Page 24 of One Night Gamble
For the first time since she’d turned nineteen and her dad had died, she didn’t know what to do next. Of course she’d still take care of Gran, but she was suddenly confused about what she wanted, for her and her life.
She was twenty-six and she’d spent the last seven years fixing the problems of her childhood. But now she was almost free. And instead of starting over someplace else, with a clean slate, she was fooling around with Casey Waltham. He wasn’t a sure a thing. In fact, he was the kind of risk that could break her.
But while she thought she wanted security, she couldn’t help craving something more. She liked the danger and excitement. That feeling in the pit of her stomach when she thought about seeing him again.
Was she really no better than her dad?
Was she chasing a win that shimmered just out of her reach?
She had no answers. She hoped she was different, but that feeling in her stomach made her doubt her resolve.
She should have said no to dinner. She should be keeping this professional. She should have known better than to get involved with a gambler, but she didn’t.
Maybe she didn’t know herself as well as she’d always thought she had.
Maybe she was exactly what her mom had accused her of being when she’d dropped her off at her grandmother’s house—just like her father.
Chapter Eight
Talia showed up at the address he’d given her and found a valet stand. The house was very big, mansion size, and had a sweeping circular drive. Casey had texted her late in the day and told her she could bring a plus one. That was her first inkling that this date wasn’t what she was expecting.
She’d called Sami, but her friend was working late. And somehow Talia wasn’t too sure that a party was Gran’s scene, so she’d arrived alone.
The car that pulled up behind her was a Bentley—a Bentley—so she tried to act cool as she got out of her VW and handed the keys to the attendant. He treated her to a respectful smile and she tugged the chain of her evening bag higher on her shoulder as she walked up the marble steps to the front entrance. There were two tuxedoed doormen standing there to open the door for her.
She walked into the foyer where a woman dressed in an evening gown and holding a clipboard came over to see her.
“Good evening. May I have your name?” she asked.
“Talia Spencer…Casey Waltham invited me,” she said.
“You are on the list. Is it just you tonight?” the lady asked.
Talia nodded.
“She’s not alone,” Casey said, coming up behind her and putting his hand on the small of her back. A shiver went through her body and she glanced over her shoulder to see he was dressed in a white dinner jacket. His hair was slicked back and he had that roguish smile that she loved. “She’s with me.”
“Of course, Mr. Waltham,” the woman said. “I trust you know where you are going.”
He nodded and urged her forward down the hall.
“What is this place?” she asked. “I have to be honest—I’m a little nervous.”
“Nothing to worry about. Sorry for being mysterious. This is Nicholas’s house. He’s hosting a night of illusion to try out some new elements for his show and he always has to be stealthy to keep his competition from finding out. The world of magic and illusion is cutthroat.”
A magic show. She knew that what Nicholas did was more than magic but, in essence, her date with Casey was pretty magical.
“This is good. I can get a better idea of what he does, which will help me at work. I wish you’d mentioned it so I could have brought my notebook.”
“I’m glad I didn’t. This is a date, Talia,” he said.
And that just went to show how hard it would be if they really were dating. His work life was so much of his actual life and for her, this job was everything. She couldn’t afford to let it get personal.
“I don’t think we should be dating,” she said. “With your poker background, you’re probably really good at hiding what you’re really feeling. But I’m not. I know you know that,” she said.
He took her elbow and led her to a corner of the room that was slowly filling up with people. “I’m not going to argue with you about this. I think pretending there isn’t anything between us is stupid.”
“I know…but I need this job. And to be honest, I love working for the casino and the community I’m building. I don’t want to have to quit,” she said.
