A Betting Man

Chapter One

I check my phone for the umpteenth time today - no missed calls, unless you count the one from my mother where she's left a message asking if I've seen her white pearl necklace. It's the one Brett bought her for their anniversary two years ago. Sorry, Mom...no luck here.

I sigh loudly, the noise unheard in the empty room. I finger the numbers on my phone, wondering if I should text him again...

Part of me is bummed that he's doing this. I feel let down - disrespected. Another part - the greater, scarier part - is pissed off something fierce.

Nolan and I had gotten into an argument just yesterday when I'd told him, yet again, that I simply wasn't ready to sleep with him. Call me old fashioned, but we've only been going out for two months, and I'm still unsure where my feelings lie. It's not something I can really place my finger on - he's attractive and wealthy, funny and smart. But do I really want to be with someone who's going to get angry when I refuse to sleep with him?

Where's my knight in shining armor - the one who would wait a lifetime if it only meant he could be with me? Does he exist? Is he wondering where I am, too?

I'm starting to doubt it. I feel my expectations of men may be a little too high. It must be all the Jane Austen....

I faintly recall that Austen never married. Did she suffer the same problem as I?

I sigh again - it seems to release some of the tension - and pick up the phone, ready to dial. I'm torn between apologizing and ripping him a new asshole. Before I make up my mind, the phone rings in my hand, causing me to jump.

It's Fey, my confidant and best friend. I'm relieved to hear from her - maybe she can offer some advice.

"Hey babes," she greets me. "Have you called the dick yet?"

I may have told her about the little incident yesterday.

"I was about to," I answer. "I just have no idea what to say..."

"Tell him to go fuck himself, that's what you say."

God love her. She has the beauty of Aphrodite and the mouth of the dirtiest, one-legged sailor to boot. She really drives the men wild with that combination.

"You don't think I'm over-exaggerating? I don't want to seem crazy..."

"You'd seem crazy if you didn't dump him. I'm serious - call him, now." So demanding! She's just what I need at times like this.

"But then I won't have a date for Devon's wedding...." PA-THE-TIC. I don't need to hear Fey's comment to know how pitifully sad I am. I'm painfully aware that my last shred of dignity has just hopped the train to China, waving sadly at me as it fades from view.

But just to make things worse, Fey gasps...and then she's silent. So unlike her. I know this isn't going to be good...

If I could time travel, I'd definitely travel back thirty seconds and make myself less pathetic by keeping my big mouth shut. Yes, definitely.

"Addie," she says slowly, as if she's talking to a retarded person, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that. I mean, are you really implying that you'd rather be with that douche then to show up to a wedding alone? Seriously? I mean...seriously?"

So much for pretending.

"That's not what I said. I was simply stating my grievance--"

"Well my grievance is that you haven't dumped his sorry ass yet. Call him, now. And call me back when it's over, I wanna hear the details." She hangs up on me.

I glare at the phone. Damn her, she's right. I need to do this.

I quickly dial his number before I can chicken out. It rings once, twice...four times, then to voicemail. I'm fuming - is the asshole really avoiding me? - and I leave a message.