Chapter 1 #10
But according to Josephine, who never forgot a face, Ridge had never been at any of her poker parties.
Of course, he might have known someone while in college who had attended one of her poker nights, but Jack couldn’t see the just-want-to-have-a-good-time Ridge VanBuren plotting anything, let alone having a grudge against Josephine.
Instead, he seemed to light up whenever Josephine was around. Jack knew the feeling.
He was beginning to question if Josephine had anyone other than the Armstrongs to fear.
Maybe he was all wrong and everything had happened just as Aunt Clara had said in her will.
If Josephine couldn’t think of anyone with a grudge against her, then maybe there wasn’t anyone.
He had no reason to worry about her—except for this unease he couldn’t shake.
“I guess we’re ready,” he said, glancing down the poker table at her.
She looked more excited than nervous about tonight. “Shane will be bringing down the refreshments from the pub. I told them to come in from the alley entrance. I think we are all set. Don’t look so worried. It’s just poker.”
He met her gaze, holding it. “It’s never just poker. I thought you would have learned that by now.”
-#-
Josephine took refuge for a moment in the warmth and promised security of his blue-eyed gaze before she turned away.
There was nothing simple about poker—just like love.
Both were a dangerous gamble depending on who you were playing with.
Poker with criminals scared her a lot less than letting Jack Rawlins back into her heart.
He wanted her to believe that he’d changed, that the only reason he was here was to protect her, and that he really did want to see her in one of those frilly, silly, flowing white wedding dresses in her shop.
The worst part was how badly she wanted to believe him.
She shoved the thought angrily aside. Did he really think she didn’t know how dangerous this could be? The atmosphere at the table would take on its own rhythm that changed as the game progressed. The temperature of the players changed with each hand.
It was a competition that could be highly volatile—especially if a person was playing for more than they could stand to lose.
Josephine thought she knew who she had to fear most tonight at the poker table. She didn’t yet know all the motives of those who would sit down at the game. Most just wanted to press their luck. The Armstrongs would be trying to win, to prove to her they were better players than she was.
But it was Jack Rawlins she was most worried about. If she was right about what she’d seen in his eyes, he would be playing for her heart, which made him the most dangerous person at the table—at least for her.
Anything could happen tonight.
-#-
As Josephine opened the back door of Seaside Vows at the designated time for the poker party, Jack caught a flicker in her eyes before she shuttered it.
He knew at once that something had happened.
He moved to her as others began to come in behind him.
She directed them all into the shop where the drinks and snacks had been set out, but Jack hung back, determined to talk to her in private.
“You got another note,” Jack said quietly when the two of them were alone.
She looked at him in surprise before turning away to hang up the last participant’s coat. In the poker room, her guests were already helping themselves to the beverages and snacks, the Armstrong twins at the front of the line.
“You forget,” Jack whispered. “All those days at poker tables, all those nights naked with you, I know you. Let me see the note.”
She started to argue but stopped herself as if she knew he wouldn’t give up. He had to know what kind of danger she was in. Maybe enough that he could get her to cancel this poker game, although he doubted it.
“I know what you’re trying to do,” she said under her breath.
“Save your life?”
Her gaze finally met his, her brown eyes snapping like flames in a blaze.
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a balled-up piece of paper, shoved it into his chest, and turned to walk away to join the others.
“Lock the door,” she said over her shoulder.
Was that just anger in her voice? Or did he also hear a little fear?
He locked the door, keeping his eye on the small crowd in the shop as he flattened out the note and read Your luck has run out.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER 9
Jack kept an eye on Josephine as he joined the others.
The note had upset her more than she wanted to admit.
Poker was a game of strategy, but luck also played a part.
He saw her reach into her pocket and knew she was holding the silver dollar that her Aunt Clara had given her.
He hoped her good luck charm came through for them tonight as he looked around the table.
He always found it interesting where poker players sat at a round table.
Superstition no doubt played a part in choosing a spot.
For the Armstrong twins though, he suspected they had planned on sitting across from each other to better pass their signals.
Jack chuckled silently at that. He’d always heard that identical twins could practically read each other’s minds. Maybe not these two.
What was easy to read was how anxious Wayne was. Darwin though seemed sulky and bad-tempered. Jack watched him touch his still-healing scar as he looked at Josephine. Jack didn’t want to know what had happened. He just didn’t want bloodshed happening here tonight.
Hank Langhor, the owner of the local hardware store had taken a seat between Darwin and Josephine, thanking her for inviting him.
The twenty-somethings, seafood supply truck driver Pete Brooks sat on the other side of Wayne next to his friend, bartender Ridge VanBuren.
They were both laughing about something that had happened at the pub earlier that night.
The construction worker sat to Jack’s right.
Of the group, Nels looked the most uncomfortable. It was obvious that he didn’t know anyone at the table. It made Jack wonder how long he’d been in town.
Josephine was also looking around the table, taking everyone’s measure as he had done. When her gaze lighted on Nels, he saw her eyes widen. No one else at the table would have noticed, but Jack did. Had she recognized the man? Or was she concerned about how nervous he seemed?
Either way, Jack would be keeping his eye on Nels. He watched everyone as Josephine went over the house rules. They would be playing five-card draw, the easiest poker game to learn and play. Money would be won and lost. Simple and fast. At least Jack hoped tonight’s games would be quick.
The Armstrongs both looked impatient to get on with it. The others more excited, except for Hank. He was staring intently at Josephine as if he’d never heard house rules for five-card draw.
“I’ll deal first,” Josephine said, opened the new box of cards and shuffled them doing nothing fancy.
She had Hank sitting next to her cut them, and she began to deal.
Everyone had been instructed to leave their cards on the table until all were dealt.
She put the deck face down next to her, placing a quarter on top to mark it.
“Jack’s or better open,” she reminded them and people began to pick up their cards.
Wayne Armstrong threw a five-dollar bill into the center of the table with the confidence of a born loser without even looking at his hand.
“Ante up.” Within minutes, Jack knew where eighty percent of the money would likely come from—the fish, those twenty percent who played too loosely and made big mistakes.
Even before this, it became obvious that there were two sharks in this pond, with the Armstrongs and four others being the fish.
As the games progressed without any problems, Jack started to relax.
With luck maybe everyone was just here to play a friendly game of poker—except the Armstrongs.
Maybe he’d even been wrong about Josephine being in harm’s way out here in Wild Rose Point.
But if he’d been wrong about that, then did it mean he might also be wrong about his chances for winning Josephine’s heart for keeps?
-#-
A clap of thunder made Josephine jump. An instant later lightning flashed beyond the blinds on the front window of the shop. She hadn’t realized how tense she was and tried to relax.
But it was difficult when she couldn’t stop thinking about what Jack had asked her.
Was there someone in her past that she had to fear?
She had rejected the idea. For so long she hadn’t put down any roots, made a practice of keeping people at arm’s length, and protected her free time as if it were pure gold. She’d done it believing it was safer.
Another drumroll of thunder was quickly followed by what sounded like a downpour.
She blinked as she realized she could apparently play this game in her sleep.
She hadn’t been paying any attention at all—not since she’d thought there was something familiar about the man sitting across from her.
The name though, Nels Green, meant nothing to her.
“Josephine?” Jack said, breaking into her thoughts. “Hank is wondering how you like the apartment upstairs.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, smiling at the older man. “I love it.”
“I supplied most of the furnishings through my store,” the man said proudly, then pointed down the table. “Nels here was one of the carpenters who did the actual work.”
“Really, I didn’t know that,” Josephine said, turning to look at Nels. “You did a good job.”
Nels didn’t look up as he muttered thanks under his breath. She told herself she didn’t know him. She was letting Jack’s paranoia get to her. She tried to concentrate on the game.