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“Whatever,” she scoffed “I don’t hear complaints from my boyfriend”

My smile froze, and the mood shifted abruptly Her attempt at a joke landed like a dropped anchor

Of course she didn’t hear complaints froirl who’d ever touched his dick, and he was hopelessly in love with her When—not if—he got down on one knee and proposed, she’d say yes and pretend to be excited, but I suspected she’d die inside

Ansel Farber was an okay guy, but he ard in every sense of the word The only attractive part of hiree Like the Hales, the Farbers were old ht he could buy that kind of clout if he hters into it

I sat up straighter in my seat and let seriousness fill o too far”

I’d brought this up a few times before, and at this point in the conversation, she usually told me to mind my business or that it was already too late The deal was done in both of their families’ eyes She would eventually be Mrs Jillian Farber

But today her tone was light and airy “Don’t worry, I’ it”

I perked up in surprise “You are? How?”

“Forget about it I’ care of it” Her toneshe couldn’t talk about Perhaps Ansel or her sister were nearby “Back to our wager,” she said “Can I trust you to tell me if you lose the bet?”

“I’ to lose, but, yeah You can trust me” Sometimes I wondered if ere the only people in Cape Hill we could trust

“Okay, good,” she said “So, if you fall off the celibacy wagon into a pile of women, I’ll hear it from you first before Sophia”

Because Sophia Alby was all-seeing, all-knowing Gossip traveled fast through our sh her Concealing anything fro my father

“Yes,” I confirmed

“Good luck, Vance You’re going to need it,” she teased Then she announced she had to run, and the call ended

I’d relayed the entire conversation to the police, only watering-down the specifics about the bet I’d made with her They’d focused on Jillian’s state ofthe call and pressedAnsel, but I wasn’t much help