Bette let her mouth fall open. ”Let’s think this through, as that sounds like a lose-lose for both of us.”

”Do we have a bet or not?” Tina asked, all business now. She opened her hand and extended it to Bette.

”We do.” They shook on it and turned to the board. The whole place was watching now, which only made the whole thing that much more fun.

Alice reappeared with a second whiskey sour. ”For the ringer,” she said to Bette and handed the drink to Tina. Tina winked at Alice and threw her first dart as Bette looked on. Another single bull’s-eye, damn it.

And they were off.

The first game went easily to Tina, which was a new and humbling experience for Bette. But she rallied with a double bull’s-eye of her own in game two and dropped her score quickly to zero-cinching the second game for herself in a rewarding victory.

With it all tied up and one game left to determine a winner, Tina turned to Bette as she retrieved the darts from the board.

”You want to just surrender now and not embarrass yourself in front of your fan girls?”

”No, but I’d be willing to let you back out.” Bette shrugged. ”I’m a giver.”

Tina rolled her eyes and without comment took her spot behind the line.

Right foot out in front, she moved the dart forward and backward as she lined up her throw, nailing the double bull’s-eye yet again. This girl really was good.

”Do they teach darts in prep school these days?”

Tina turned to her. ”How did you know I went to prep school?”

Bette laughed quietly. ”Oh, I didn’t. Do now though.”

For the next ten minutes, Bette did what she could to hold her own against the dart pro that Tina turned out to be. With the score incredibly close and Tina only one throw away from stealing the whole match, Bette decided a little strategy outside of the game couldn’t hurt. So as Tina concentrated on the board and lined up what could be the death throw, Bette leaned in close to her ear and whispered, ”And don’t let your mind drift to my lips on yours.” She heard Tina’s breath catch quietly in response, though her eyes never left the board. She threw and landed a four, falling short of the eighteen she needed to win. Tina shot her a look full of disdain as Bette took her spot. When she landed the double thirteen she needed, the bar erupted in shouts and applause.