The Love Wager by Lynn Painter

            “I have a theory that he was having a mini-crisis and latched onto Van out of panic.” Olivia gave her head a little shake and said, “He spent his whole life wanting to be like Mack, worshipping our fun party uncle, and then, just like that, he realized he had it all wrong.”

            “That makes sense,” Hallie said quietly. It explained why someone like him would be with someone like his horrible ex. It also explained why he was already on a dating app, trying to make love happen.

            “He went from single and loving it to moving in with his new girlfriend. Next thing I knew, he was buying a ring and talking about popping the question.”

            Hallie could still picture Vanessa’s beautiful, bitchy face.

            “Not gonna lie, I was thrilled about their inauspicious breakup. Sorry about the wine, by the way.”

            “It happens.” Hallie shrugged and smiled at the memory.

            “I put him on the app right away after that, hoping he’d meet someone nice, normal, and not in a race to the altar.”

            “The opposite of Vanessa.”

            “Bingo.” Olivia crossed her arms and said, “So when he told me he was talking to the wedding bartender, I was terrified. Not that you’re not awesome.”

            Hallie coughed out a laugh. “I get it.”

            “But I just worry about him jumping in too fast again,” Olivia said. “He was so lonely that I was worried he’d start dating you simply because it’s comfortable.”

            “Low-hanging fruit, right?”

            “Exactly. Like, low-hanging fruit can be the best fruit, don’t get me wrong, but you have to check the whole tree just to make sure.”

            Hallie nodded. “I’m not sure if that analogy is perfect or terrible.”

            “Perfectly terrible.” Olivia snorted and said, “It was just so weird how fast he did things with Van. It didn’t even seem like he really loved her, but more like he was forcing it, trying to make it fit.”

            I think I was in love with the idea of you, Hallie, instead of who you actually are.

            Yeah—she was familiar with the concept. Ben and Jack were of like minds, it seemed.

            “But now, I’m thrilled by how things are going. He’s actually trying on the app, and he has you to encourage him. It’s a win-win.”

            “For me, too,” Hallie said, and then Olivia launched into a hilarious story about when she and Colin first got together and Jack tried to kick Colin’s ass. After they went back inside, Hallie got the grand tour, and twenty minutes later she and Jack headed back out.

            “I hope my sister didn’t grill you,” Jack said, giving her a questioning look.

            “She didn’t. She seems great. Although . . . I do have to ask you something, and I’m pretty scared of your answer.”

            “Uh-oh.”

            “Your Ditka comment, coupled with your reaction to the overtime finish we just witnessed, has me seriously terrified that you’re a Bears fan. Say it isn’t so, buddy.”

            They debated football as they walked toward her new apartment, and Hallie was disappointed to discover not only was he a Bears fan, but he also liked the Bulls. She could accept a lot of idiocy, but the Chicago Bulls?

            Come on.

            Thankfully they were both Liverpool fans, so she supposed they found some common ground. Outside her apartment, she pointed to where her balcony was and he pretended he could see it amongst the myriad others in the darkness.

            She knew he couldn’t, but it was nice to have someone to dream with.





Chapter

EIGHT


                             Jack: Good morning, my little number cruncher.



            Hallie groaned as she read the text. The one that had woken her up because she’d forgotten to silence her notifications. It’s 5:30 a.m. on a Sunday. Eat glass.

            Jack: I just wanted to be the first to wish you a good day.