The Wager (The Bet 2)

At Grandma’s chuckle his eyes narrowed. “How do we get past the damn dog?”

“Think of it as another game.” Grandma waved him off. “Enjoy your snack!”

Chapter Fifty-two

“She has too much time on her hands,” Jake said as they entered the kitchen. Char didn’t need wine; she was still buzzing about their few hours in bed. But food, food she needed.

“It’s not her fault that her hobby just so happens to be her grandsons.” Char located the glasses and brought them to the island in the middle of the large gourmet kitchen.

Jake grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured them both a glass. “Hey.” He bit his lip. “How about we take this up to the tree house? I want to show you something.”

“Ah, such a player. I bet you said that to all the girls in junior high.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Just grab your glass. Come on.”

She followed him out into the cool night, absolutely giddy. It was ridiculous really, but her entire outlook on life felt changed. Maybe it was because she was finally with the one man she’d always wanted.

Married to be exact.

Not just dating.

So they did it backward? Fine by her.

“Come on.” Jake grabbed her glass and set it on the floor of the tree house as he helped her climb up.

Once they were in the small room, Jake lit a candle and blew out the match. “You ready for our surprise?”

“That depends.” Char took a sip of wine. “Are you going to tell me a ghost story or are you really planning on surprising me?”

“Yes or no?” He leaned forward and kissed her hard on the mouth.

“Yes.” Treacherous body.

“Close your eyes.”

She pouted.

“Close them.”

“Fine.” She closed her eyes and heard some shuffling around and then the sound of some sort of wrapper or plastic.

“Open your mouth.”

“I’m not sure I want to,” she said.

“Trust me,”

he whispered.

And because he had said he loved her, and she finally trusted him, she did. She opened her mouth.

The first thing she tasted was a sweet cream. Her eyes fluttered open. “A Twinkie!” Laughing, she grabbed it out of his hands. “Why the hell do you have Twinkies up here?”

It looked like Jake blushed. He bit his lip and sat down next to her. “And now for your story…”

She leaned her head on his shoulder.

“There was once a boy who met a girl. He offended her by staring so she punched him in the face.” Char laughed as he continued. “Then one day, she gave him a Twinkie. Apparently in elementary school food is considered a peace offering. The boy didn’t have the heart to tell the really pretty girl that he didn’t like Twinkies, so he saved them. Every time she gave him one, he ran home and hid it in his tree house.”