Bet Me Something (Something Series Book 3)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  “Good, you should always think of asshole Colby.” His face was very serious, and I knew he didn’t mean only regarding this situation.

  “Done. And I’m fine.”

  He studied me for the longest time. “Is this one of those moments where a girl says she’s fine, but then cries her eyes out later?”

  “I already did that after I called you,” I admitted and then grimaced at the fact I’d done so.

  “Kenz—”

  “No, do not go all non-prick now. You’re my friend, but tonight hurt when you thought I was calling you because I was trying to interrupt your date. You never would’ve made that assumption before we kissed.”

  “It was a shit move, but one I want you to remember whenever you think about if I’d make a good boyfriend.”

  “Huh, maybe I need another CT scan to see if I sustained brain damage, after all, because I sure as hell don’t remember asking you to be my boyfriend.”

  He chuckled and then stroked my face tenderly. “You know you’re way too good for a guy like me, right?”

  When he kissed me on the forehead, I couldn’t help but wonder who he was trying to convince. But more importantly, for the very first time in my life, I thought it may be time to consider moving on.

  ***

  Moving on became a lot easier to fathom when the police officer who showed up to take my statement was gorgeous. All six-foot-something, muscled, blue-eyed, looking-good-in-uniform inch of him. And if I wasn’t mistaken, there was a tribal tattoo on his bicep with which his short sleeve was playing peek-a-boo. Well, hello.

  “I’m Officer Matthew Thompson, ma’am. Do you feel up for making your statement?”

  “Yes, and please call me Kenzie.” I had no idea what my appearance was like at the moment, but hopefully he’d give me a pass on the whole just-got-hit-by-a-car look I was sporting. The timing was good as Colby had left to pick up my brother and Sasha from the airport. With any luck, I’d be discharged later today and back home in my own bed.

  Officer McHotty smiled, pulling up a chair next to the bed. We went through the basics, including my date of birth and the address where I’d been walking. I then provided what details about the car I could recall.

  “The good news is the suspect was apprehended a few blocks away, highly intoxicated. The description you gave matches the vehicle, which hopefully means it should be an airtight case.”

  “I heard there were two others hurt. Are they all okay?”

  “Yes, thankfully. One is worse off than you, in the ICU, but he should make it. The other one was released already.”

  I was relieved. “Good.”

  His smile showed off dimples which might not be as devastating as Colby’s but were at least in the ballpark.

  “The doctors said you should be discharged tonight. Any family or a boyfriend picking you up?”

  Either he was asking generally or was subtly inquiring about my relationship status. “I don’t have a boyfriend, but my brother and his fiancée are on their way in. A friend who lives local went to pick them up from the airport.”

  He nodded, giving me a little smile. Pulling a card from his pocket, he started scribbling on it. “I’m writing the case number down for you. If this goes to trial for any reason or we have more questions, we’ll be in touch.”

  “Okay…” My voice trailed off as I saw Colby come through the door with both Brian and Sasha following behind him.

  My brother rushed over to give me a hug and then immediately addressed Officer Hotstuff. “Did you catch the guy yet?”

  “Yes, sir, and your sister’s statement helps confirm we have the correct guy in custody.” He glanced towards me.

  “Officer Thompson, this is my brother Brian and his girlfriend, Sasha. They flew in from North Carolina. And this is my friend Colby.”

  Officer-Get-Lost-In-His-Blue-Eyes nodded towards them, and Brian’s expression softened. My brother was typically all about manners. “Sorry, man. We’ve been running on adrenaline since getting the call. We appreciate all you’ve done.”

  “I understand. We were just finishing up.” He turned over his card, writing something else. “The number on the front is my office line if you remember anything else pertaining to the case. The cell number on the back is in case you want to talk after business hours.”

  My eyes met his. “All right.” Was he flirting and giving me his personal number?

  “I take it your vehicle is still parked on Balencia Ave?”

  I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten all about my car. “Yeah, probably with a ticket by now.”

  He grinned. “If so, then I know of someone who can fix it for you.”

  Yep, he was definitely flirting, especially if the scowls on both Colby and Brian’s faces were any indication.

  “What the hell were you doing on Balencia Ave?” Colby asked.

  Oh, crap. I went into deer-in-the-headlights mode. He had to ask this particular question in front of an audience? Unfortunately, the image of the dildo wall came to mind, causing my face to turn beet red. “I, um, had some shopping to do.”

  He frowned, probably trying to figure out which stores were in the area. It wasn’t exactly known for its retail spots. “You were shopping. On Balencia Ave?”

  “Uh, yes.”

  “Where?”

  All eyes were focused on me. Fuck it. When in doubt, blurt it out. “Pleasure Palace.”

  “What the hell did you buy at Pleasure Palace?” Brian asked, clearly not thinking about the question posed to his sister.

  “Do you really want to know?” I challenged, watching his face turn about as crimson as mine felt at the moment.

  “Shit. No, I really don’t.” He turned towards Officer Handcuff-Me-Please, who was having a hard time not laughing. “Uh, you don’t need anything else for your report, do you, officer?”

  “Nope, we’re all done here. Hope to talk to you soon, Kenzie.”

  My lips twitched. “Thanks, Officer.”

  And with that, he was out the door.

  “What the hell was that about?” Colby asked.

  I shrugged. “What?”

  “You flirting with the cop. He’s got a job to do, and it doesn’t include you.”

  Brian made an inarticulate sound, indicating he’d had enough of this conversation about his sister.

  “Not that I would mind if it was, but it’s none of your business. He’s hot, single from the looks of it, and if he found me remotely attractive after getting hit by a damn car, then there’s potential for rocking his world once I’m back to normal.”

  Brian interrupted. “I’m going to attempt to block out the last two minutes of this conversation and ask you to go over what happened regarding the accident now that I’m here and wide awake to hear it.”

  He scooted up a chair while I relayed what little I remembered. My gaze flicked to Colby’s pale face after my recount. He stood completely quiet while everyone seemed to absorb how very lucky I’d been. I was grateful when Sasha changed the subject.

  “We brought you breakfast. Is there anything else can we get you, Kenzie?”

  The smell of food caused my stomach to rumble. “Breakfast is about it. Food helps with the pain meds, which I’ll apologize for up front because they knock me out.”

  “No need to. You want one of your favorite froufrou coffees from downstairs with extra whip?” Brian asked.

  He always remembered these types of things. “Sure. That would be great.”

  While the boys went downstairs for a coffee run, Sasha stayed to keep me company. I was more than happy to gorge myself on an egg sandwich. We ate in silence for a few minutes.

  “You doing all right?” Sasha inquired as we finished up our breakfast.

  “For getting hit by a car yesterday, yeah, I’m doing okay.”

  She smiled. “The police officer was easy on the eyes.”

  “Yeah, and since he didn’t seem put off by my hospital gown or Pleasure Palace confession, there may be hope f
or me yet. It’s kind of your fault I was there, actually.”

  She instantly looked horrified, causing me to quickly amend what I’d said.

  “Sorry, that was a bad way of phrasing it. I was referring to few months ago when you said if a man couldn’t appreciate me, then to hell with him, get a good vibrator and glass of wine.”

  I could see when recognition of her own advice dawned on her. “Ah. I take it things aren’t going well with Colby?”

  I told her briefly about me calling him on his date. “Maybe now isn’t the right time. Maybe it’s like you and Brian, and we need to continue to be friends a while longer.”

  “You need a break from the feelings, don’t you?”

  I knew she’d understand. “Yeah. I do. Because do you know what the definition of insanity is?”

  She shook her head, probably thinking I was crazy at the moment for my random question.

  “It’s the continuation of doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting different results each time.”

  “What is?” Colby questioned, coming into my room with my brother. With coffees in hand, they’d obviously heard the tail end.

  I decided the truth would do. “The definition of insanity.”

  “How’d that come up?”

  His green eyes were laser focused on mine as if he knew I was talking about him. “Take your pick, but I’m tired of the cycle. That’s why I can’t wait for my internship. Oh, shit. I’ll still be able to do it despite this, right?” I motioned to my ankle and wrist.

  Brian sighed. “We’ll talk to your doctor and go from there. Okay?”

  ***

  Later in the afternoon when my doctor came in to speak to me, he unfortunately didn’t have good news. Sasha squeezed my good hand while Brian asked a bunch of questions. Colby stood to the side, his expression unreadable. I tuned out after he’d started talking about weeks of recovery time, which included physical therapy and not being able to drive. Hell, I wouldn’t be able to do much of anything since both my right hand and foot were injured.

  I watched numbly as the doctor walked out with my brother, discussing what time I could be discharged.

  When Brian came back in, his eyes were sympathetic. “I could call this record producer and ask him if there’s any chance he’d postpone or maybe he could make some sort of allowance?”

  My voice was resigned, and it was all I could do to keep the tears from falling. “Thanks, but there’s no way they’ll do that. There were a thousand other people who applied for this job who can start on Monday. Making an exception when I’d be of no use to anyone is too much to ask. I can’t even drive myself there, so I’ll call the HR lady tomorrow and tell her the news.”

  “I’m sorry, sis. I know it meant a lot to you.”

  It was as if I’d found a hole in the life raft I’d been clinging to after my mother had sunk the big ship. “I, um, I’m gonna call the nurse and get more pain meds, then take a nap.” I needed a moment to get my emotions together without totally breaking down in front of everyone.

  “Okay, we’ll let you get some sleep.”

  Colby appeared hesitant to leave but finally walked out when the nurse came in to give me the narcotic. I breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind him.

  “Boyfriend, honey?” Nurse Charlotte asked.

  I was grateful for her continued presence. “Nope. Just, a friend.” To my embarrassment, that statement seemed to break the dam of tears. In general, I was a positive person making the most of bad situations, yet this latest twist had completely defeated me.

  “Aw, I’m sure it’s overwhelming now, but there’s a lot to feel grateful for. You’re getting out of here tonight, and your injuries could’ve been a whole lot worse.”

  I sniffed, wiping my eyes with the tissue she handed me. “You’re right, and this pity party needs to stop, but I have no idea how to get beyond the fact that, at the moment, my life sucks.”

  She smiled kindly. “Sometimes life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself too much, do you know what I do?”

  “What’s that?” I welcomed the advice.

  “I head on down to the Children’s Hospital to volunteer. Some of those kids are there for months and months battling cancer yet manage to keep smiling. I go home and ball my eyes out for what they’re facing. But it certainly helps put things into perspective to give back to people who are in a worse situation than you are.”

  “What types of things do you do when you volunteer?”

  “You could help pass out gifts or play games. Or if only you sang, because with your long blond hair, you’d make a heck of Disney princess. People dress up as superheroes or Disney characters, and the kids especially love that.”

  “I do sing.” And for some reason, the thought of performing in front of kids wasn’t giving me the same heart palpitations that singing in front a crowd normally did.

  “Before you leave, I’ll write down the contact information of a colleague of mine who works there. By the way, when I was searching for your phone, I went ahead and tucked your other, uh, purchase in the side pocket in case you didn’t want anyone else to see it.”

  My cheeks flamed, and then I giggled, remembering my little vibrator. “Thanks for preventing a potentially awkward moment if my brother were to go through my purse. You’re a lifesaver, Charlotte.”

  “You’re welcome, honey. By the way, your friend is back.”

  Glancing towards the door, I spotted Colby coming in, his hands stuffed in his pockets. I wiped my tears the best I could but knew he’d seen them.

  “Your brother and Sasha headed back to my place to get some sleep and take showers.”

  “That’s good. They’ve gotta be tired. You’re probably exhausted, too.”

  “I’m fine, but I have something to talk to you about.”

  I started to feel the fuzziness from my meds take hold. “Okay, but fair warning, you have about five minutes before I pass out.”

  “With all of your doctor appointments and then physical therapy, you’ll need someone to drive you, plus a place to recover.”

  I let out a breath, hardly believing I was about to say this out loud. “I know. That’s why when I wake up, I’m calling my mother to tell her I’m moving home.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Colby looked like he couldn’t believe those words had come out of my mouth. Hell, neither could I.

  “You don’t want to move home, Kenz.”

  “No, I don’t, but I’m smart enough to recognize when it’s time to admit defeat.”

  “You can’t. I won’t let you.”

  “Don’t you see? I put it out there that I was hell-bent on becoming independent, and the universe answered by hitting me with a fucking Toyota Corolla. I can’t think of a more obvious sign than that.”

  His PDG was off the charts. “You’re adorable, you know that?”

  I sighed, trying not to get distracted. “It’s only temporary until I can literally get on my feet and figure out what to do next.”

  He shook his head. “You can move in with me. I already discussed it with your brother.”

  Were hallucinations a side effect of the drugs? Because I thought he’d said I could move in with him. “What?”

  “I said you can stay with me.”

  “No way.” I was no expert, but I was reasonably sure Tips To Get Over a Guy didn’t include this as an effective strategy.

  He appeared mildly offended. “Why not?”

  I swallowed hard, not wishing to sound ungrateful, but it wasn’t like I could tell him the truth. “I don’t mean to sound unappreciative, but the last thing I want is for you to have to take care of me.”

  “It’s only for a few weeks; then you’ll be up and around.”

  It would be absolute torture to live with the man, seeing as I couldn’t get thoughts of our last kiss out of my head. “What did Brian have to say?”

  “He thought you’d rather s
tay with me temporarily out here in LA than move back to Charlotte with him.”

  That was true. The thought of having to travel across the country and move in with my brother, who was trying to manage a long distance relationship with his girlfriend, sounded even less appealing than residing temporarily with Colby.

  “It’s not like I don’t have the space.”

  I sighed, aware he had a four-bedroom mansion in Santa Monica. “You have your company to run.”

  “I have flexibility to work from home for a few days plus I’ll ensure you have a driver for those times I’m unable to take you for appointments.” His voice sounded hopeful.

  “Wouldn’t I cramp your nighttime activities?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t have parties at my house any longer. Too much work to set up and clean up.”

  “I didn’t mean parties, I meant your dates. Won’t having a girl living with you, uh, interrupt your plans?” Because it would absolutely kill me if he brought a woman home to his bedroom with me in the house.

  He looked uncomfortable. “I don’t bring women back to my house. Anyhow, I’ll get the master bedroom ready for you as it’s on the main floor, and you’d have a bathroom that’s easily accessible.”

  “But I don’t want to—”

  He held up a hand as if knowing I was going to finish the sentence with ‘be a burden.’ “You wouldn’t be. Please say yes. I’ve gotta be better than living at home with your mother.”

  He had a point. As far as getting over him, I could still try with baby steps, right? “Okay. For a couple of weeks until I get through the initial appointments.”

  ***

  By the time I was discharged, it was late in the afternoon. With both my brother and Sasha in the car, Colby drove us all in his Land Rover to his house in Santa Monica. Exhaustion from the short trip started to set in, so I was thankful once we pulled in front of his gated driveway.

  I’d only been to his house a couple of times over the last few years, but it didn’t fail to impress every time. It was sleek and modern with a large garage that I knew boasted some of the toys he liked to drive.

  Brian was about to help me out of the car with my crutch; however Colby didn’t hesitate in scooping me up into his arms.