Chapter 8 Mazzie
Mazzie
The Silver Spur Casino in Cedar Ridge, Louisiana, a cattle ranching town over the Texas border, was crazy busy for a Saturday night. I wasn’t complaining. I was happy I was working. Greta had given me a few shifts during the week as well. Actually, I had pleaded with her to put me on the schedule.
I carried a tray of drinks to the craps table and handed an elderly man a Manhattan he’d been waiting for. He in turn gave me a twenty-dollar bill. Since the drinks were free, that twenty was a nice tip.
So far, I’d made over a hundred dollars in tips. A nice amount to add to my savings. Plus, I’d recently landed a tutoring job at the university. It didn’t pay as much as working as a server, but every penny helped to keep my panic at bay.
Justine, a leggy brunette and my working cohort, met me at the servers’ station—a rectangular carved-out room dedicated to the bartender and servers. “Any word on your mom’s court date or CPS?”
I’d spilled my guts to her earlier in the week during one of our shifts.
As she was a single mom, I wanted her advice.
She’d been up against CPS three years ago after she’d shoplifted children's clothes for her then four-year-old son. Sadly, she’d gotten caught, and her son ended up in foster care until she could prove she was on the straight and narrow.
I dragged my palms down my apron. “Would you believe October thirtieth?”
My mom’s blood alcohol test had confirmed what the breathalyzer had already told Officer Morrical. I’d wanted to strangle her, but that wouldn’t change the situation. Besides, my mother was scared out of her mind. Not only was she facing a DWI but also a child endangerment charge.
Justine set down her tray on the bar. “Did she get bail at least?”
“The judge denied it. According to my mom’s court-appointed attorney, this particular judge is a hard-ass on DWIs, especially when children are in the car.
” I had been gutted to see my mom break down so hard she couldn’t breathe.
“But Kaylee is good. She settled in with Bailey’s parents.
And Officer Morrical mentioned that it might be a while before we hear from CPS. ”
Justine flashed a motherly look my way. At twenty-nine, she wasn’t old enough to be my mom, but the faint wrinkles around her brown eyes were a clear indication she’d aged because of her experiences.
“It helps that Kaylee has a nice home environment. I’m sure the officer put that in his report to show CPS that it wasn't a high priority to take her from family,” she said.
Since the accident a week ago, I’d been praying every night that fate was on Kaylee’s side. I hadn’t shared the news that some guy by the name of Nick Grafton could be her father. Until he returned from his deployment and took steps to prove he was, Kaylee didn’t need to get her hopes up.
A commotion resonated above the din of voices and the irritating sounds of the slot machines.
Justine and I walked to the edge of where the tile floor of the servers’ station met the carpeted room of the casino.
A wiry man in his late thirties was shouting at the top of his lungs at the pit boss manning a blackjack table. I couldn’t tell if he was drunk or not. Outbursts and fights were the norm, especially on weekends when the place was teeming with patrons, sober and drunk.
“Oh, my,” Justine said with a shake of her head. “I didn’t know Shane Blackwood was out of prison.”
“As in Wade Blackwood’s son?” I mumbled to myself.
The Blackwoods were a big family in Cedar Ridge that owned the casino and land that contained oil wells.
“He got eight years for felony drug possession. Rich daddy’s pull and money couldn’t save his son from serving a prison sentence.”
As I watched security cart off Shane, two tall, familiar guys stuck out like sore thumbs. I did a double take to make sure my eyes were seeing Lucas Allen walk around the casino as though he was looking for someone.
I was sure that someone was me. Bailey had given Lucas my number, and he’d texted me a few times asking about my mom and sister. I’d replied that they were fine and added nothing more. I’d been serious about no strings attached. Even before my mom’s accident.
“He’s worried about you,” Bailey had said.
That was sweet and all, but I wasn’t ready to date. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t want another night with Lucas in bed.
Still, I swept my gaze around for Bailey. Maybe she’d come an hour early to pick me up, and Ryker and Lucas had tagged along. But I didn’t see Bailey anywhere. The casino policy didn’t allow us to have our phones on our person. Otherwise, I would have texted her.
Lucas stood at a roulette table, casual as ever, his T-shirt stretched across his ridiculous muscled chest, his blond crop messy. Suddenly, I began sweating as I recalled our hot night together.
“What’s got your attention, girl?” Justine slid up to my side.
“Who,” I corrected her. “See that blond hunk at the roulette table? That’s Lucas.”
Her jaw dropped. “The Lucas. Post-Josh Lucas? One-night stand Lucas?”
“Apparently not one-night enough. My brain says stay cool. My body says climb him like a jungle gym.”
She snorted. “I say your body has excellent taste.”
I huffed. “It’s just lust. Nothing more.”
Justine grinned. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“He’s all kinds of wrong,” I said with a bite.
“What if he’s all kinds of right? You’ll never know unless you take a chance.”
I was too afraid that he would break my heart. “He sleeps around.”
She clucked her tongue. “What college guy doesn’t?”
“Ladies,” the bartender piped up behind us, “drinks are ready.”
“I wonder why Lucas is here,” I asked myself more than Justine as we collected our tray of drinks.
“Maybe he’s looking for you.” She waggled her brown eyebrows.
He didn’t strike me as the type to gamble. Nor did he give me the vibe that he chased women. After all, he had girls lining up to get in his bed.
As Justine and I entered the casino floor, Greta, our boss, marched up to us like a soldier going to war. “Customers are waiting for drinks. The more they imbibe, the more they spend.”
I ignored Greta, who was an extreme micromanager, as Justine and I padded deeper into the room. Then Justine went one way, and I went the other. I was trying to keep my eye on Lucas and serve drinks at the same time, but he wasn’t at the roulette table any longer.
If it weren’t for Greta keeping her eye on me, I would’ve gone in search of Lucas, curious to know why he was here. Instead, I served drinks, my tray feeling heavier for some reason. Or maybe it was because my nerves were making my arms weak.
I had three drinks left to serve, then I needed to take a bathroom break and to shake off the cobwebs making my brain cloudy. Lucas shouldn’t be affecting me as though I had a crush on him like a high school girl had on the yummy quarterback.
I turned down an aisle between two craps tables, watching a woman throw the dice, my mind on anything but serving drinks, and suddenly my tray and drinks were on the floor. Swear words zipped through my head, and as I glanced upward at the wall of muscle I’d run into, my brow flew to my hairline.
“Josh?”
What in the world was my ex doing in a casino? To my knowledge, he didn’t gamble. But I didn’t know every detail about him. I also hadn’t seen him in ages, not that I wanted to either.
He gave me a lopsided grin as he hiked his gaze up and down my body as though he was remembering me naked.
I snapped my fingers. “What are you doing here?”
He adjusted his Stetson. “I didn’t believe it when I saw you from the across the room.”
“I’m surprised you’re in a casino,” I said. “If I recall, you told me your dad didn’t want you anywhere near this place.”
The Turley family owned a cattle ranch in Cedar Ridge.
“I’m a big boy,” he said in a deep baritone voice. “It’s you who shouldn’t be here. This is no environment for you.”
And there was that dictator side of him. The possessive side that wanted to control me, tell me what to do.
“I’m working.”
“You couldn’t find a job in Lakemont?” he asked.
I huffed. “What do you want?” I was in no mood to deal with my ex.
“I’ve been trying to call you, but I keep getting some dude,” he said. “I’ve even tried to track you down on campus. Did you change your number?”
I gritted my teeth. He’s a customer. Don’t incite him. Greta would fire you if you pissed off a customer. Servers had been fired for sneezing the wrong way.
“I changed it when I got a new phone.” And all because Josh had too many flaws and the breakup hadn’t gone well. He was the type who didn’t take no for an answer. “I need to get back to work.”
I was about to bend down to pick up my mess when he grabbed my arm. His grip wasn’t light either.
I sneered at him. “Tread carefully.”
When we’d dated, Josh could get rough when his temper flared, but I always gave as good as I got. It was a shame that his good looks were wasted on a such an ugly personality.
He immediately let go as that glazed look in his hazel eyes cleared. “My bad. Anyway, I was interested in you tutoring me. I had to take the winter semester off last year, and I’m trying to play catch-up. But I found a tutor.”
I was silently thanking the heavens above. He was the last person I would tutor, no matter how much I needed the money.
“I better go. I’m here with Shane Blackwood.”
“Didn’t he just get out of prison?”
He lifted a shoulder. “He did. So what? We’re childhood friends.”
It was none of my business. I proceeded to pick up my mess again, hoping he would get the message that our conversation was over, but that wasn’t meant to be.
“You look fantastic, Mazzie. Are you dating anyone?” He moved hair off my shoulder. “I miss you.”
If it weren’t for the empty glasses on the floor still, I would walk away. “Not interested.”
“Mazzie?” Lucas’s raspy voice filtered through the din of the casino noise.
I flicked my gaze to Josh’s right, and Lucas was standing there, looking at Josh then me.
Josh fisted his hands at his side as though preparing to fight to the death.
I held back an eye roll. Typical of Josh to flaunt his jealous ego.
Lucas came up to me in full protective mode, tension rolling off him. “Is this guy bothering you?”
The word no was on the tip of my tongue, but his crisp, clean cologne wafted up my nose, and I went mute for a second.
“Fuck off, asshole,” Josh spat his egotistical venom. “I’m talking to my girlfriend.”
Lucas puffed out his chest, ready to throw down.
Oh hell no. I slid between the two and held up my hands. “Don’t either of you start anything. Lucas, meet Josh, my ex.” My voice quaked.
I could feel the heat radiating from Lucas, his presence swallowing the air around us. As for Josh, his toxic jealousy dripped from every pore.
“I am not your girlfriend.” I bared my teeth.
Josh’s face reddened. “You’re dating the wide receiver for Lakemont? I thought you weren’t into football players.”
I almost laughed. I guessed I was into football players now.
“What if she is?” Lucas glowered at Josh.
“She’s not yours,” Josh snarled.
I briefly closed my eyes, giving myself a silent pep talk not to unleash my fists on Josh. Customers always come first. Greta’s speech blared in my head.
I poked a finger at Josh. “You’re still a jerk. Women are not your property. I don’t belong to you or anyone. And no, Lucas and I aren’t dating.”
“But you slept with him,” Josh said as if he was clairvoyant.
“That’s none of your business,” I snapped.
Then I whipped my head at Lucas. “Don’t goad him.”
Lucas grinned at me. Why? I didn’t want to know. All I knew was I had to work, and if I didn’t clean up the spilled drinks, Greta might fire me. In fact, I was surprised she hadn’t made an appearance yet.
I went to work gathering the glasses, sliced lemons, and limes.
The ice, I didn’t care about. The gamblers at the tables on both sides were oblivious to my plight.
Whatever was happening between Lucas and Josh, I tuned out.
If they wanted to brawl, I wasn’t about to stop them.
But I knew this incident wasn’t over with Josh.
Lucas squatted down and handed me a glass.
With my tray and the glasses in hand, I stood up and took one glance around to find Josh had left. “What are you doing here?”
“Mazzie,” Greta’s irritatingly scratchy voice seeped into my ears.
I braced myself for her wrath.
“A customer told me you spilled drinks on him,” Greta said, lips tight.
Asshole, Josh.
“It was my fault, ma’am,” Lucas said. “I collided into her accidentally, which caused her to drop her tray on that guy.”
I think I just fell in love with him.
Greta puffed out her chest, smoothing her fingers over the side of her head, looking as though she might be flirting with Lucas. “You’re that wide receiver from Lakemont.”
The smile Lucas gave her, blinding and cheeky, probably weakened her knees. I knew it did mine. “Yes, ma’am.”
The guy had a swoon factor of a million. I understood why women on campus wanted a piece of Lucas.
“Back to work, Mazzie,” Greta ordered. Then she started talking to Lucas about giving him a discount on drinks.
I hesitated for a beat until I spotted Justine standing in the distance with concern on her face.
I hurried over to her, careful not to drop my tray again.
“What was that all about?” Justine asked.
“Josh showed up at the same time as Lucas, and they nearly got into it. But Lucas saved me from Greta, and now, I think Greta is trying to flirt with Lucas.”
“Then you owe him,” she said, practically giddy.
As much as I might have longed for another night with the wide receiver, I didn’t want to owe him anything. And yet, when he’d helped me with the tray like I mattered, like I was more than just a girl he’d slept with, I’d felt something tighten in my chest.
Because owing Lucas meant letting him get closer, and I wasn’t sure my heart could handle what that might cost me.