and he felt his breath go again, felt his blood heat, his entire system rushing about insanely, bouncing off the inside of his skin, his future impossible to predict, everything riding on his next lurch through chaos.

  Min bit her lip and smiled at him ruefully, and without another thought, he walked across the room to her, feeling almost relieved as the avalanche began.

  Chapter Nine

  Cal pulled a chair from another table, and Min scooted over to let him in. She was wearing another soft shirt, this one in panels of different colored sheer prints, and she looked pretty and warm and more desirable than he could have imagined.

  Beyond her, Tony shrugged and looked apologetic.

  “Tony said you’d told him you were going to work late tonight,” Min said as he sat down.

  “I lied.”

  Min shifted a little more to give him room, and he caught the faint scent of lavender and felt dizzy again. “Well, at least you’re honest about your dishonesty.”

  “ ‘I was raised to be charming, not sincere,’” Cal said, and relaxed as she smiled at him.

  “You know Into the Woods?” Min said, “That’s my favorite Sondheim.”

  “Mine, too,” Cal said, watching her face. “Tony likes Sweeney Todd, and Roger’s is Sunday in the Park with George, but—”

  “You’re kidding me,” Min said, blinking those dark eyes at him. “You’re all Sondheim fans?”

  “We roomed with a drama minor in college.” God, you look good.

  “There was a fourth roommate?” Min said, and then she closed her eyes. “Of course there was. Emilio. It was his restaurant you worked in when you were in college.”

  “No,” Cal said. “It was his grandpa’s restaurant. He went out on his own about two years ago.”

  “And he’s not setting the world on fire.” Min nodded. “That’s why I brought Liza here. It took me all night to talk her into it, but I think she likes the place.”

  “Good,” Cal said, not following and not caring. It felt too damn good to be sitting next to her again to insist on clarity, too.

  “Liza’s a fixer,” Min said. “She finds businesses that need help and then she . . . helps them.”

  “So, she advertises that she can fix things,” Cal said, not caring.

  “No,” Min said. “She chooses. There are a lot of places that need a kick in the butt to get going, and Liza gets a job and provides the kick. She’s not good for the long term, once things are good she leaves, but for the year she stays, magic happens.” She grinned at him. “Sort of like you and women.”

  “Hey,” Cal said, but then he caught sight of Emilio, gesturing to him from the kitchen door. “Be right back.”

  Emilio dragged him through the door when he got there. “There’s a woman out there,” Emilio said. “The redhead with Tony. She just told me she’s thinking about working here. Is she delusional?”

  “Not even a little bit,” Cal said. “Tony knows her better than I do, but if you’re asking, I vote you hire her. It can’t hurt, and Min says she’s a genius at what she does.”

  “What does she do?” Emilio said.

  “I’m not sure,” Cal said, looking through the round window on the door to see Min. “I’m just going on what Min says.”

  “Min.” Emilio nodded. “Min I trust.”

  “Me, too,” Cal said and followed Emilio back to the table in time to hear Min say, “So here’s something I just found out. These guys are Sondheim freaks.”

  “What?” Liza said, turning to Tony in amazement.

  “What?” Tony said back. “I can’t have facets?”

  “Because of Emilio,” Min said. “Which I bring up because I want to hear his voice.”

  “Uh,” Emilio said.

  “Don’t fight it,” Cal said, sitting down next to Min again. “She gets what she wants, too.”

  “I like the ‘Moments’ song,” Min said, grinning at Emilio. “Or ‘Into the Woods.’ That’s peppy.”

  “Nah,” Tony said. “ ‘Sweeney Todd.’ ” He sang the first line of “Sweeney Todd” in a surprisingly true bass, and Roger joined in on the next line, and they sang until Emilio gave up and helped them finish on “the demon barber of Fleet . . . Street,” while Cal watched Min smile and thought, Kiss me.

  “Probably not the best thing to sing in a restaurant,” Cal said when Min was done clapping, and Emilio winced.

  “You don’t sing?” Min said to Cal.

  “Only in the shower,” Cal said, and imagined Min in the shower.

  “Wuss,” Tony said, breaking the moment. “He can sing, he’s just a coward.”

  “But you are not,” Liza said, turning back to Tony. “You are multi-talented. Who would have guessed it?”

  “What else does he do?” Bonnie said, and Tony grinned at her.

  “He has skills we’ll discuss later,” Liza said. “This is excellent pasta, Emilio. This place should be packed every night.”

  “Which is your job,” Min said to her. “Save Emilio. I love him.”

  “I think so,” Liza said. “Let me check out the kitchen first.”

  She got up, walked past Emilio, and pushed her way through the swinging doors.

  “Is she—” he said to Min.

  “She’s the best waitress you’ll ever have,” Min said. “And she will get you business. She’s checking out your kitchen now. If you pass muster, you’ve got her.”

  Emilio went to protect his kitchen from Liza, and Cal poured more wine into Min’s glass. “Drink this. I’m about to try to talk you into something, and I need you juiced.”

  “I kind of miss the charm,” Min said, picking up her glass. “Listen, I was thinking about the snow globe and the movies and everything, and I apologize for calling you the devil. They were all coincidences.”

  “Yeah,” Cal said. “Tony t
hinks it’s chaos theory.”

  “Bonnie thinks it’s the fairy tale,” Min said, and sipped her wine.

  “Fairy tale?” Cal said, lost again.

  “You know, you’re a prince, it’s meant to be, we’ll live happily ever after. It’s okay, she’s sane on everything else.” Min smiled at him. The point is, we’ll be fine as long as we stick to the plan.”

  “Right,” Cal said. “The plan.” Her lips were soft and full, curved in that comforting smile, and he started to get dizzy again. Kiss me. “I think we should start dating. Want to go to the movies?”

  Min blinked at him and put down her glass. “Did you hear anything I said?”

  “Everything was a coincidence, we should stick to the plan,” Cal said. “That’s not going to work for me.”

  Min folded her arms. “Why not?”

  “Because if we don’t date, the universe is going to maim me.”

  “What?”

  “The universe, fate, chaos theory, fairy tales, the spirit of Elvis, I don’t know what it is, but I’m not fighting it anymore.” Cal leaned closer and caught the faint scent of lavender again as Min looked at him as if he were insane. “You hate me, you’re high maintenance, you’re pathological about food, and your best friend will kill me someday, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to give this a shot. Does your mother still want to check me out at dinner? I’ll go”

  “Why, if I’m that awful?” Min said, looking annoyed.

  He smiled down into her beautiful face. “Because you’re smart and kind and funny, and my nephew is crazy about you, and you wear great shoes, and you look like a depraved angel.” Because I’m going to go crazy if I don’t touch you.

  “Uh huh.” Min nodded. “And because of that, you’re going to dinner at my parents’ house tomorrow night so my mother can see you’re harmless?”

  “Tomorrow?” He nodded, trying not to look appalled. “Good. We’ll get that out of the way fast. Tomorrow night it is. So about tonight—”

  “On the dating thing? No, so you’re off the hook with my mother, you do not need to go to dinner. But if you want to do a friends-night-out thing, we could go to the movies. Blue Hawaii is playing at ten o’clock.”

  “Blue Hawaii,” Cal said. “I don’t suppose that’s porn.”

  “It’s part of the Elvis revival,” Min said. “You don’t have to go.”

  Cal sighed. “Yes, I do. And I’m going to your parents’ tomorrow, too.”

  “I’m not understanding this at all,” Min said, and he took her hand, happy to be touching her again, and said, “Come with me, Minnie. I will explain.”

  He pulled her out of her chair and across the restaurant to the front door, and when they were out on the darkened street, he leaned down, his heart pounding, and he kissed her with no reservation at all. The familiar rush was fast and hot as always, hotter because he wasn’t fighting it, but there was comfort there, too, she felt so right under his hands, against his mouth, and when she slipped her arms around his neck, he kissed her harder, falling into her helplessly, not even trying to save himself. He felt her move closer, and her perfect mouth opened as her lush body pressed against him, and years passed, and he saw paradise, and the voice in his head whispered, THIS ONE, YOU IDIOT. Then something smacked him hard on the arm and jarred them both out of the kiss.

  “What the—” he began, still holding on to her, and then saw Liza, standing on the sidewalk with her purse. “You know, if Bonnie is right, a leprechaun will be by any minute to kneecap you.”

  “Liza,” Min said, stepping away from him a little, and he felt cold where she’d been touching him and held on to her.

  “I didn’t hit him on the head,” Liza said.

  Cal looked at Min. “Forget her. You want to know why? This is why. It really is bigger than the both of us, and I, for one, am not fighting it anymore.” She opened her mouth to say something and he said, “And you want this, too.”

  Liza scowled at him. “Oh, tell me you know her. Tell me—”

  “Yes, I do know her, although not as well as I’m going to,” Cal said, facing her down. “And yes, I care about her. A lot. And I don’t know the rest, but I’m going to find out. Is that all right with you?”

  Liza looked at him for a moment. “Yes. But I’m watching you.”

  “All right then,” Cal said, feeling relieved in general. The just-friends bit wasn’t good, but that was okay, he was good at courting women. We’re playing my game now, he thought and looked down at Min with great affection.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Min said and turned to Liza. “We’re going to the ten o’clock movie, just as friends. Want to come?”

  “Yes. Tony?” Liza said as Tony came out of the bar to find her. “We’re going to the movies at ten.”

  “It’s Blue Hawaii,” Cal said to Tony.

  “I don’t suppose that’s porn,” Tony said.

  “It’s Elvis,” Cal said.

  “Why?” Tony said.

  “Because it’s time to make my move,” Cal said, looking down at Min.

  “Hey,” Min said.

  “Oh, well, hell, then,” Tony said. “Let’s go.”

  Min had started her Saturday by calling her mother to tell her that Cal would, in fact, be dining with them that night.

  “We’ll see what kind of man he is,” Nanette said, her tone boding no good for Cal.

  “You’re going to love him,” Min said. “He’s gorgeous and successful.”

  Nanette sniffed. “Probably the kind who thinks he’s an eight and you’re a four. Men are shallow and treacherous. Wear something slimming.”

  “He’s a ten, Mother,” Min said. “And I’m not slim.”

  After that, baseball seemed an improvement, at least until she got to the park.

  “You’re sticking with me,” she told Liza. “Bonnie always wanders off with Roger, but you are staying so you can jab me if I start to act goofy around Cal.”

  “There’s not that much jab in the world,” Liza said, but she followed Min to the bleachers anyway.

  “Min,” Harry yelled when he saw her, and she stopped to smile at him as he came running up.

  “Hey, you,” she said as he skidded to a halt in front of her. “How’s it going?”

  “Good,” he said, nodding his head. “Thanks for coming.” Then he looked down and said, “Whoa. Cool shoes.”

  “Thank you,” Min said as Harry bent closer to see the blue plastic fish that overlapped across the toes of her sandals. “You know, you’re a lot like your uncle.”

  “Harrison, your instincts are right,” Cal said from behind them, and Min jumped. “Women are more important than baseball, but get your butt back to the outfield anyway.” Then she turned and he grinned at her, his face softening, and her heart rate bumped up again. “Minnie, you’re getting freckles on your nose.”

  “I know.” Min rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying not to care about the affection in his voice. “It’s these Saturday mornings. I never go out in the sun so I keep forgetting to get sunscreen.”

  “I like them,” Cal said, and Min felt her heart bump again.

  “Me, too,” Harry said from below.

  “I don’t,” Min said, trying to keep a grip. “But I’m stuck with them because I keep forgetting—”

  Cal took off his cap and put it on her head. “Problem solved.” His grin widened. “Very cute. You can play for my team any time.”

  “Stop that,” Min said, and tried to adjust the hat so it wouldn’t squash her curls. It felt warm from him, and she kept her hand on it a minute longer just to feel it. You’re worthless, she told herself.

  “Harry!” somebody called, and Min turned and saw Cynthie walking toward them in a fluttery pink dress, smiling beautifully at Harry. “How are you, buddy?”

  Harry scowled. “Hi.”

  “Hi, Cynthie,” Min said, trying not to hate her, and turned back to Harry. “We’re going to go get good seats. Knock ’em dead, kid.” She looked pa
st Cal’s ear, avoiding eye contact. “Thanks for the hat. I’m sure it makes me look like hell.”

  “Nah.” Cal tapped it on the brim. “It makes you look like a butch angel. Shanna should be here.”

  Min smiled at him in spite of herself, warm all over, and then Tony yelled, “Hey, we’re playing baseball here,” and Cal dragged Harry onto the field.

  “How’d I do?” she said to Liza.

  “As well as could be expected under the circumstances,” Liza said.

  “Do at what?” Cynthie said.

  “I’m practicing my cool,” Min said.

  “Oh,” Cynthie said. “Well, good job.”

  Min followed Liza and Cynthie over to where Bonnie was sitting and watched Harry’s team get killed in the first three innings, trying not to watch Cal. When he looked up and caught her looking at him, he grinned, and she thought, Oh, for heaven’s sake, Minerva, and turned to Liza to distract herself. “You’d think Tony would be apoplectic by now,” Min said to Liza.

  “No,” Liza said. “He just wants them to have a good time. He yells at them so they’ll get better, but he doesn’t care if they win. He says all their games are practice for the future.”

  “Really?” Min said. “He does have layers.”

  “Only about three,” Liza said. “I was wrong about him being dumb, though, he’s actually quite bright. He’s a nice guy.”

  “That’s all?” Min said.

  “Yes,” Liza said. “That’s all. He is not The One. Speaking of which, nice ball cap you got there, Stats.” She tapped the brim. “Maybe he’ll buy you a soda after the game.”

  Min shook her head. “We’re just—”

  “It’s the fairy tale,” Bonnie said. “He’s winning you.”

  “What?” Cynthie said. “Fairy tale?”

  “Yes,” Bonnie said. “Min and Cal, they’re a fairy tale. She’s the girl who doesn’t have the life she deserves, so her fairy godmother got her a prince to rescue her.”

  “Fairy godmother?” Min said.

  “Liza,” Bonnie said. “She picked Cal out for you.”

  “Wait a minute,” Liza said. “I am not accepting responsibility for Calvin Morrisey.”