Free Imperfect Love by Isabella White Page B

Sonic, it will give Jake a couple of minutes away from her.”
    Jake snorted. “Yeah, ask Sonic, please. I’m begging you.”
    “Why did you bring her?” Holly asked on a whisper.
    “It’s a secret,” Bernie whispered back, sounding really sarcastic.
    Clucking her tongue, Holly teased her, “It must be so hard.”
    “Shut up. Shooters, now.”
    “Fine.” Holly got up. “I don’t think Sonic likes me very much after Bernie’s really mocking lesson. Could you please ask her if she would like to help me?” Holly asked Jake.
    “Sonic!” Jake yelled.
    “Seriously, you couldn’t get up to ask her?”
    “Yes?” Sonic’s head popped out the doorway.
    Pathetic, Holly thought.
    Jake’s shoulders shook, as if he’d heard Holly’s thought.
    “Would you help Holly prepare some shooters, please?” He gave her his super smile, the one Holly didn’t want to look at because it would make her turn into a pile of goo.
    “Sure, come.” Sonic gestured to Holly to join her in the RV.
    They spent the next couple of hours preparing shooters, managing to remain relatively civil to each other. Jake sauntered in from time to time, usually as they were close to finishing up and flirted with Sonic. She handed him a shooter; both threw their heads back at the same time on numerous occasions, letting the mixture trickle down their throats. Holly felt like she was intruding on their moment and walked out.
    “Not want her, my ass,” Holly ground out, irritated after the umpteenth time it happened.
    “He’s really not into Sonic, Holls,” Leo spoke quietly next to her.
    “Whatever.”
    The night went on and all she wanted was to go to bed, but again Bernie wouldn’t let her.
    Holly started a countdown to Jake’s eventual appearance just as they finished pouring another shooter, and just as she’d predicted he walked in and had an extra one with Sonic.
    “You want to make me drunk?”
    “Sure I do,” Jake replied.
    Holly left the RV. All she had had to do was look at Leonard to set him off bursting into laughter.
    “He’s not,” Leo mumbled.
    “Let’s bet. I say he’s going to grab her before the night is over,” Holly challenged Leo.
    “How much?”
    “A hundred dollars. Deal?”
    “Deal.”
    A couple of rounds later, Jake’s gaze didn’t waver from Sonic, who really didn’t look like she could handle one more shot. “I think it’s time you go to bed, missy.” He pulled her up gently and helped her to the tent situated directly in front of the RV. He ducked, lifted the green canvas flap and ushered them both inside.
    Holly watched this turn of events with eagle eyes.
    “Pay up, loser.”
    “He’s not going to do it.”
    “Oh, please. What do you think they’re doing in that tent?”
    “Holly’s got a point. You lost.”
    “I didn’t lose.”
    Just then, Jake re-emerged.
    “That was fast,” Holly smirked.
    “What was?”
    She merely scrunched up her face in reply.
    “I told you I’m not interested in Sonic. I just never thought she could drink that much.”
    “Pay up, loser.” Leo was sporting the hugest grin ever, as well as having a hand on his forehead, thumb in the horizontal position and index finger in the vertical; the universal sign for loser.
    Jake turned and looked at Holly. “You bet on this? You’re mean.”
    “So, sue me. There were a few times I had to get out of there. Your RV isn’t big enough for all that love.”
    “Oh, please. I just gave her a shooter, woman.”
    “Pay up,” Leo cut in, snapping his fingers.
    “There’s a hundred in my purse. I’ll get it for you later.”
    “A hundred bucks? At least I’m not considered a cheap bet.”
    “Oh, shut it. You were supposed to grab her.”
    “I...don’t...want...her,” Jake said, slowly enunciating every word.
    “Uh-huh,” Holly replied.
    “Don’t say that. Only stupid people say ‘Uh-huh’.
    “Uh-huh,” Holly repeated, looking at Bernie. Of course, all she was doing was mimicking her.
    “Ugh. Go