Bet on It (15)

Aja’s eyes went comically wide, and she rolled her left wrist. “What … brings you to that conclusion?”

“Greenbelt is borin’. And aside from Gram, you’re about the only person in town I can stand to be around for more than two minutes. If I have to sit in that house with only my grandmother for company for the next two months, I will absolutely lose my mind. And it’s already far gone enough as it is.”

“I can definitely understand that,” she murmured. “But I’m not exactly sure what you think we should do. Like you said, Greenbelt isn’t the most poppin’ place on the planet. And I don’t invite people I don’t know well into my house. Most activities around here are either thrown by churches, are for kids, or are some combination of both. That doesn’t leave us with a whole lot of outing options.”

Walker shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be anythin’ super exciting, I’m sure we could make our own fun wherever we go.”

She bit down on her bottom lip, eyes narrowed in thought. “How would you feel about doing another night of bingo every week?”

He mulled it over. Gram had practically dragged him into the bingo hall by his ear, but he hadn’t hated it nearly as much as he expected. He knew that it likely would have been much more boring without Aja’s presence, but luckily he didn’t have to experience that. He would gladly sit through a hundred games, struggling to identify the numbers on his cards before the caller moved on, so long as he could fail while sitting next to her.

“I wouldn’t hate that. If my last couple games are any indication, I could use some practice. Maybe you could even teach me a few things. Hell, all of your supreme expertise might even help me win a game or two.”

Her answering laugh was clearly mocking him, but the sound was so sweet he couldn’t find it in himself to mind. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “You can barely keep up with the calls; I might not have enough ‘expertise’ to carry you that far, dude.”

Walker’s jaw dropped open, and he put a hand on his chest in mock offense. “It hurts that you don’t think I have what it takes to win, Aja. Like I can actually feel the pain, right here in my chest.”

She shrugged.

He pursed his lips for a second, eyes squinting. “How about we make a little wager? Since you’re so confident in my inability to win.”

“Let me get this straight.” She put her forearms on the table and leaned in. He mimicked her movement until their faces were inches apart. “I know you’re horrible at bingo, you know you’re horrible at bingo, your granny knows you’re horrible at bingo. And even with your chances of winning being as dismal as they are, you still want to make a bet with me?”

“Absolutely. If you’re not too scared to take me on.…”

“You’re ridiculous. Do you know that? Has anyone ever told you how ridiculous you are?”

“A few times,” he remarked. “But that’s still not goin’ to make me back down.”

Aja was quiet for a couple beats before she was shaking her head at him. When her eyes rolled, he knew he had her. “All right, I’ll take you on. But I’m going to need the promise of some kind of prize if I’m going to keep entertaining your mess while you keep losing right along with me.”

“I feel like we should be discussin’ what I get when I inevitably prove you wrong, actually.”

“And what do you feel like your grand prize should be, Walker?”

He screwed his face up, going all out in his exaggeration. “Think you could get your hands on a signed Hank Aaron Topps baseball card? I’d prefer 1962; he was with the Braves then.”

“Who?”

He made a disgusted scoffing sound in the back of his throat. “You don’t know who Hank Aaron is?”

She shook her head again. “I have neither the energy nor the brain space to get into sports.”

“You’re breakin’ my heart.”

“I might break more than that soon if the next thing out of your mouth involves any form of the word ‘ball’.”

A grin spread across his lips slowly. He was enjoying the hell out of riling her up. She was gorgeous, even when she was threatening him. He couldn’t help but keep it going just a little longer.

“How about you find a way to hook me up with that actress from the movie you were talking to Gram about earlier.” He snapped his fingers, searching for her name. “Gemma Chan.”

Her face went blank. “If I had her number, I’d tell her to avoid you at all costs.”

His bark of laughter made the people in the booth behind Aja turn around to glance at them.

She sighed and shook her head. “Next thing I know you’re going to request claim to my virtue as your prize.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Virtue?”

“It was the first, most ridiculous word that came to mind.” She waved a hand dismissively in the air. “You know what I mean.”

“I’m not quite sure I do actually.”

“I’m just saying, your little demands are getting progressively more … demanding is all.”

Walker placed a hand over his heart again. “I can assure you, I have no interest in stealin’ anything from you, least of all your virtue. But if you’re thinkin’ about givin’ me some type of winner’s prize for all my hard work, I sure as hell won’t be turnin’ you down.”