Drake walked back into the tent and took the seat Riley had been occupying next to Liam.
“Did you leave Riley with the other ladies, then?” asked Liam.
“Uh huh,” replied Drake absentmindedly.
“Hmm,” Liam scratched his chin pensively and turned to look at him.
“’Hmm’ what?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s only that if I didn’t know any better, I would think you actually had fun with Riley just now,” Liam said with a teasing smile.
“She’s okay, I guess.” When Liam kept smiling at him Drake huffed and continued, “Fine, yeah, she’s fun, you don’t have to be a dick about it.”
Liam chuckled. “I’m not trying to rub it in, I am honestly just relieved that your opinion of her is improving, even if only slightly.”
“Well, she’s definitely tougher than I thought. And she’s determined. She basically decided on the spot that she was coming to our tent, even when I explained she wasn’t supposed to.”
“Ha, a girl after your own heart, eh?”
“… I can’t say I love rules, no,” Drake grudgingly admitted. “But anyway, you see? This proves what I was saying yesterday; she came looking for you.”
“Yes,” said Liam with a hopeful smile, “I noticed that. I’m trying not to read too much into it… There’s a myriad other reasons she could have chosen to come here: maybe she simply didn’t want to be with the other ladies, or she just wanted a better view… she could have just wanted to spend time with you and me as friends!”
“Okay, first of all, she and I? We’re not friends, so don’t drag me into this. Second of all, stop overthinking this, man! She likes you. Oh, and you haven’t thanked me, by the way.”
“Thanked you? Right, of course, thank you for looking after–”
“No! Not that! You’ve thanked me for that at least 8 times since yesterday and if you do it again that is the last favor you’re getting from me.”
Liam put his hands up in a pacifying gesture. “Okay, okay. What for, then?”
“For once again beating your ass on a bet.”
Liam scoffed. “You are a terrible winner, you know that?”
“Hey! If it hadn’t been for me winning, again, you wouldn’t have had a chance to show off in front of her.”
“I–I guess you’re right.”
“No shit.”
“Do you really think–?”
“Liam, I think I saw her drool a little,” he joked. “Now can we stop talking about your royal abs and go to the stupid picnic? I’m starving.”
Liam’s smile seemed wider than ever. “Don’t forget croquet first!”
Drake shook his head sadly, “The things I do for you people…”
Liam went on ahead of him, which was just as well, he couldn’t care less about croquet. How are people fans of that sport? If you can even call it that. I wouldn’t.
Drake took a separate car with some of Bastien’s men; he knew most of them well and would rather talk and gossip with them than watch a “game” of croquet any damn day.
It was a short car ride from the race tracks to the spacious lawn that the picnic was being held in. There was a huge white, gold-trimmed tent covering a large area of the grassy field. Under it, a few dozen tables covered with white tablecloths were set with golden cutlery and delicate china tea cups.
He gave it a quick look. He supposed it was a pretty setup, if you were into that kind of fancy stuff. He wasn’t. His gaze slid from the tables to the croquet field, where the Queen and Madeleine were playing against Liam and Riley.
He didn’t know any of the more intricate rules of the game, but he knew enough to understand the basic concept of it. Right now, according to the scoreboard being updated by Lady Hana, the teams were tied.
It was Riley’s turn. For a split second, she seemed hesitant and her eyes flicked almost imperceptibly to the Queen, which disconcerted him. He understood she was trying to decide whether to let the Queen win at the same time as she tapped the ball perfectly. I guess I can’t say she doesn’t have balls– er, guts. I can say she doesn’t have that other thing.
Mercifully, with croquet game over and done with, a member of the staff announced that the tea was ready to be served. He immediately sat down at the table he’d been assigned upon arriving. Maxwell, who had been watching the game much more closely and eagerly than him, sat down next to him.
“What’s up, man?”
“Hey,” he replied unenthusiastically.
“What’s got your socks in a bunch?”
“The expression is panties, Maxwell.”
“I know, but I hate that word,” he scrunched up his nose. “Anyway, what’s wrong?”
“I’m hungry.”
Just then, Riley, Hana and Liam sat down in the remaining seats.
“More like hangry, amiright?” said Maxwell, elbowing Riley, who was sitting to his other side.
She stroked her chin exaggeratedly, “Hmm, I don’t know, Maxwell. It seems to me like all of Drake’s moods combine with angry… we’d have to come up with a word for being grumpy all the time.”
She smirked at Drake and he opened his mouth to respond – although, he wasn’t sure what, as they had a fair point – when the waiter set down a tower of delicate little sandwiches at the center of the table. Meanwhile, a different waiter went around serving them all piping hot tea.
Maxwell turned to Drake excitedly, “Hey! We finally get to eat!”
“If you can call this eating,” he grumbled.
Riley jumped in, “Drake, you WOULD complain about free gourmet food.” She smiled and rolled her eyes at him.
“I’m just saying I’m simple…” Drake shrugged.
“I don’t think anyone would argue with that,” she held his glare for a moment and then broke down and giggled. Drake shook his head at her and smiled a little.
“What I mean is… Give me a ninety-nine cent burger any day over some escargot aioli.”
Riley nodded earnestly in agreement and his smile grew a little bigger.
“Escargot aioli?” asked Hana confusedly. “But how would you…?”
Still bitter from yesterday, Drake wasn’t about to explain any further than, “It was just a joke, Hana.”
“Oh,” she replied a bit sadly. Drake would’ve felt worse if it hadn’t been the notion of escargot aioli that puzzled her. Ridiculous.
There was a tense silence. Drake, despite his complaints reached for three tiny cucumber sandwiches at once. He’d eaten half of the first in one bite before he turned to look at the others, who had all grabbed one at a time. This is barely one whole sandwich though! He wolfed down the other two and a half sandwiched before anyone noticed.
Maxwell, blessedly obliviously as always, broke the silence easily.
“Anyway, onto the big question!” he drummed his fingers on the table. “Riley, do you think you impressed the Queen?”
“Well…” She hung her head and then looked up with a huge smug smile, “I think I impressed her.”
What a dork. He smiled.
Maxwell quickly swallowed the bite he’d been chewing and actually clapped for her. “Fantastic. It’s like watching a bird learn to fly on its own.”
Ugh, he’s such an opportunist. He wasn’t even going to get started on Bertrand; at least Maxwell seem to genuinely care about Riley, in addition to using her.
Riley turned to Liam eagerly, “Do you think the Queen approves of me?”
“Yes, I think you performed quite gracefully in front of her,” he replied, beaming with pride.
Drake, not wanting to see his best friend being all sappy, reached for another sandwich, only to find them all gone. His stomach growled.
“Enough about Riley. All the little sandwiches are gone, and I’m still starving.”
“Not to worry,” Maxwell reassured him, “there’s more food waiting for us back at the palace.”
“I could really go for a cronut right now,” said Riley dreamily.
Liam’s head tilted. “A what?”
“I think you mean donut, Riley,” offered Hana helpfully, touching Riley’s hand.
Riley chuckled and shook her head at Hana. “You haven’t heard of cronuts before?”
“Can’t say that I have.” Maxwell shrugged.
Drake hadn’t thought of cronuts in years. They reminded him of summers spent in America with his family. His whole family. They’d walk together to the nearest bakery after lunch and get deliciously warm pastries. They’d make a game out of it. Drake had to get something for Savannah, Savannah had to get something for his mom, his mom for his dad, and his dad for Drake. Whoever guessed the closest to what the other was craving won. Drake was surprisingly good at this game.
He smiled to himself, lost in fond memories and only distantly heard Riley say, “Really? Okay, guys, we have a critical problem to fix. None of you have had cronuts.”
“Please tell me it doesn’t have anything to do with crows,” said Maxwell with a shiver.
“It’s the sumptuous inside of a croissant mixed with the glazed outside of a donut,” she explained. “It’s one of the best pastries ever invented.”
“It sounds… American,” Maxwell smiled excitedly; he thought America was the epitome of coolness. Drake could definitely see Maxwell fitting in well there.
“From New York with love!” Riley said in a sing-song voice. “We have to get some!”
“While that sound like quite an adventure… I don’t think the schedule will allow for it.” Liam, always the responsible one. He shot Liam a look; over the years they’d gotten quite good at communicating non-verbally through endless boring functions. This particular look conveyed, “What are you doing? When the girl you like asks you out, you go!” Liam frowned nervously.
“Then how about a little jail break tonight?,” she replied mischievously. “Think we can sneak out of the palace and go on a cronut run? I’m pretty sure I saw them in a window at a nearby bakery while we were driving here…”
There was indeed a bakery on the boardwalk that specialized in American pastries. Drake had discovered it on a walk one day and had pointedly avoided it ever since.
“That does sound like fun…” started Hana.
“Very tempting.” Liam agreed with his charming smile. “Are you sure you want to do this, Riley?”
“Guys, meet me out front once it gets dark! It’s time to have an adventure!” Riley waggled her eyebrows at them.
“I’m with Riley.” Drake gave Liam an of-course-you-are look. Liam shrugged and smiled wider.
“Me too!” Drake was certain that Maxwell would be in no matter what. They could be going to a dumpster for all he cared.
Drake, however, wasn’t sure. On the one hand, it would definitely be fun to get away from it all with his… friends and taste his first cronut in years. On the other hand, he might not be ready to revisit those memories so vividly…
He looked up from this contemplation to see Riley looking at him expectantly. It’s like she actually cares if I come…
“Finally, we’ll have some fun away from the palace,” he grinned in anticipation.
“New food sounds like a treat,” said Hana in that formal way of hers.
Riley pumped her fist, a bit of an overreaction, in Drake’s opinion. It made him smile nonetheless. “It’s on then!”
They went their separate ways – he and Liam, Maxwell and Riley, and Hana on her own – from there to the palace and into their respective rooms to get ready for their covert excursion. Drake used most of the time to take a nap, he was planning on wearing the same outfit he already had on; it was just cronuts, anyway.
Once it was time to go, though, he made the last-minute decision to put on cologne. He wasn’t usually a cologne type of guy, but what the hell, he hadn’t done anything fun like this in a while and he figured it was as good a time as any.
He walked out to the dark courtyard to find Maxwell already waiting there.
“Hey, Drake!” He was practically bouncing with excitement. For once, Drake was with him on something.
“Hi!”
“Wait, why do you look so happy to see me? Are you sick?” Maxwell gasped, “Was it the sandwiches? Am I going to act weird too?”
Drake shushed him, “You’ll wake the whole palace up! Can’t a guy be excited for food?”
“I guess…” said Maxwell suspiciously, eyes narrowed.
At that moment, Riley and Hana walked out of the palace. Riley, too, had some pep in her step. She hadn’t taken long to get ready but she still looked radiant in a simple black shirt and jeans.
“Hey, guys! Ready for a gastronomic experience?” she asked with a sunny smile.
Hana nodded vigorously. “I can’t wait to learn more about classic American pastries! You are always so inventive,” she said to Riley admiringly.
“Oh, you don’t even know! It’s the best of both worlds, Hana!”
“Careful now, you wouldn’t want to oversell it, Addams.” Drake teased.
She opened her mouth indignantly, “First of all, how dare you. There is no possible way to oversell cronuts, Drake!”
Drake put his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine, I guess we’ll see.”
“You wanna bet?”
“Loser pays for the other’s cronut?”
“You’re on.” Riley thrust her hand forward and Drake shook it. It was much smaller than he was used to – most of his bets taking place with Liam or Bastien – and warmer, too.
Maxwell looked at his phone. “Prince Liam is taking a while.”
Drake’s heart fell. What if they couldn’t go after all? “He’s the prince. We’ll be lucky if he can sneak out at all.”
Almost as soon as he said it, Hana pointed towards the palace, “There he is!”
Riley waved him over. “You made it!”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had to sneak out my own bedroom window… I nearly fell into the rose bushes,” he admitted, “but I stand before you unscathed.”
“And now the real adventure begins!” As their de facto leader, Riley skipped on ahead of them, not turning back to see if they were following him. Liam hurried to catch up with her, while Maxwell raced ahead, even thought he had no idea where they were going. That left Drake trudging along next to Hana. He cleared his throat.
“Listen–”
“Drake, I– Oh, sorry, go ahead.”
“No, no, please, Lady Hana, you go.”
“Thank you. I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night.”
“That’s fine, we all have a little too much to drink sometimes.”
“No that’s–that’s not what I meant,” she replied, blushing. “Although I suppose I should apologize for that too… What I meant was for that comment I made. It was tactless and, even worse than that, cruel. I realized how badly it must have hurt you, especially after you were so kind to me, and I couldn’t sleep! I just kept thinking how you–”
“Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there, because I can see you’re just gonna go into a neverending apology spiral, and neither of us wants that, right?” Hana nodded slowly. “So, yeah, your comment kinda sucked but it didn’t ‘hurt my feelings’ or whatever, okay? I’m way too used to that type of thing by now.”
At this, to Drake’s consternation, Hana looked to be on the verge of tears. He backtracked: “I just mean, apology accepted, okay? I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”
“I really didn’t, Drake,” she replied earnestly. “As soon as I said it I wanted to take it back; it’s exactly the kind of thing my parents would say and… I don’t think I want to become like them.”
“Well, I think knowing that is at least a start,” he gave her a smile, eager to move on to less serious topics or, better yet, silence.
“I hope you’re right…”
With that, Hana seemed to intuit Drake’s preference and they lapsed into a companionable silence, taking in Cordonia by night. They walked down the narrow cobblestone streets downtown, apparently deserted at this late hour. After a few more minutes, the houses started becoming more and more spaced out and the streets became wider and more modern. They eventually emerged to the boardwalk, which was lined, on one side by the peacefully vacant beach, on the other by cheerfully lit stores hoping to attract late-night customers.
“I’d never seen Cordonia at night,” Hana almost whispered reverently.
“Yeah, pretty, huh?”
“It’s wonderful!”
They came to a stop outside the bakery Riley had mentioned. It was tiny and cozy; inviting scents wafted through the small crack between the door and wall and yummy-looking pastries enticed them from the window display.
Maxwell then voiced what they were all thinking, “Is it me, or is it more fun to be out at night when you’re also breaking the rules?”
Well, maybe not all of them. Hana, ever the stickler, differed, “It’s more fun when you know you’re headed to something delicious!”
“After a day spent answering to the press and the Queen, this is the sweetest freedom,” said Liam with a sigh of relief.
“And it’s about to get sweeter,” Riley assured him, opening the door to the bakery.
A small bell jingled when the door opened and a gangly teenager looked up from the counter.
“Good eve–”
“We need all of your finest cronuts, please!” Maxwell requested in a voice much louder than necessary.
Lady Hana covered her mouth and stifled a giggle. “I think you’re supposed to go to the counter, not just shout from the doorway.”
“Like normal people,” Drake agreed, rolling his eyes with Hana.
Riley stopped Maxwell, who was walking up to the counter. Drake mentally applauded her initiative; who knows what Maxwell was going to say to that poor kid? “I’ll handle this. You guys take a seat.”
Drake, Maxwell, Liam and Hana sat down at a round, black iron table on small, matching chairs.
“These are kinda cramped, huh?” said Drake.
“Drake, you’d find a way to complain about anything,” Maxwell dismissed him. At that moment, Riley approached the table carrying a tray with five cronuts on it; Maxwell attempted to jump out of his seat to help her, instead knocking his knee against the table.
Drake smirked at him while Liam and Hana laughed.
“Fine, they’re a little cramped.”
“Careful, buddy!” said Riley, sitting down on Drake’s other side and setting the tray on the table. They all promptly reached for their cronuts and Drake felt Riley’s leg bump his in the process.
Never one to miss a change to tease, he said, “Watch it, Addams. You’re on my side.”
Riley put on a puzzled expression and replied, “Sorry, did I miss the part where you own this bakery?”
She made it sound remarkably sincere but there was obvious undertone of sarcasm to it that made Drake chuckle. He turned to look at her with real curiosity for the first time since he’d known her.
“You don’t let anything go, do you?”
“Nope,” she replied with a huge, dorky smile.
Damn, she really is cute.
“You’re going to be trouble,” He raised an eyebrow at her and she grinned in return. “I can tell.”
“Well, these look delicious.”
Drake was so startled to hear Liam’s voice he almost jumped. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Riley start too, as if she’d forgotten where – and whom – they were with. Drake shook himself. Had he really just thought of his best friend’s fiancée-to-be as cute? Okay, this stops now.
He focused on the cronuts. “What’s more important is how they taste. Let me at ‘em.”
“All together?” suggested Riley.
Liam nodded and started the countdown, “One…”
“Two…” Hana continued.
Drake grabbed his, ready to take a bite. “Th–”
“Delicious!”
“Maxwell!” Drake glared at Maxwell, whose cheeks were chipmunk-like with the huge bite he’d taken.
“I regret nothing.” said Maxwell through his cronut. “Mmmmmmm… Flaky, crusty, glazed cloud of flavor…”
With such a glowing recommendation, they all bit into theirs.
After swallowing her dainty bite, Hana gushed, “I really must take some of these back home. I’ve never tasted anything so light and fluffy and sweet!”
“This rivals the finest pastries from the palace chefs,” agreed Liam. “Even Drake is smiling.”
Drake, who had been lost in the sweet, buttery taste of the cronut, came back to the moment, a smile still on his face. “What? I like a good dessert. Who doesn’t?”
“The last time I had something this good, Bertrand hired a pastry chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant to make his birthday cake.”
Drake remembered that party. It had been a wild one, even by Beaumont standards. In fact, “remembered” might not be the most accurate word. It was more like he had fuzzy snapshots of the night and a certainty that he’d been there and… had fun? Maybe? He also thought the cake may have been good, but who was he kidding, he probably would have eaten burnt shoes at that point of the night. The only other thing he remembered about that party was that it was soon after it that Savannah… We’re not doing this right now.
He forced himself back to the conversation.
“Wait a second,” Riley was saying. “Are you saying that Bertrand used to actually have fun?” she looked so stricken by the idea that Drake laughed quietly.
Maxwell grimaced, “Heh. Yeah, he wasn’t always like he is now.”
Liam nodded seriously, “There was a time when Bertrand would’ve been here with us tonight.”
“Really?” Riley’s eyebrows were raised so high, they might disappear into her hair if she got any more surprised.
“Yes. We were all close, once. But he’s grown distant in the past few years…” Liam trailed off sadly. Drake personally didn’t miss Bertrand’s overbearing personality in their outings, but he knew Liam considered him a friend. And even he had to admit that Bertrand had not been having the easiest time lately.
“Aw,” Maxwell clapped Liam on the shoulder reassuringly, “Bertrand’s gonna be fine. He’s just sorting some things out. You know what? I’ll even bring him back a cronut.”
Hana smiled warmly at him. “That’s sweet of you.”
“It’s a noble thought, but we’ll see if that cronut actually makes it back to the palace…” Drake raised a challenging eyebrow at Maxwell.
“I hope you’re not implying I’d eat my brother’s cronut…” Maxwell replied, scandalized.
Drake crossed his arms, staring at him, “Wouldn’t you?”
“Well,” Maxwell admitted reluctantly, “it’s the thought that counts anyway, right?”
“I can’t believe mine’s gone already.” said Hana, wiping flakes off elegantly with a napkin, “It was delicious.”
“What did I tell you? Have faith in me,” said Riley cockily.
“That was a treat! Thanks, Riley.” Maxwell did finger guns at her.
Drake still wasn’t sure he’d want to revisit this place soon, but he was glad to spend time away from the palace. “We should sneak out more often.”
Liam sighed sadly, “I wish I could.”
“Well, maybe you just need a distraction! Yeah! Like, I could set up some fireworks in the ballroom and then–”
“Maxwell– Actually, no, go on, I’d love to see you try that.” Drake snickered.
“That would provide a distraction…” said Hana dubiously, “but it might not be the most practical way. You could, instead, use the classic trick of putting pillows in you bed to simulate being asleep!”
“Or – hear me out – we tell Drake that hors d’oeuvres are real food, we wait until he starts breaking stuff–”
“Hah, very funny, Addams,” interrupted Drake, gently kicking her foot under the table. She retaliated immediately. Drake chose to leave things there rather than escalate them because he was a gentleman… and also because she kicked much harder than he’d expected.
Liam let out a laugh, “Ha! You know, that could actually work. Good idea, Lady Riley.”
Riley beamed at him and Drake felt an unexpected twinge of annoyance. Before he could analyze that, though, Lady Hana looked at her phone and said, “Wow, it’s gotten late…”
Liam frowned with concern, looking at his own phone, “We should be getting back.”
“Don’t want the kingdom to panic over a missing prince?” teased Riley.
Liam smiled sadly, “Precisely. I’ve already been gone for quite some time.”
“Historians will tell of the day when Cordonia nearly collapsed because the Prince went out for cronuts.” Drake said dramatically, trying to lighten Liam’s mood. His best friend often felt guilty about the things Drake had sacrificed for him, but Drake knew that Liam’s life was much, much harder than his could ever be.
He succeeded in making Liam smile genuinely. “Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but we should still head back to the palace.”
Their chairs scraped the floor as they all got up at the same time, thanking the attendant before exiting the shop.
The night had gotten cooler while they’d been inside, but was still pleasant. They started on their way back to the palace when Drake spotted a shadowy figure lingering a few feet behind them. He nudged Liam. They came to a stop as Bastien moved into the light to greet them.
“Bastien? What are you doing here?” Liam asked.
“I couldn’t let you go out without security, Prince Liam.”
“But how did you even know?” said Liam, sounding disappointed. Oh, sweet, innocent Liam, he’s so bad at sneaking out.
“Please, Your Highness. I was assigned to your brother before this. I’ve seen every trick in the book.” Bastien gave him a dry smile.
Liam bowed his head apologetically, “I’m sorry to have troubled you.”
“Like I said, I was assigned to your brother,” Bastien shrugged. “Compared to him, you’re hardly any trouble at all. But…”
“But we should be getting back.”
“You go on ahead. I’ll trail behind and keep an eye on things.”
“Thank you, Bastien.”
“My pleasure.”
Bastien remained where he was while the group moved on ahead. Drake found himself walking beside Riley at the back.
“So, Addams, about that bet–”
“What? You can’t tell me those cronuts didn’t live up to your expectations! I saw your stupid smile, Drake, you can’t lie to me.” She said all this as if she weren’t a short, skinny girl, but rather a brawny wrestler twice the size of Drake, ready to fight him.
“Whoa, whoa!” Drake put his hands up as he had done earlier to calm the horse down. “I was just gonna say, you win, Tough Girl, those cronuts were really something.”
He pulled a bill out of his pocket and handed it to her; she, however, refused to take it.
“Nah, save it, Drake. We should go double or nothing.”
“On what?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know, I’m sure we’ll find something.”
“Well, you win this round, Addams,” Drake admitted.
She smiled teasingly, “Don’t tell me that even big, bad Drake thinks that cronuts are worth the hype.”
“I can admit when someone else is right. It’s one of my charms,” he gave her a crooked smile.
Riley looked thoughtful for a moment. “I didn’t know you had any. Charms, I mean.”
Drake rolled his eyes, “Hah. You’re kind of funny, you know that?”
Riley looked at him with wide eyes and the beginnings of a smile, “Did you actually compliment me?”
Yeah, why did I do that, again?
“Don’t let it go to your head,” he mussed her hair playfully.
She swatted his hands away and closed her eyes, “Let me just memorize the taste… mhmmm… definitely a sour flavor, but mixed with… a hint of regret.”
“Laugh it up.”
She opened her eyes and gave him a satisfied smile. “And with a strong, bitter aftertaste.”
Her smile was more open and sincere than it had been all day. “Look at this. Everything’s better away from the palace. No stiff etiquette, no having to watch your back all the time. We can be ourselves out here.”
“Are you saying you can be less negative?” she asked seriously.
“I’m saying you’re more fun when you’re not trying to play princess,” he held her gaze then, trying to communicate what he meant less harshly. It’s not that she wasn’t fun usually, he just enjoyed her company more when he knew she could let her hair down. She seemed to understand, if her small smile was anything to go by.
“Hey! You two are falling behind. Catch up or we’ll leave you!” came Maxwell’s shout from the front of the group. They both looked away. Drake felt slighlty embarrassed, but couldn’t figure out why.
“Looks like we should catch up to them,” he nodded towards their friends. “Shame, I was enjoying myself.” There, I can be serious.
She took a different route. “You can have fun after all?” her face was a study in shock; fake shock, of course. “Call the press, I’ve made an earth-shattering discovery.”
He bumped her shoulder with his. “It’s not really a discovery. You were just blind to it the whole time. You’re like the last person to discover the Earth is round.”
She bumped him back. “Hey!”
Drake grinned at her. “So about that double or nothing… Last Riley to the group owes me a drink.”
He took off running towards the group. Thanks to his considerable head start, he got there first. Riley caught up a few seconds later, panting.
She narrowed her eyes at him, “Triple or nothing.”
“You know I’m in.”