As if on cue, a cheer went up from one of the craps tables. It was a group of guys, most in cowboy hats, whooping it up. Even though the table was already mobbed, Brie said, ‘ That’ s my table. Bring me my pina colada when Troy gets back, will you?’
Kitty, Gran, and I stood for a while, watching the scene. ‘ You gamble?’ Kitty asked me.
‘ A bit. Roulette’ s my game. I plan to win big tonight.’
‘ You sound confident. You must be feeling lucky,’ Gran said.
And there it was again: the elephant. Yes, I planned to win money& to donate to charity. Another item from the list. The list I was busy pretending didn’ t exist, even though it was the sole reason we were here.
After Troy returned with the drinks, Kitty and Gran went to find nickel slots. I figured those weren’ t exactly going to win me the big bucks, so I was glad when Troy turned to me and said, ‘ You up for hitting the tables?’
‘ Love to.’
It was prime time in the casino. We could find only one seat open at any of the roulette tables, and that was at a twenty-five-dollar minimum bet table. Although I’ m usually more of a five- dollar-bet kind of gal, I grabbed the one available stool. ‘ You have to bet big to win big,’ I said with bravado.
Troy rifled through his wallet and held out a hundred-dollar bill. ‘ Here, you bet for me.’
I waved it away. I have a few basic rules for Vegas that I live by, which are as follows: Dress slutty, accept any free drink that comes your way, and always, always bet your own cash.
‘ Watch& ,’ I boasted, turning to the table and setting down five twenty-dollar bills, ‘ and learn.’
Also at the table were an elderly couple, a drunk guy who at first glance I thought was asleep, and four girls who were clearly at a bachelorette party since one of them wore a bridal veil.
The dealer- an Asian man whose name tag said Jose-gave me twenty-five green chips. ‘ To match your eyes,’ he said, smiling.
Troy leaned close. ‘ I never noticed that you had fluorescent green eyes.’
‘ I was hoping he’ d give me purple,’ I whispered, ‘ to go with my skin.’
Five spins of the roulette wheel later, I was broke.
‘ Hard to believe you didn’ t even get a corner of a number,’ Troy remarked, quite unnecessarily. The drunk guy had a wall of chips in front of him. My only consolation was that the bridal party hadn’ t fared much better than I had.
I set down another hundred dollars and said to Jose, ‘ Hit me again.’
This time I got an edge of number 27, which gave me a six-to-one payout. That was enough to keep me alive for another five minutes before I busted again.
‘ There’ s no love at this table,’ I said with a frown, getting up. ‘ Maybe the slot machines will be luckier.’ I scanned the casino, which was really bustling now with gamblers and crowds of people passing through to head to dinner or shows.
‘ Quarter or dollar machines?’ Troy asked.
‘ Quarters. You witnessed both the beginning and the end of my high-roller days.’
‘ If you’ re not feeling up to it, we don’ t have to gamble.’
‘ Yes, we do,’ I said grimly. ‘ I intend to win a big pot of cash so I can donate it to charity. Cross one off the list.’
‘ Ah, I remember that one. Well, I’ ll pitch in anything I win tonight-and no matter how late it gets, we won’ t give up until we’ re flush.’ We walked up to two unattended machines sitting side by side. ‘ How about these?’ he asked.
‘ They’ re great& especially since I’ ll get to sit directly under that sign that says, ‘ Loose Slots.’ What woman wouldn’ t love that?’
‘ Oh, how you tease.’
Lord knows I would have liked to, if I hadn’ t been so worried about everything going right.
‘ So, Troy,’ I said, aiming for nonchalance as I perched on the edge of the stool and fed a twenty into the machine, ‘ how’ s your mom doing, anyway? She certainly seems okay, but I don’ t know her so I can’ t tell.’
‘ She’ s doing fine.’
‘ Should I give her a copy of the list? Or talk about it more? I mean, I haven’ t been-’
‘ June, don’ t worry. It’ s going perfectly. She and Gran are touched that you’ re doing this.’
‘ Because I could make a photocopy of it. I’ m sure the hotel has a copier.’
He grabbed the scruff of my neck in a massage. Warmth shot through me. ‘ I swear you can relax.’
As if with his hand on me like that!
A waitress came up then to take our drinks order. Troy ordered a beer. Sensing a long night ahead, I asked for a coffee with whipped cream. ‘ Lots of whipped cream,’ I said.
‘ Do you want a parasol with that?’ she asked sarcastically.
‘ Ooh, yes! Please!’
After she left, I hoped that Troy would resume massaging my neck, but instead he said, ‘ So how’ s work? Avert any crises lately?’
‘ Yes, as a matter of fact. I have a big presentation with the boss next week. If I do well, I could get promoted to management,’ I said. ‘ That’ s why I was so happy on the phone the other day when you helped me come up with an idea.’
‘ A promotion? I must’ ve missed something. Last time we spoke, you were about to get fired.’
I pulled the handle on the slot machine and won twelve quarters. ‘ That’ s the sort of roller coaster my life’ s
