Page 145 of Demo
“Nonsense,” I hear another voice from someone else who just came up the stairs, and turn to see a dark-skinned guy wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. He has work boots, like Knox, and a skull cap. “We’ve finally got enough people for a good game of Blackjack.”
He heads around the rectangular table, pulls out a chair and plops down before looking up at us. “Name’s John, with an ‘H,’” he says, finally looking up and giving us a smile, showing off bright, white teeth. “But the ladies call me Johnny.” He winks before pointing to the chairs on the other side of the table. “Sit! I’ll deal you in.”
I didn’t realize Clark stepped into the hallway to order the pizza until he returns, announcing, “OK, delivery guy should be here in twenty,” and he gives me a pointed look. Rubbing his hands together in front of his chest, he takes the seat at the head of the table, to the left of “John with an H,” with Marcus sitting at the other head of the table.
“We can sit for a hand or two, but then we really have to get going,” Knox says to the guys, his eyes never leaving mine.
I go to take the seat to Marcus’ right, but Knox cuts in front of me and pulls that chair out for himself, forcing me to sit next to him, in the seat to Clark’s left. As I pull the chair out and go to sit, I stumble a little, feeling like I just fell right through the chair, even though my ass is planted firmly in it.
Marcus chuckles. “I see Molly is making her appearance?”
Huh?“Lizzie,” I reply, with my hand to my chest as I look over Knox at Marcus, thinking he forgot my name. Marcus chuckles again and gives me a look that makes my insides cringe.
Knox shakes his head and my eyes dart to him. “He’s talking about the drugs, Lizzie. What you took. They call it Molly, sometimes.”
“Oh!” I say a little too loud. Then, quieter, “Oh.” And I put my hand over my mouth to hide a grin. I know this isn’t funny, but my brain and body just want to giggle.
Knox’s eyes soften as he looks over my face, like he feels bad. Or maybe he’s jealous. Maybe he misses this warm feeling starting to spread throughout my body. Either way, he gives me a knowing look.
My attention is drawn back to the table when “John with an H” knocks the deck of cards on the table, and I hear the thrumming of the individual cards cascading in his hands as he shuffles them back and forth. It sounds like a cat purring.Shit, that’s weird.
I glance back up at Knox and see him still staring down at me. I shake my head, my way of telling him not to worry about me, but the look in his eyes doesn’t change.
“Place your bets,” comes from “John with an H.” John? Johnny? Let’s call him Johnny. He said all the ladies do.Why do I have this internal dialogue?
“Um,” I say as I start to rifle through my purse for my wallet. “I don’t … I think …” I pull out a few bills and make an attempt to count them. “I have like seventeen dollars. How far will that get me?” I look around the table and see Deputy Clark and Johnny chuckling. Marcus is still giving me the inside-cringing stare, and Knox is giving me the once-over.
“How about Lizzie and I play a hand together, then we have to bounce,” Knox says, and it’s more of a statement than a question.
“Sure, sure,” Johnny says.
“Looks like seventeen bucks is the ante!” adds Clark, not looking at me.
Johnny deals a card to everyone, face up, and then another. I see that only one of his is face up. Knox and I have a six and an eight. I don’t know much about cards, but I know we want to get to 21. I look over and see that Clark has a King and a three. “Hit me,” he says, and Johnny deals him a Queen. “Shit,” he groans and playfully tosses his cards onto the center of the table.
“I’ll stay,” I hear Marcus say, and I look over to see he has two nines.
Knox leans toward me as he says, “We have to try to get more than eighteen—”
“I know!” I cut him off with a hand wave. “Hit us! Me? Hit me?” The words sound strange, and slurred.
Johnny reveals another card for us, and it’s a nine. I hear Knox hiss through his teeth and Marcus nods toward Johnny, who has a seven face up, and then overturns the other card to reveal an Ace.
“Seems we have a tie,” Johnny says to Marcus, face lighting up. “What’ll it be?”
“I’ll stay,” he answers.
Johnny overturns another card for himself, and reveals a three. “Boom!” he yells and leans back in his chair.
Knox tosses my crumpled bills onto the table. “Well, gents, we’re tapping out.” He reaches across the table to Clark, then Johnny, shaking their hands and giving a head nod to each. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” says Clark, who reaches out a hand to steady me as I attempt to stand on wobbly legs. “You good, sweetheart?” he asks.
“You know, this whole getting shitfaced thing was a lot easier in my twenties,” I reply. That gets a laugh out of everyone. Well, everyone except Marcus, who is still sitting back in his chair, arms behind his head, legs sprawled out in front of him.
Knox turns to him, and without extending a hand to shake, says, “Marcus, it’s always a pleasure.” Then he turns and places a hand on the small of my back as he attempts to push me in the direction of the hallway.
“Just one second,” I hear Marcus say, and it causes me to stop, but Knox’s hand gives me a push, encouraging me to keep going.
