The Bet (North Woods University 1)

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s not like it used to be. Remmy hates me, and I do mean literally hates me. I don’t want to ruin your family dinner.”

He gives me a deadpan expression. “Dad wants to see you. He’s been asking about you all week and you know if you don’t show up, he’ll come here himself and get you.”

I chew on my lip. It’s not like he’s lying. Papa Miller will absolutely come here and get me.

“Come on, it’s family dinner,” Sebastian coos.

“Exactly, family dinner…” I say out loud even though I didn’t mean to.

“Don’t even, Jules. You know you’ll always be a part of our family. It’s not our fault Remington is a dick. Dad loves you, I love you, we all do, and you know it.” His words are bittersweet, and I know he doesn’t know how much I need to hear them right now.

But he talks of a time in the past, a time when we were like family and I wish more than anything that I could go back to that. I just don’t see how we can, not with all the scar tissue, with all the hate pulsing between Remington and I.

Sebastian’s phone starts to ring then, and he rolls his eyes as soon as he hears the ring tone. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.” He pulls his phone from his dress slacks and looks at the screen, his frown deepening. “It’s fucking work.”

He gets up, shaking his head, anger filling his features. “I’m sorry, Jules, I have to go. I’ll pick you up at six Sunday night, so please be ready, otherwise I’ll send Dad instead,” he orders, pointing a finger at me.

He gives me a quick hug and walks out the door a moment later. Only when he is gone, do I realize Cally’s still sitting quietly on the couch next to me. She’s curled up in a blanket, licking her fork.

“So is he single?” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I shake my head, a laugh emitting from my throat.

“Do not even think about it.” I give her a warning look.

“Aw come on, Jules, he’s cute.”

“Cally…”

She pushes off the couch, her now empty cake container in hand. “Okay, okay. But he’s seriously cute.”

“He can be cute, and still be left alone. You don’t want to get mixed up with those boys.” I sag into the couch, trying to think of how I’m going to get out of Sunday dinner with him. Remington will kill me if he finds out that I’m going to be there.

“Of course I want to get mixed up in boys…I just won’t get mixed up in that one.” She snickers and walks out of the living room.

What the hell am I going to do?

The last thing I want to do is see Remington…but I can’t let my fear of seeing him stop me from seeing his brothers, from seeing his father. I want to be happy, even if Remington doesn’t want me to be and I guess that answers my question.

I’m going to do what Jules wants…

I’m going to make myself happy.

Chapter Nine

Remington

I feel like a fucking idiot sitting on the couch waiting for Cole and Thomas to come home so I can ask them what the fuck I saw back at the diner earlier. I know rationally I have no right to be mad at Cole. He’s done nothing wrong. She isn’t with me now, and he has no idea about the history we share, but that doesn’t stop the jealousy from spreading through my chest like a lethal venom.

When the door finally opens and the guys walk in laughing and smiling, I have the urge to jump up and yell at them, what for…I have no idea. I’m acting so irrational it’s not even fucking funny.

“Hey, Rem,” Thomas greets me, and I give him a head nod.

“Hey,” I reply. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from asking them right away what the hell was going on. I don’t want to seem like I’m overly curious, or anything, because it’s not like me to want any more than a one time fuck.

A lot of the women I’ve fucked have also fucked all my roommates. It’s not unlike us to share, what is, is for me to act jealous. And since I know what that would look and sound like, I hold my tongue. I wait until they get some beer out of the fridge and settle down onto the couch.

Seems like a good amount of time has passed now.

“I saw you at the diner. I was walking by, but I didn’t want to interrupt your little…whatever that was,” I say, keeping my voice flat and uninterested when in reality I’m so fucking interested I want to scream from the rooftops.