Travis glared at Jesse as he passed, and then made his way to me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at Jesse, who was watching us from the corner of his eye.
“Who was that?”
I nodded in Jesse’s direction. “That is Jesse Viveros. I’ve known him a long time.”
“How long?”
I looked back at the vet table. “Travis, I don’t have time for this.”
“I guess he chucked the youth minister idea,” America said, sending a flirtatious grin in Jesse’s direction.
“That’s your ex-boyfriend?” Travis asked, instantly angry. “I thought you said he was from Kansas?”
I shot America an impatient glare and then took Travis’s chin in my hand, insisting on his full attention. “He knows I’m not old enough to be in here, Trav. He gave me until midnight. I will explain everything later, but for now I have to get back to the game, all right?”
Travis’s jaws fluttered under his skin, and then he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “All right. I’ll see you at midnight.” He bent down to kiss me, but his lips were cold and distant. “Good luck.”
I smiled as he melted into the crowd, and then I turned my attention to the men. “Gentlemen?”
“Have a seat, Shirley Temple,” Jimmy said. “We’ll be making our money back now. We don’t appreciate being hustled.”
“Do your worst.” I smiled.
“You have ten minutes,” America whispered.
“I know,” I said.
I tried to block out the time and America’s knee bobbing nervously under the table. The pot was at sixteen thousand dollars—the night’s all-time high, and it was all or nothing.
“I’ve never seen anything like you, kid. You’ve had almost a perfect game. And she’s got no tell, Winks. You notice?” Pauli said.
Winks nodded; his cheerful demeanor had evaporated a bit more with every hand. “I noticed. Not a rub or a smile, even her eyes stay the same. It’s not natural. Everybody’s got a tell.”
“Not everybody,” America said, smug.
I felt a familiar pair of hands touch my shoulders. I knew it was Travis, but I didn’t dare turn around, not with three thousand dollars sitting in the middle of the table.
“Call,” Jimmy said.
Those that had crowded around us applauded when I laid down my hand. Jimmy was the only one close enough to touch me with three of a kind. Nothing my straight couldn’t handle.
“Unbelievable!” Pauli said, throwing his two deuces to the table.
“I’m out,” Joe grumbled, standing up and stomping away from the table.
Jimmy was a bit more gracious. “I can die tonight and feel I’ve played a truly worthy opponent, kiddo. It’s been a pleasure, Abby.”
I froze. “You knew?”
Jimmy smiled. The years of cigar smoke and coffee stained his large teeth. “I’ve played you before. Six years ago. I’ve wanted a rematch for a long time.”
Jimmy extended his hand. “Take care, kid. Tell your dad Jimmy Pescelli says hello.”
America helped gather my winnings, and I turned to Travis, looking at my watch. “I need more time.”
“Wanna try the blackjack tables?”
“I can’t lose money, Trav.”