Page 175 of Hidden Nature

“You took pity on me and shared your winnings. And Skittles were major currency for us back in the day. Trouble was, the sugar high made us a little careless, and they found a couple of stray Skittles, or who was it—Maxwell did. Such a narc. And you got grounded for two weeks.”

“It was worth it. We won’t play for candy this time around.”

“Sloan’s a shark at poker,” Joel put in. “We’d get a game going everycouple months, and she always walked away with more than she came with. And I ain’t talking Skittles.”

“You have tells.”

“If you’d tell me my tells, I wouldn’t have them. Anyway, shark.”

“Is that so?” Nash gave her a considering look. “Good thing she’s not invited. But some other time, we’ll have to see what you’ve got.”

“Let me know when and where.”

“Maybe when we’ve finished the office, Nash, we should do the game room.”

“Maybe.”

“Video game setup,” Theo continued. “Poker table, maybe a pool table—still under consideration—and a vintage pinball. We haven’t started looking for that yet.”

“When you do,” Dean said, “let me know. I can help you out there.”

Nash turned to him. “Really?”

“Yeah, I know a guy.”

“Dean knows all the guys,” Elsie said with a laugh. “It’s why we have a regulation shuffleboard table down in the family room.”

“You have a shuffleboard table?”

“Drea’s the shark there,” Theo told Nash.

“It doesn’t get a lot of use since the girls moved out.” Dean gestured with his water glass. “We can try it out after dinner.”

So he played shuffleboard in the spacious family room with a fire crackling in the hearth, with Joel and Theo competing onMario Karton the biggest screen Nash had ever seen. And one he now wanted.

Elsie and Sari cheered them on when they weren’t huddled in baby and new house talk.

The dogs wrestled themselves into a nap.

Drea ended the game with yet another leaner, and her father shook his head.

“We’re not bad, Nash, but you never beat Team Drea and Sloan.”

“I’m a little rusty,” Sloan admitted, and Drea mimed polishing her nails on her shirt.

“I’ve still got it.”

“I should’ve gotten that pinball machine instead.” Dean tugged on Drea’s hair. “Maybe I still will, then you’ll be the loser.”

When her phone signaled, Sloan pulled it out of her pocket. Her expression barely changed when she read the display, but Nash saw it.

The slightest flicker in her eyes said: Trouble.

“Sorry, work.”

“If that’s Travis, tell him to give my girl a Sunday break.”

Sloan just smiled at her father, then wandered off, out of earshot with the phone.

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