Excerpt

Nate suddenly realized Pam had noticed him staring at the new girl. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure we’ll meet sometime. She looks busy right now.”

“Okay. Guess that means you’ll be coming back.” She grinned.

“You know it. But not for her. I come for the food.” He smiled back.

“Yeah, yeah. Your burgers will be ready soon.”

“Thanks, Pam.”

“Thinking about dating her?” Stan asked facetiously after Pam was out of earshot.

“Yeah, right.” He turned back to the guys, making an exaggerated point of ignoring her.

The burgers made it to the table a couple minutes later. The four ate in silence but Nate noticed smirks on their faces every time he looked up. He chose to ignore them.

When Pam returned to ask if there was anything else they needed, Nate immediately requested the checks. As they stood to leave, Nate took advantage of the commotion to glance in Trisha’s direction.

They paid their bills and left the café.

As they walked, Stan needled Nate. “Had to get that last look in, huh?”

Nate knew he’d been caught but blew it off. “It’s not like I’m gonna date her. Probably won’t see her again until the next time I go there.”

“Still have a bit of contempt for her?” asked Jeremy.

“I’m glad she got a job and all. We didn’t need any freeloaders hanging around town.”

“She’s not a freeloader—at least not anymore,” Kyle added.

Nate frowned. “Yeah, but a girl like that—I bet she’s easy.”

Jeremy’s eyes rose in surprise. “You think you can just ask her out and screw her?”

“I doubt it would be that simple. It would take a certain finesse, but I’m sure I could get a piece on the first date.”

“Willing to put your money where your mouth is?” Stan chimed in.

“That depends on whether I want to take her out or not. And I don’t.”

“She’s no eyesore,” Jeremy stated.

“Oh, she’s cute and all, but—”

“He ain’t ready to back up his words,” said Kyle, grinning evilly.

“How much you talkin’?” Nate didn’t like being called out. He turned the challenge back on Kyle.

However, Jeremy was the one who answered. “How much you willing to lose?”

Nate rolled his eyes. “I figure I can take twenty from you.”

“Let’s make it twenty-one,” said Stan. “That way, we don’t have to play with change. That would be seven apiece.”

“Twenty apiece.”

“Oh.” Jeremy laughed as he said that. “So, you bet sixty you can do it.”

“You have a problem with that?”

“Not at all. I’ll be happy to take your money.”

“I’m not doing it if you all aren’t participating.”

“I’m in.”

“Me, too.”

“The bet is you have to do her on the first night,” Jeremy summarized.

“It’ll be the only night, but that’s the deal.”