Five of Hearts

Chapter 18

After a few more rounds, the guys kept drinking and the room got significantly louder and rowdier. Aside from Atticus, as usual, everyone laughed with each other and paid little attention to the game. Around 11 o'clock, I was beginning to wonder how this could possibly fund our big games. When both tables ended their current games, Mason stood up from our table and made an announcement to the room.

"Alright ladies, the time for dicking around is over. Let's get down to the big bucks, shall we?"

Everyone started reaching into their wallets and back pockets for bigger wads of cash. Up until this point, most everyone had been betting ten, fifteen, or twenty bucks. I guess now was the time for the real pots.

"Are you ready, Hattie?" Chase asked across the table as he situated his betting money. "I mean, I hate to judge, but you haven't won anything yet. Think you can hang with the big boys?"

I smiled sweetly back at him. "I'm still feeling lucky. I think the cards are about to turn in my favor."

"What do your parents do, Hattie?" Bradley asked nonchalantly. For some reason, I panicked. I had been lying about everything so easily up until this point, but the subject of my parents threw me for a loop. Do I say they're dead? They aren't just "my parents" now. They're Cash's too.

"They're still in Honduras," I let my breath go heavily as Cash stepped behind me. He had gone and gotten me another beer. I took it and smiled gratefully up at him. "Hattie and I were sent here to live with our aunt and uncle."

"Oh sick, so you lived in Honduras?" Mason asked. "What was it like?"

"I was very young when we came here; I don't remember much," I answered before Cash could. I needed to know enough about my back story to continue the conversation when he went back to his table. And I knew nothing about Honduras.

"Bets starting at $100," Mason announced to our table and Cash went back to his. I reached into my purse and grabbed what I needed, setting it gently down onto the table. Suddenly, everyone in the room grew quieter and more serious. It was obvious that now, everyone was completely in the game.

The first round went so fast, I almost missed it. I lost $150 and Mason won. He was extremely excited about it, but everyone else at the table grumbled and complained. Atticus just sat there, passive. His focus was 100% on his cards.

I was prepared for the next go around. Also, I was acting as the dealer, so I had extra duties. Not that I needed it, but Mason helped me call the game. I didn't turn down his help, figuring that he would like the idea of being able to "teach" me.

"What are your majors, boys?" I asked around the table as we began. Even though the game had gotten more serious, they were very obviously not opposed to talking to me. I hoped the slight distraction worked.

"Business," Mason winked at me.

"Risk Management," Chase said, still a little angry he had lost.

"Physical Therapy," Keegan said with a devilish smile. "If you ever need me to stretch you out, I got you, baby doll."

"Oh, I'm sure," I chuckled. "What about you Bradley?"

"I'm in Business too," he said, looking up at me to smile. The play went around the table and the bets went up. Everyone seemed pretty confident.

Luckily, I had not only spent all of this time losing, but watching for their tells as well. This was something I was always really good at. And part of the reason Parker had always wanted me to play with him. If I could figure out everyone's tell's, he would be able to win more.