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“Rematch,” I said. “One question. Fair category.”
“Fair,” Elena agreed, to my surprise, and picked up the card box. “Sport. Since you love it so much.”
I do not love sport. I watch it, mostly for the snacks. She shuffled a card, read it, and her eyes flicked up at me with something close to mischief. “Which country hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896?”
My mind went blank. I could feel her watching me, her foot nudging my thigh.
“Greece,” I said. “Athens. The Olympics were in Athens.”
For a long, glorious moment, nothing. Then Elena put the card down, folded her arms and glared at me with enormous dignity.
“Fine,” she said. “That’s right.”
I punched the air. I actually did.
“Don’t get cocky. Here’s what happens. I’m a woman of my word, and you’ve won the tie-break. But you’ve only won ten minutes.” She picked up her phone and set a timer, turning the screen so I could see it. “Ten minutes of me doing what you say. After that, the bet resumes, with interest. And I told Zoe not tonight, so you’re welcome.”
“Ten minutes,” I said. My pulse was going. “Anything I want?”
“Within the limits.” She leaned back against the sofa cushions and spread her arms along the top, like a queen daring me. “Clock’s running.”