Bet Me

  Harry nodded.

  “So explain to me about ichthyology,” Min said, and for the next two hours, Harry did, while Min tried to be fascinated but mostly thought about ways to get Cal to touch her. Anywhere. She’d take a pat on the head. To start with. But even with the distraction of Cal, by the time they were finished with lunch, Min knew more about fish than she thought possible.

  “I may never eat seafood again,” Cal said, as he held the car door for her.

  “Yes, but if there’s any money in fish, Harry will support you in your old age,” Min said, trying to ignore how close he was, and got in.

  When Cal was in the car, too, Min said, “So, Harry, how you doing back there?”

  “Can I have a doughnut?” Harry said, looking woebegone again.

  “Harrison,” Cal said. “You are pushing it.”

  “Drive to Krispy Kreme,” Min told Cal, who rolled his eyes and drove.

  When they got there, the “Hot” sign was on, and Harry turned his owl eyes on Min. “Can I have two?”

  “Harry,” Cal said.

  “Yes,” Min said. “Today you can have two.”

  “This is a mistake,” Cal said, but he went inside with them and they drank milk and ate warm chocolate-iced glazed doughnuts and talked about fish, and Min remembered the picnic table and tried not to breathe faster. By the time Harry was done with his second doughnut, he didn’t look woebegone anymore.

  When they got back to the car, Cal said to Min, “You’re in the backseat.”

  “Okay,” Min said, and got in the backseat, not sure why she’d been banished. Maybe Cal had seen the lust in her eyes and was trying to protect himself.

  Harry looked happy as a clam riding shotgun for about five minutes. Then he turned green.

  “Yep,” Cal said and pulled over.

  Harry opened the door and lost two doughnuts and a pint of milk into the gutter.

  “Oh, honey,” Min said, wincing with guilt. “I’m sorry.”

  “It was worth it,” Harry said, wiping his mouth. “And I kept the brat.”

  Cal passed him a bottle of Evian. “Rinse and spit. At least twice.”

  “Where’d you get that?” Min said while Harry rinsed and spat.

  “I bought it when I paid for the doughnuts,” Cal said. “I’ve been here before.”

  Harry sat back in his seat. “It’s pretty gross out there. Should I pour the rest of the water on it?”

  “Sure,” Cal said, and met Min’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “We Morriseys always wash out gutters with Evian.”

  “You people are pure class,” Min said.

  When they pulled into Harry’s driveway, which was a clone of Cal’s parents’ drive, Harry turned to Cal and said, “Thank you very much.”

  “You’re welcome, Harry,” Cal said.

  Then Harry leaned between the seats and whispered, “Thank you for the doughnuts.”

  “My pleasure,” Min whispered back, and then she leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “I love you, Harry.”

  He grinned at her, and then shot a superior look at his uncle.

  “Harrison, if you’re making time with my girl, you’re in big trouble,” Cal said.

  Harry grinned wider and got out of the car. “See ya,” he said and slammed the door.

  “He’s a little young for you, don’t you think?” Cal said, meeting her eyes in the rearview.

  Min swallowed. “Yes, but he’s a Morrisey. You can’t resist that charm.”

  “Yeah, I thought it was particularly charming the way he barfed in the gutter,” Cal said. “You going to move back up here with me?”

  “I kind of like it back here,” Min said, faking unconcern. “Home, Morrisey.”

  “Get your butt up here, Dobbs,” Cal said, and Min laughed and got out of the car.

  When she was in the front seat and Cal had pulled out of the driveway, she said, “Is he okay?”

  “Sure,” Cal said. “Harry’s used to throwing up.”

  “I mean about the game.”

  “Yeah,” Cal said. “It’ll come back to haunt him at odd moments from now on but he’ll handle it. He got rescued. The people around him told him he was fine. And Bink will handle it for him at home. It’s just tough when it’s your dad telling you that you’re stupid.”

  “Yeah,” Min said, hating Jefferson Morrisey with a passion. “How are you doing?”

  “Me? I’m fine.”

  “Good,” Min said, and took a deep breath. She’d been on simmer for way too long. She had him alone, it was time for a plan. The smart thing to do would be to get everything out in the open, beginning with telling him she knew about the bet, discuss it like adults, and then maybe she could jump him—

  “What?” Cal said into the silence.

  “What?” Min said, jerking back in guilt.

  “You went quiet,” Cal said. “Spill it.”

  “Oh.” Maybe a full frontal approach wasn’t the way to go. “Well,” Min said. “I was thinking . . .”

  “Uh huh,” Cal said.

  “. . . that we have some issues to, uh, settle. I think. I would like to settle them.”

  “Yes,” Cal said, sounding as if he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about but was willing to play along anyway.

  “Because I think . . . maybe . . . we could . . . you know . . . give this a shot,” she said. “If we talked.”

  Cal’s hands tightened on the wheel, but he kept his eyes on the road. “All right.”

  You’re not helping, Min thought. “Did you know that seventy-eight percent of couples keep secrets from each other?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised,” Cal said.

  Min nodded.

  “You made that up, didn’t you?”

  “Yes,” Min said. “Although I bet it’s close. Is there something you’re not telling me? Something from . . .” She shrugged. “. . . oh, before you met me?”

  Cal didn’t say anything, and when she looked over he had that Oh, hell look on his face. “You already know,” he said, “or you wouldn’t ask.”

  “Well, yes,” Min said, every muscle she had tensing. Why’d you have to ask? All those people who say, “Just talk about it,” they’re idiots.

  “Min, it was years ago. My life was hell, and she was so great, and Reynolds was treating her like dirt—”

  What? Min thought, her stomach plummeting.

  Cal shook his head. “She’s a good person. I fell pretty hard.”

  “Oh,” Min said, and told herself, Next time be more specific about the confession you want, you dumbass.

  “Nothing happened, Min,” Cal said, glancing at her as he drove. “Bink isn’t a cheater, and as much as I want to smack my brother every time I see him, I wouldn’t do that to him. We just talked. A lot.”

  “Uh huh,” Min said, trying to sound bright and encouraging.

  “It was years ago,” Cal said. “She said I was the only person who didn’t care about her money. You’ve met her. You know what she’s like. She’s wonderful.”

  “Uh huh,” Min said. I’m going to kill myself now.

  “Are you okay?”

  Min turned to look at him and blurted, “Did you love her?”

  Cal slowed the car and Min thought, Oh, just hell, when will I learn not to ask what I don’t want to know?

  He pulled over and shut off the ignition and turned to her. “Yes.”

  “Oh.” Min nodded. “Okay. From now on, when I ask you something, just refuse to answer, okay?”

  “All right,” he said.

  “Do you still love her?” Min said.

  “Yes,” Cal said.

  “You don’t listen” Min said.

  “Min, it’s not like that. I haven’t been in love with her for a long time. I think we both saw where it was going and neither of us wanted that nightmare, and Reynolds starting paying attention to her again, and I dated other women, and over time, it went away.”

  “Not really,” Min said. “There’s s
omething nice between you. More than in-law affection.”

  Cal nodded. “Yes, she’s special. But it’s not . . . romantic. That was over a long time ago. Years and years ago.”

  “Uh huh,” Min said, still coping.

  Cal stared out the window. “Cynthie,” he began, and Min thought, Oh, kill me now. “She never caught that. She’s the psychologist, we were together for nine months, and she never saw that I’d felt like that about Bink. How did you?”

  “I’m very acute,” Min lied.

  Cal slid a little way down in his seat and stared out the windshield, and Min watched the ease in his broad body and wanted him more than she thought was possible. “You know, Cyn spent months trying to figure out why I was a serial dater.”

  “A what?” Min said, trying to find her way back from lust and misery.

  “That’s what she called it. The hit and run thing you keep busting me on. She decided it was because I was trying to make up for my mother, that I was trying to get love from all these women, and then when they gave it to me, I’d leave them to try to earn it from somebody else.”

  “That Cynthie, a theory for every occasion,” Min said, feeling bitter and wanting somebody to take it out on. Cynthie seemed good.

  “I wasn’t looking for my mother,” Cal said. “I was looking for Bink.” He turned and Min smiled at him so he wouldn’t see she was about to open the car door and throw up in the gutter. “I wanted somebody I could talk to, somebody I didn’t have to charm and please, somebody it just felt good to be with.” He shook his head. “I just didn’t realize it until now.”

  “Well, good luck on that,” Min said brightly.

  “Pay attention, Minnie,” he said. “I was dead in the water the minute you sat down on my picnic table.”

  Suddenly Min realized there was no air anywhere. That would account for the dizziness.

  “It took me a while to figure it out,” he said. “I wasn’t used to anybody like you. Because there isn’t anybody else like you.”

  Keep breathing, Min thought.

  “And then you ripped up at me in the street in front of Emilio’s, and I thought, Well, the hell with you. For about five minutes. Then I just wanted you back. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted back. And I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get you back ever since.”

  Min sucked in some air before she passed out.

  “I love you,” Cal said. “I know it’s insane, we’ve only known each other a few weeks, we need more time, I get all of that, but I love you and it’s not going to change.”

  Min took another deep breath. You needed air to talk.

  “For God’s sake, Min, say something,” Cal said.

  “I love you,” Min said on a breath. “I’ve loved you forever.”

  “That’ll do it,” Cal said and reached for her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Min wrapped her arms around his neck, so grateful to be back in his warmth that she dragged him over the stick shift to get him closer to her.

  “Ouch,” Cal said.

  “Sorry,” Min said, trying to pull back.

  “Not a problem,” Cal said, holding on. “God I’ve missed you.” He kissed her and the glittering heat flared low just like always, except that this time she wasn’t fighting it and it went everywhere. She clutched at him, amazed that he was kissing her again, breaking the kiss to kiss him again, over and over until he stopped to breathe.

  “Listen,” she said. “About my heart. Don’t break it.”

  “Right. Me, too.” Cal pulled her back, and she fell into him and lost herself, drunk on the knowledge that she could have him, would have him, that everything was going to be wonderful. She felt his hand slide under her shirt and touch her breast, and she shuddered against him and bit his lip, and his hand tightened on her, and then her cell phone rang.

  He pulled back, breathing hard, his eyes dark for her, and she held on to him.

  “Ignore it,” she said, gasping, “it’s Diana, she calls twelve times a day, come back here and love me,” and he shook his head.

  “Answer it,” he said, between breaths. “We have to stop. We’re parked on a public road.”

  “I don’t care,” she said, reaching for him again.

  He put the car in gear. “Your place or mine, Minnie, not in a car.”

  “Whatever’s closer,” Min said, and answered the phone to stop the ringing as Cal pulled out into traffic.

  “Min,” Diana said, her voice tight. “Oh, Min, we’re in trouble”

  “Okay,” Min said, trying not to sound dizzy with lust. “What?”

  “The rehearsal dinner,” Di said. “Greg was going to get the caterers because he could get us this deal.”

  “Oh.” Min looked at Cal, who was much too far away. “Greg was going to get the caterers for the rehearsal dinner. In four hours.”

  “I hate Greg,” Cal said.

  Diana sounded as breathless as Min felt. “Mom’s going to crucify Greg and he’s already a nervous wreck. This is my perfect wedding.”

  “Okay,” Min said. “Let me think.” Cal, naked, in my bed, in me. No, not that thought.

  “What are we going to do? There’s nothing,” Di said.

  “I’m trying to think,” Min said and met Cal’s eyes for a long moment, until the car drifted and hit the edge of the pavement and Cal yanked it back.

  “Where is this dinner?” he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

  “At some bed and breakfast near the chapel,” Min said. “Down by the river. Why?”

  “How many people?” Cal said.

  “Fourteen, I think,” Min said and spoke into the phone. “Dinner for fourteen, right?”

  “Yes,” Diana said.

  “We can do it,” Cal said. “Tell her it’s okay.”

  “We can?” Min said. “We who?”

  “Tony and Roger and I worked in a restaurant, remember? We’ll get supplies from Emilio’s, you make chicken marsala, and they’ll plate it and serve it. Your parents don’t know Tony and Roger so they’ll buy them as servers. It’ll work.”

  “I’m making chicken marsala?” Min said, and then thought, What the hell. “Okay, I’m making chicken marsala.” She spoke into the phone. “We’ve got it covered. Relax. Your job is to give Mom a story if Cal and I are late and to make sure the back door to that kitchen is open. We’ll do everything else.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Di said. “I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

  “Yes,” Min said. “But it’s okay. We have a couple of hours before we have to cook. You can do a lot in a couple of—”

  “No, you don’t,” Diana said. “Are you crazy? You’ve got the last fitting right now. We thought you were on your way. We’re here now. We’re waiting for you. You can’t miss the fitting. Mom will kill you. I need you. You can’t—”

  “Right. Now,” Min said. “I forgot.”

  “Don’t tell me,” Cal said as he slowed the car.

  “Fitting,” she said to him. “I have a fitting right now. I have to—”

  “Not a problem,” Cal said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll drop you off at the fitting, I’ll get the food for the dinner, we’ll cook, we’ll go to the dinner, and then—”

  “I have to spend the night with my sister,” Min said, closing her eyes. “I hate it, but it’s the night before her wedding, I promised—”

  “Fine,” Cal said. “Not a problem.”

  “Maybe not for you,” Min said, and thought, Loud voice, loud voice. She took a deep breath. “I want you now. I want—”

  “Oh, Christ,” Cal said. “I’m trying to be—”

  “Min?” Diana said from the other end of the phone.

  “I’ll be there,” Min told her and hung up.

  “Where’s the fitting?” Cal said, his voice resigned.

  “Bridal department at Finocharo’s,” Min said bitterly. “Why couldn’t Greg have been in charge of the dresses?”

  Cal drove to the store, kissed her sever
al times, and then drove off to get the dinner supplies, and it wasn’t until he was gone that she realized that he still hadn’t mentioned the bet.

  We didn’t have time, she thought. There’s a good reason, I didn’t give him a chance, and even if there’s not a good reason, I don’t care, nothing is going to screw this up for me.

  Then she went to face her mother and that damn corset.

  “You’re late again,” her mother said as she came through the door.

  “Hi, Mom,” Min said, prepared to savage her if she said anything nasty.

  “Eat this,” Nanette said and handed her an apple.

  “Why?” Min said.

  “Because God knows what those caterers that Greg got will make. He is completely unreliable. And you know he didn’t tell them not to use butter. So fill up on that.”

  “On this.” Min looked at the apple, shook her head, and put it down to go jam herself into the corset. Half an hour later, the fitter left Min’s dressing room, and Min stared at herself in the mirror, all heat gone, and thought, I’d kill myself, but this is not the last thing I want to see before I go.

  She was once again in the blue skirt that zipped up only when she sucked in all the air in the room, the lavender chiffon blouse that still pulled across the bust, and the new blue corset that only laced shut when Min gave up breathing and the fitter used the force of ten. And she wasn’t going to be taking any deep breaths now that the damn thing was on: one good heave and she’d pop out the top of it.

  Why would Cal want to sleep with somebody who looks like this?

  Min came out of the dressing room, and Nanette said, “It still doesn’t fit,” in a tone that did not bode well for her fat daughter.

  “As God is my witness, I have followed that diet,” Min said to her, feeling depressed. “Mostly.”

  “You’ve had a year,” her mother said bitterly. “And now you’re going to ruin Diana’s beautiful wedding.”

  “Here’s an idea.” Min tried to tug the corset up. “Why don’t I sprain an ankle and Karen can be the maid of honor? That way the entire wedding party will be beautiful and thin, and—”

  “No,” Diana said from the doorway, and they both turned to her.

  “Not your loud voice, dear,” Nanette said.