The Dare (The Bet #3)(20)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

"The beginning."

"It began with a curse."

"Shit."

"Don’t worry, it was a good curse. And it wasn’t real, but he didn’t know that. You see, sometimes we just need to be given permission to do things. We need to be told something is okay."

Beth

Jace looked like he’d just seen a ghost. I waved in front of his face; he sucked in some air and began choking wildly and tugging at the beaded necklace around his neck.

"When did you go shopping?" I fingered the necklace.

"Don’t touch it. I’m cursed!" he shouted.

I’d never witnessed a nervous breakdown. But I was almost one-hundred percent sure that’s what was taking place. Jace pulled at his neck, nearly choking himself in the process and kept holding his breath.

"Get it off!" he yelled again.

"Jace. Breathe," I demanded.

His wild eyes looked everywhere but my face. Finally I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "It will be okay. It’s just six days."

"You can’t touch me. I’m serious, Beth. This is serious!"

"Right. You and your necklace are cursed." I patted his back in a motherly fashion. "You’re under a lot of pressure right now. It’s okay to freak out every once in a while. Just take some deep breaths, and we’ll get some food in you."

"I’m not…" He started hyperventilating. "What the hell kind of perfume do you have on anyway?" He pulled back, eyes wild.

"I’m not wearing perfume."

"Aw, shit!" Jace finally pulled free from the necklace and threw it into the ocean, nearly popping his arm out of the socket in the process.

"Better?" I crossed my arms.

"Immensely." His chest was still heaving from exertion. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, it’s fine. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to watch someone completely lose their mind." I smiled.

And was rewarded with a middle finger.

"Whoa there, Senator, manners."

His eyes narrowed. "The damn captain cursed me. He cursed me with you!"

Mad as hell, I smacked him on the arm. "Then why don’t you just go back to your perfect life with your ridiculous amount of money and leave me the heck alone! I need this vacation, and I don’t need you here being all—" I pushed him again, "—angry!"

"Fine!" Jace shouted, and then he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I mean, you’re right. I’ll leave. I just. He just—"

"Aloha!" A lady approached us on the dock. "I don’t mean to interrupt what I’m sure was a very healthy and emotional conversation where you’re both searching for your feelings deep down inside and—"

"Who are you?" Jace interrupted.

The lady was wearing all black and had a name tag that said Dr. Z.

"I’m the manager of this fine establishment, and I’ve been expecting you." She couldn’t have been more than five foot two, was of Asian descent, and had black-rimmed spectacles that covered half her face. "Now if you’ll just follow me to the center."

"Center?" I repeated. "I thought it was a hotel?"

"Oh, it’s so much more! Here at Ocean Breezes Couples’ Retreat, we pride ourselves on being up-to-date on the latest couples’ therapy, relaxation treatments and—"

"Back up." Jace held up his hand. "Couples’ therapy?"

"Of course." Dr. Z nodded. "That is why you’re here, is it not?"

"Not," I answered for both of us. "Not, not, not, not."

"Strange." She folded her arms. "I’ve had your reservation for over a month."

"A month!" I yelled. This time Jace braced me as I lunged for the innocent doctor.

"Come along." She ignored my violent outburst. "Dinner starts in about ten minutes, and we need to get you in your clothes first."

"You have our suitcases?" That was the best news I’d heard all day.

"Oh no." Dr. Z snapped her fingers. Two men came running; one handed her a packet, and the other handed her a key. "Here at Ocean Breezes Couples’ Retreat, oh my, that is a mouthful. Here at OBCR, we value equality over style. Both men and women wear the same white outfits every day to show their commitment for a clean slate."

"Clean slate?" Jace gave me a nervous look.

"Ah, here we are." Dr. Z led us down a pathway to a large hut. "You’ll find a change of clothes inside. Please hurry. As you were dropped off later than expected, we do not want your dinner to get cold."

With that she closed the door, leaving Jace and me alone in the hut.

After a few moments of silence I said, "I think we were played."

"You think?" Jace snapped.

"Don’t try to pin this on me!" I stomped over to him. "Besides, it’s not like we could have made an escape, what with you grabbing at your chest like you had fleas or something. My necklace, a curse, a curse, a curse!"

"Not funny. I was cursed!" he argued.

"Yeah, with a nervous breakdown, and now we’re at some mental institute for unhappy couples! Screw you and your advice on the boat. I want the fairytale, you hear me!" I pointed up at the ceiling. "I want the fairytale, damn it!"

"Who are you talking to?"

"God."

"Why?"

"So he can tell Grandma I want a do-over."

"Nice." Jace smirked. "And I’m the one with the nervous breakdown."

"Don’t push me." I pointed at his chest and held up my fingers. "I’m this close, this close to snapping."

"Well, we don’t want to see what that would look like, you snapping. Hurry up and hide the cookies."

"Aghhh!" I pushed him against the bed, causing it to move against the wall. And then I realized I was on top of him. Straddling him. And he was warm. And great gods of Asgard, my body savored it.

"Nice thighs." He smirked. "They’re strong. Mind unleashing me before I have to get both legs amputated from blood loss?"

"Please, like it’s your legs you’re worried about."

A knock came on the door. "Five minutes!"

"She’s just going to keep coming back." Jace grunted from underneath me. "I say we hurry up and change, get some damn food in our bodies, and then call Grandma. We can take the next flight out of here and still have time to have a nice quiet vacation."

"How brave! You’re running away with your tail between your legs."

"Are you saying you want to stay here?" Jace lifted his arms into the air and turned around in a circle.