Mia laughed casually. “I wouldn’t say that. I’d say we have a great team.” Riley didn’t miss the glance she threw across the table toward Christian. Obviously Laine didn’t either.
“That’s what Riley keeps telling me. In fact, after her date with Christian last night, she was telling me just how grateful she was that she worked with such talented people.”
Riley kicked her under the table. Hard. Laine never flinched. Obviously she had been kicked under the table before. Riley had told Laine nothing. She had barely had time to breathe in the last twenty-four hours, never mind tell Laine about her date with Christian. “Don’t underestimate yourself, Mia,” Riley said, hoping to put a stop to wherever Laine was headed.
“Yes, you should—” Laine hesitated when Riley cut her off with a raised eyebrow, then continued. “Yes, you should be proud of the job you did today. It sounds like it saved Riley’s a—, uh, job.”
Christian interjected. “Riley had everything handled and ready to go. All we did was get them there a little early. She had worked ridiculously hard to make sure every detail was taken care of and nothing was missed. That made us more like concierges than anything.”
Riley turned to look at this man who seemed too good to be true. He was incredibly gorgeous, way too generous, and inexplicably kind. And right now he was looking right at her. “Well, again—” she turned back to Mia—“I couldn’t have done it without both of you.”
Winnie entered the conversation. “Okay, I’m glad everything went okay with y’all today, but I just need to know, do we have to walk through the casino to get to the concert? Because I had to do that this morning to save Tamyra from herself and you know, I’m Baptist—”
Riley, Tamyra, and Laine cut her off immediately. “And Baptists don’t gamble.”
Their unison response tickled the snot out of all of them. Even Winnie had to laugh.
They walked from the restaurant and into the casino. Winnie eyed the blackjack tables and craps tables as if the devil himself were going to jump off of them.
“We’re giving money away tonight like candy,” one of the dealers said as Winnie stopped to stare. She scooted to the center of the aisle as if he were going to grab her and tie her to a chair, forcing her to roll a die.
Riley walked in the front with Christian. “Thanks for joining us.”
“I see you and Laine have broken through your communication barrier.”
Riley rubbed slightly at her head. A gnawing pressure had been building throughout dinner. “That sounded like we had broken through something? I think we’re just broken. That woman is crazy. She’d drive a sober person to . . .” She stopped herself. She hadn’t made a remark like that in a long time. “Well, she’d drive a sane man crazy, let’s just say.” She rubbed her head again.
“You have a headache?” Christian reached over and cupped the back of her neck with his hand. Every part of her body tingled at his touch. He rubbed gently. She wanted to lean in like a dog would when you scratch behind his ears, but she didn’t think that would be too attractive in the middle of the casino.
“Just a nagger. It started coming on before dinner. Probably was hungry. I’m not sure that I’ve eaten much all day. I hardly touched lunch. So maybe once the food all settles, it will ease off.”
His fingers began to press at the base of her neck like a trained masseur. “I’ll go get you something.”
She reached for his hand. “No, honestly, I think I’m all right. It will ease off. I’ll just go into the concert and see how I feel. If it doesn’t subside, I’ll get something after it’s over.”
They came to the door of the concert hall. She stepped back to make sure everyone was there. Each one passed by her to enter the theater. Each one but Winnie. When Tamyra got to the door, she stopped her. “Where’s Winnie?”
Tamyra turned. Laine looked too. “I don’t know. She was right here with us.”
“Oh, great, you’ve lost a Baptist in the casino,” Riley said as she walked past them and headed back toward the casino.
Laine followed at her heels. “Don’t tell Winnie, but I’m certain I spotted a couple other Baptists in there and they were enjoying themselves.”
Riley just shook her head and kept walking. About twenty feet into the casino, she spotted Winnie’s bejeweled denim ensemble and her pink cowboy hat. She was as hard to miss as a charismatic at Catholic Mass. She was standing at a craps table, hands on the side, head tilted down, and eyes transfixed. Riley scooted up beside her, followed by Tamyra on her other side and Laine breathing down her neck. “God sees you everywhere you go, Winnie.”
Winnie swatted at Laine behind her. “I’m just watching.”
“Interesting, huh?” Tamyra asked.
“Incredibly confusing. He told me the rules, but I don’t have one idea what in tarnation that man said.”
Laine stepped back. “She did not just say tarnation. Please tell me you Southern people don’t still say tarnation. Do you still preach hell and damnation?”
Winnie turned and looked at Laine. “Do not cuss. It’s bad enough we’re standing in the middle of a casino and y’all are watching a game called ‘craps,’” she said, her hands flying out at them. “We sure don’t need you aiding and abetting by cussing.” She pushed past her and headed toward the theater.
Tamyra laughed. “You’ll learn, Laine. You’ll learn.”
“Good luck with that,” Riley quipped.
Laine mimicked them all from behind, but Riley knew exactly what she was doing. She had learned Laine well.
* * *
About halfway through Harry Connick Jr.’s second set, Riley thought her head would split open. The tables for the VIPs and her guests sat in front of the stage. She rubbed her temples fiercely, unable to remember the last time her head had hurt this way. Mia slipped a hand around from behind her
