Ms. Kang inclined her head. “Welcome, newcomer.” A curtain of long, straight hair slid forward over her shoulder. “We’ll deal you in on the next hand.”
“Thanks.”
They went back to their game and I went about trying to get Fifi’s attention. I raised my brows at the little dog, who completely ignored me, too intent on sniffing at the ashtray beside her and the smoking cigarette that sat in it.
The older guy reached for it and took a drag, which startled Fifi. I hoped to the sea goddess that I’d put my trust (and my friend’s life savings) in the right lap dog’s hands… er, paws.
I cleared my throat. The dog licked the table, then sneezed. I was rapidly losing confidence. I licked my lips as Bora Kang added cards to the old guy’s hand. Then I pursed my lips and let out a few notes of a nonchalant whistle. Come on, Fifi, look up!
Sunglasses, the guy to my left, shot me a quick frown, then angled his shoulder toward me, further shielding his hand. I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t even playing this round.
Still, the dog didn’t look up. Instead she circled around Bora Kang’s lap, then lowered herself down, resting her chin on the table, eyes closed.
For sand’s sake! What dog didn’t respond to a whistle? I looked around and realized the last guy had just folded. I was running out of time to get the dog’s cooperation before I was dealt in.
Exasperated, I huffed, and let out a few quiet woofs. Hey! Fifi! Can you come over here?
Sunglasses curled his lip at me but said nothing.
The little dog however, jerked her head up and looked around the table, blinking. When she spotted me, her curled tail started wagging. She let out a couple high-pitched barks.
Oh! It’s you! Hi!
The dog rose, leapt off her owner’s lap, and trotted over to me. She rose on her hind legs and planted her front paws on my leg, tail still wagging furiously. I shot a glance around the table, then reached down and scratched the top of her head.
“Yip! Yap!” Thanks again for the other night. How’s Rufio?
Oh, right, her boyfriend.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Bora Kang interrupted me. Her silky-smooth voice cut through the quiet. “Unusual.”
I looked up, eyes wide. Snakes! Had she caught me talking to her dog?
She narrowed her dark eyes. “Fifi doesn’t like most people.”
I shrugged, my lips pressed into a tight smile. “What can I say? Dogs love me.” I thought of Daisy. Well, maybe not all dogs.
The woman’s hard gaze lingered on me another couple of moments, then she went back to the game, flipping over her own hand of cards. Ponytail guy, on my right, huffed and threw his cards down on the table. Someone wasn’t having a great night.
I bent low and ruffled the dog’s fluffy ears, pretending to coo over her. “Ruff! Woof!” Your boyfriend’s got a great new home with an older lady who spoils him rotten.
Fifi licked my hand. I’m so happy! Thank you!
I nodded and let out a few quiet woofs. Yeah, don’t mention it. Remember that favor you promised me though? I need to call it in now.
The dog’s tail slowed, and she looked me in the face, then cocked her head.
“Hey!”
I startled and looked up. Sunglasses jerked his head toward Bora Kang, who looked at me expectantly, one slender brow raised. “Do you have the buy-in?”
I looked around at the table, cleared except for the stacks of chips and coins arranged in front of the players. Snakes! They were waiting on me. I cleared my throat. “Oh, right, yeah of course.” I shot Bora Kang a simpering smile. “Your little dog is just so cute.”
I bent low over her. “Aren’t you, girl? Aren’t you just so cute?” I snuck in a quick series of yaps. Let me know what cards are in your owner’s hand, okay? I flashed my eyes at Fifi. It’s important.
She wagged her tail and yipped. No problem!
I breathed a sigh of relief as the dog shoved off my leg and trotted back to her owner. The one-eyed guy with the wispy hair cackled, but ponytail scowled at me.
“Can we get on with it, already?”
I glared at him. “You in a hurry to lose more money?”
His face turned an alarming shade of blotchy red, but I ignored it and reached into my jacket and dropped the pouch of coins, Will’s coins, onto the table, then shoved it forward. “Five thousand merkles.” My voice sounded remarkably steady considering I was literally quaking in my boots.
To my left, sunglasses grumbled, “Let’s get on with it.”
Bora Kang scooped Fifi back into her lap, where the dog would have a perfect view of her hand, and then got about dealing. I felt confident until she dealt into little piles in front of her. Wait… what? I frowned. “Um… are we not playing blackjack?”
Sunglasses scoffed. “Didn’t you watch the last game?”
Ponytail grumbled. “She was too busy playing with the mutt.”
I rolled my eyes at both of them. “Wow. What camaraderie.”
Bora Kang spared me a brief glance as she continued forming little piles of cards. “We play different games on different nights of the week. Tonight is Pai Gow poker.”
Ice flooded my stomach. Oh shell, this was bad. I considered backing out, but there were cards on the table. The only way out was to play or forfeit the money. I was playing.
I sat up straighter in my chair and glanced around the table. Bora Kang handed out the piles of seven cards to each of us. I’d played this before and knew the
