Chapter 45

"I'll take two."

Mike slid a card off the deck and across the bed. I lifted the corner. A ten. He slid me another card. I peeked. Another ten. Life is good. Larry took one, then Mike didn't take any.

Jimmy Prescott made a disgusted sound and tossed his cards in the middle. Phil Barnes laughed, then opened for a nickel.

I looked confident as I picked up my cards and fanned them out. I took a quick look, then folded them together again. I smiled and picked up a quarter. I hesitated, dropped the quarter and tossed in a nickel. "I call." I knew Mike would build the pot.

Larry tossed in a nickel, then another dime.

Mike grinned and put in fifteen cents, then another twenty-five.

Somebody knocked as I watched Phil. His hand hovered over his change. He only had two quarters there. Finally, he tossed his cards into the middle, along with a comment I won't repeat.

Jimmy got off the bed and went to the door. "Hi, Coach," he said after opening it. The coach walked into the motel room. I tried to look thoughtful as I tossed in thirty-five cents. Then I smiled as fakely as I could and tossed in another quarter.

Larry studied me, then tossed two quarters of his own.

Mike didn't hesitate. He flipped a fifty-cent piece up in the air, and it landed in the pot. Then he added another. I felt a large body behind me as I studied the pot, I knew the coach was watching.

I got a thing for Kennedys. I wanted Mike's. I added seven quarters without a pause. Larry folded. Mike dropped a dollar bill in the pot. His hand hovered over another. He looked at me, I looked calmly back. "Call."

I laid down my cards. "Three kings."

"Ha!" Mike said, triumphantly.

I fanned my cards out a little more. "And a pair of tens."

Mike looked stunned, like he'd just been sacked by Monster Girl. He tossed down his cards, full house, sixes over fours. I raked in the pot.

"Sims, I might have known," the coach said. I wasn't sure if he meant the gambling or the winning.

"Just a little math lesson."

"And the money?" the coach asked.

"Unimportant. Just a way to see who's learning and who needs more tutoring." I glanced over at Mike and he glared back. Poker had been his idea. I was up about twenty bucks for the afternoon.

"Okay, guys, enough homework."

The coach made a funny?

"We're heading to Sizzler for dinner," he continued. "In the lobby in five.

I stood and stretched.

"Not you, Sims. You're staying here."

"What? Why? How long?"

"You stay here."

Mike grinned.

"But... For how long?"

"You'll know."

Larry and Jimmy shrugged as they looked at me but grabbed their jackets and followed the coach. Phil went next and Mike last. "Just can't stay out of trouble, can ya?" he said as he closed the door.

I stared at the closed door. Now what? There was a Denny's next to the motel. I could go over there if I got hungry, I looked down at the bed. After all, dinner was on Mike. But how long was I supposed to stand here?

Why was I standing here? Was it about the poker game? The other guys were playing too. I won, but the whole thing was Mike's idea. Now what?

I started gathering my winnings while I tried to figure that out. As I was dumping the loose change, minus the Kennedy fifties and the dollar bill, into my backpack, there was another knock on the door.

"Yes?" I called.

"Ya want dinner?" a distorted voice called through the door.

"I..." I pulled the door open. "Oh, fuck!"

"Tony, your language," Tami laughed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to watch you play football, if you're not too busy with cheerleaders."

"I, uh, I meant, I thought you were coming tomorrow with Traci and the folks."

"I got a different ride."

"Who?"

"Just someone I know." I could tell Tami didn't want to say any more right then, so I dropped it.

"I can't believe you're here." I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms. My mouth found hers. We were half-in, half-out of the door and an elderly couple was passing. The man gave us a disapproving glare, but his wife smiled and winked.

"I needed that," Tami said a minute later. "It was a long drive."

"When did you get here?" I asked, not letting go of her.

"About ten minutes ago. I saw Coach Branson in the lobby and asked him if I could shanghai you."

"Remind me to put the man back on my Christmas card list."

"You ready for dinner? I'm starving."

It occurred to me that I had a motel room that would be empty for at least an hour, but I nodded. "The team went to Sizzler. I suppose we could get a taxi."

"I like Outback better. I used to go out with a guy who played on their Babe Ruth team. Besides, I don't feel like sharing you."