I knew Jamie was a competitive person. For Christ's sake, I could easily remember the few poker nights that I was invited to at Ryan and Danielle's place where I got to watch Jamie, Lanie, and Harper almost breakup their long-time friendship over a few games of twenty-one. Ryan warned me every time he invited me, telling me that the women tended to get a little ruthless. He wasn't wrong.

And as dangerous as each of those instances had been, Jamie came out on top every time. Even if that hadn't been the case, I knew I was going to win our bet tonight. Little did Jamie know that thanks to a tip from little birdie named Cherise, this victory was mine. 

Nearly a year later and I could still remember that night with absolute clarity. Jamie was off with Harper and Danielle on the screened porch, burying her anxiety in another bottle of wine. I was in the kitchen with Cherise, helping her prepare the dinner she was serving that night. 

"Jamie told me you like to cook, Ollie. Do you have any favorite dishes you like to make?" 

The white and black old-fashioned timer on the counter went off, letting us know the meatloaf was ready. Seeing the small relic that was clearly from the eighties made me chuckle. Jamie told me her mom hated things like smart phones and all this new technology. She preferred the old-fashioned stuff. Hell, she still used a Polaroid camera for taking pictures. 

"That's a complicated question, Mrs. Lovette." I walked over to the oven and pulled the door down to get the meatloaf out.

"Cherise."

"Sorry. Cherise." I set the pan on the oven mitt and turned back to her. "My favorite dish is one I tried the first time I visited Paris. Croque Monsieur." I reached over to the bowl of fruit to the right of the stove and picked out a few grapes before leaning back against the counter. "It's common over there, but there's this little restaurant tucked away in Paris that's serves the best. I tried making it myself a few times. It came out great, but I was never able to get it close to the original."

When silence answered me, I looked up from my grapes and noticed that Cherise was watching me very closely. 

"What?" I put my hand to my cheek. "Do I have something on my face?" 

Cherise walked over to the meatloaf to check it. "You know, Atticus, if you and my daughter were actually dating and not putting on this charade, you would see that you are perfect for each other." 

I inwardly groaned when I heard my first name. Who knew how she found that one out. "What makes you say that?" 

"Because the one dish Jamie has been dying to try when we finally make it to Paris is Croque Monsieur."

Feeling uncomfortable by her words, I shrugged and popped another grape in my mouth. "Just because we share that interest doesn't mean we're meant for each other." 

She arched an eyebrow at me and smiled. "Maybe not. But let's just chock this one up to good old-fashion mother's intuition."

Thinking about that memory of Cherise made my chest ache. I didn't get a chance to know her as much as I wanted, but one thing I did know was that woman was amazing. 

And that was why, when I watched Jamie's eyes widen when I ordered our meal, I knew I already won this bet. Yeah, I guess I cheated a little bit. But all in all, I wasn't going to make Jamie play a game she didn't want to play. Regardless of my rules. 

So that's what led us to this exact moment. Where once again, I was the one coming up on the winning side. 

"You owe me four hundred dollars." 

Jamie scoffed and reached for the dice. "No, I don't. Your rules are ridiculous! Nowhere on the game rules does it say that!"

"Come on, seriously? Everyone grew up playing their own version of monopoly."

"Their own version? Really? So, putting all this money in free parking, which you always land on by the way—"

"Not my fault how the dice fall, Lovette." 

"What about this whole going around the board once before buying anything? Or landing on GO and getting a shit ton of money business." 

I reached for my wine glass and took a drink. "I knew you were super competitive, but I didn't know you were this much of a sore loser." 

Jamie's mouth dropped. "I am NOT a sore loser. You are cheating!" 

Actually, I wasn't cheating. I was just playing the way I've always played since I was ten years old. Maybe the rules are a little different than the original, but that's how it was with Monopoly. No one played it the regular way anymore. Hell, they had so many different versions of the game for sale now, it was impossible to keep track. 

They had versions based on TV shows like FRIENDS and Stranger Things. They had one based on Super Mario. They even had one for millennials. 

Insert cringe here. 

"Fine," Jamie said suddenly before reaching over to the bank. "Here's your stupid four hundred dollars for landing on GO. I'm rolling now, and if I land on one of your properties, I'm getting a free pass." 

She reached for the dice, and I gently clasped her wrist to stop her from rolling. "Excuse me? A free pass? Uh, I don't think so." 

Yanking her wrist from my grasp, she gave me an evil smile. "If you can make up rules, then so can I. Next time I land on one of your properties, I get a free pass." 

With a groan I glanced at the board. She was sitting on Water Works right now. "Come on," I whined. "You're about to land on my most expensive property!"

"You don't know that. I could land on Chance or...on GO."

That beautiful little minx. I knew exactly what she was up to. "So now that it's your turn you don't mind my rules, do you?" 

She shrugged a shoulder and started shaking the dice in her hand. "I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not." Extending her arm, she released the dice over the board. "Let's see." 

Leaning forward, I read the dice. It was two fours. A double. I watched her move her little dog game piece eight spaces until she landed on CHANCE. 

Jamie reached for the card with a smirk that was a little too sexy. "Looks like it's my lucky day."

When she read the card, her expression changed instantly. In the place of her confident smile, was an ashen frown. 

"What does it say?" I asked her even though I was pretty sure I knew what it was. "Come on," I pressed when she stayed silent. "Tell me." 

Putting the card face down on the table she sighed and said, "Fine. You win. The game's over." Rising to her feet she put her hands on her hips. "Now how about we go get some ice cream or something. My treat."

That last part had me raising my eyebrows. "Your treat? This is a joke right? You're going to poison my ice crem or something aren't you?"

"No," she said with a laugh. Sure, it was a small laugh, but it was still a laugh. And I fucking missed hearing that sound. "I'm not going to poison you, Ollie. If I did, I wouldn't have you available to read the French menus and I would starve to death." 

Now it was my turn to stand up. "Well, this is all really suspicious. Like why are you...ya know..."

"What?" 

"Being nice."

Jamie scoffed. "You say that like I'm a monster or something. I'm capable of being nice to someone, Ollie." 

I still wasn't completely convinced. "Maybe. But I know there's more. Tell me why you're treating me to ice cream. Or something." 

She held my gaze for a few seconds before exhaling a heavy sigh. "Fine, Ollie. I'm treating you because I don't want to be a sore loser. I want to take the high road." 

"The high road? Really?"

"Yes," she said with a smile. "The high road. So...will you let me buy you some ice cream?" 

I was honestly stunned in that moment. This Jamie was complete different than the one in the first showed up at my lost. Looking for a place to stay.

This Jamie was very different than the one who called me out of the blue a month ago with a voice filled with pain and worry.

And she laughed. I haven't heard her laugh like that since that night. I haven't a lot of things since that night.

"So...ice cream?" I asked again.

Jamie nodded. "Mhm. Ice cream. Or something."

Whether she was being nice or not, I had a feeling deep down that I would never resist an opportunity to spend time with her.

And that scared the hell out of me. Because as much as I tried to be strong and keep my emotions in check when it came to a certain redhead, I knew I was falling for Jamie Lovette.

***

Happy Easter everyone! Slowly but surely I'm getting back to my normal writing and updating schedule. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter 🖤

Xoxo