“Oh, don’t look like I just shot Bambi, Katie.” Mitch started up again. “I sit at a machine and release skeets for people to practice shooting. It's actually very boring and no one gets hurt or hasduels.”
“And I can guarantee no one is polishing their gun with a bunch of other guys.” The words were out before I realized it and Mitch started a new fit oflaughter.
“Who knew Julian had a sense of humor?” he asked before Gwen punched him the arm. Mitch and I hadn’t been close in high school. I stuck with my wrestling buddies, and Mitch was the popular loner type. Everyone loved him, and he loved everyone. He hadn’t been a part of any cliques or tight knit groups. I guess that’s why he could sit with me and not have aproblem.
“Enough,” Gwen said as Mitch rubbed his arm. “Now that Julian is here,” she shot me a look that wasn’t quite disapproval. “let’sorder.”
“You guys didn’t have to waitforme.”
“Of course we did,” Mitch jumped back in. “We’re going to have a good old fashioned eat off!” I looked back over at Katie and noticed the blush that had covered her cheeks was gone. She still sat with her body stiff, but she wore a smile on her face. “Katie started going on and on about what she was going to eat and it just seemednatural.”
“I didn’t even know an eat off was a thing,” she spoke from beside me. “I’m just reallyhungry.”
“You in, Julian?” Gwen asked from across thetable.
“Always.” They didn’t know I was always ready to eat an obscene amount due to the very real lack of food at my ownhouse.
Tabitha took that moment to walk up. “Hey, darlin’s. You ready toorder?”
“Hey, Tabitha,” Gwen responded. The smile on her face said she was about to start laughing again. “We’re all getting the same thing. Cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake.” She looked over at me. “Julian, isthatokay?”
“Ofcourse.”
“Oh, and I’m buying.” Katie leaned over the table toward Tabitha to make sure she couldhearher.
We all turned toward her. “What?” she asked innocently in answer to our accusing stares. “What good is a bank account full of money, if I can’t buy so much food we all end uppuking?”
A bank account full of money?Was shebragging?
Tabitha shook her head at Katie before walking away. I was pretty sure I heard her mumble, “Teenagers these days,” as she left thetable.
“Ok, speaking of outrageous amounts of money,” Gwen started and I was thankful someone was addressing it, because it sure as hell wasn’t going to be me. “Is that why you have the new ride out there?” She looked over at a fancy looking SUV out in theparkinglot.
The blush was back. “Yeah. It’s just my mom left me a ton of money when she died and while I want to be responsible, I thought it might be nice to enjoy a little bitofit.”
“A little bit?” Mitch jumped in. “It’s a freaking BMW. I’d say you’re enjoying more than just a little bit. Not to mention, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb in RiverValley.”
“Fine, call it an impulsive buy while feeling sad,” Katie answered. And while her tone stayed friendly, it was obvious she wasuncomfortable.
“Leave the girl alone,” Gwen said coming to the rescue, once again. “She bought a car. And, yeah, it’s nice. But I think we’re all missing what’s important here. Katie took away any incentive for winning, so we’ll have to figure somethingelseout.”
“Bragging rights?” Iasked.
“Oh, please.” Gwen rolled her eyes. “That’s hardly enough tomotivate.”
“How about the loser has to kiss someone of the winner’s choosing?” Mitch waggled his eyebrows and looked around thetable.
“Stop it! You’re such a guy.” Gwen punched Mitch inthearm.
“No, I’m serious. No one here is dating anyone.” I swore I saw a flash of hurt cross Gwen’s face so quickly, I couldn’t tell if I was imagining it. “And with the possibility for things to get really weird, no one is going to wanttolose.”
“I’m in,” I said before I could over think it. I kept my eyes on Mitch and once again fought not to look at the one person I wanted to. Did I want to kiss Katie? Absolutely. Was it a bad idea? Probably. I could feel Gwen’s eyes on me but didn’t look her way either, afraid of what her all-knowing eyeswouldfind.
“Okay,” Katie said from beside me so quietly, I would have missed it if I hadn’t been so intent on not paying attentiontoher.
“What was that?” Mitch turned toward her cupping his hand overhisear.
“I said okay,” she repeated with more forcethistime.
