Corbet's

37. | GRIFFIN

"Twenty cents a shot, right?" Griffin asked, sitting down.

Two more fireworks shot up out over the sound. The staticky pops echoed around them.

Charlie pointed a thumb toward the show. "Don't y'all wanna watch these first?"

Drew shrugged, reshuffling the deck of cards for Matty. "We can. But we can also let Griffin earn back some chips in the meantime."

Griffin agreed. She twisted the top off the 1800.

"Or—wait a sec, Griff," Charlie cut back in, gently stopping the tequila bottle halfway to her mouth. "How about we just play a real game of strip poker?"

It was very literally the last suggestion Griffin ever thought she'd hear come out of his mouth.

"But I just won all these chips," Lauren whined.

"I don't see why you couldn't still use them?" Drew said. He smirked at Charlie. "Right? Currency is currency. And I assume you don't wanna have to plant one on Matty Boy over there, Chuck, since you're big blind this round, and it's either forty cents or kiss the dealer."

Lauren and Mary Kyle cackled.

But Charlie just shrugged. "I don't care either way, man."

Now Drew was looking at Charlie like he couldn't figure out the angle he was working. Streaks of white and gold bled down from the sky, lighting up the entire cockpit.

"Rules stand. Currency is currency," Drew said. He flipped the deck of cards back and forth in his hands one more time, then handed them over to Matty. "Anyone can use chips or the stipulations at any time. That way Griff can at least have a chance to earn back some money."

Charlie stretched back in his seat, propping his arm on the cockpit edge behind Griffin's shoulders. "Deal 'em up."

"Wait," Griffin cut in, frowning. "So basically I'm going to be the only one doing shots and kissing the dealer to stay in?"

"For now," Drew replied. "But I'm about to clean house on Evan, so don't worry."

"Dream on, asshole," Evan laughed, though his chip pile was looking especially thin. "Deal 'em up, Matty."

Matty did. And after he flicked the last card to himself, he said, "OK, then. Griff? You're little blind, so I need a shot from you."

Griffin leaned forward and grabbed the tequila bottle again. She raised it to her lips, just as Mary Kyle wrinkled her nose at her from across the table.

"Ew, Griffin. You're really gonna drink it straight from the bottle?"

Griffin hadn't even checked her cards yet, but she still paused, looked Mary Kyle dead in the eyes, and said, "Yeah. And watch, I'll even keep it down, too."

Then she threw back a swig that burned all the way down her throat. It probably wasn't a full shot, but it was enough to raise the hair on her arms.

Evan laughed. "Whoooo-weee! Batter-up Chuck." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Forty to play, or kiss the dealer?"

A little twinge of guilt hit Griffin in the stomach. This had to be awkward as hell for Matty. But, unsurprisingly, Charlie tossed in a red chip, and the bet continued on around the table.

Griffin checked her hand. Six of hearts and Jack of Clubs. Not too bad. And based on Evan's and Mary Kyle's folds, this hand might turn into a dud anyway. Still, Drew decided to bet, so did Matty, and Griffin shuddered through another shot of tequila to make the pot square. She was going to be shitfaced by the end of this.