Page 27 of Mechanic

The expressions flipping across Rhodee’s face are amusing. It makes me wish I could hear the other side of the conversation.

“Yeah…” she says into the phone as her eyes flick toward me. “No, she’s good. She works at the casino. You know she’s good.”

Turning away from Rhodee as she tries to convince thisGypsyto let me live in her apartment.

Looking around the lobby of the casino, the comparisons against the Wildfire in Las Vegas are unavoidable.

The obvious similarity is the red, white, and black color scheme. Glancing down, my lips tip up on one side at the carpeting. The red carpeting has a card pattern in it, adding a bit of whimsy to the casino. Whoever picked it has a great sense of humor.

“Great! Thank you!”

Rhodee’s exuberant voice has me spinning to face her just in time to see her pocketing her phone.

“What’s going on?” I question, not understanding her exuberance.

Rhodee grabs my hands, practically jumping up and down in excitement as she grins from ear to ear.

“I got you an apartment. If you want it, that is. The place isn’t much. It’s above The Whiskey Genie, Gypsy’s bar.”

“Oh, wow…that’s…wow…” My words fail to express my gratitude for her kindness.

Rhodee’s smile falls a bit. Without thinking through my actions, I lunge at her, pulling her into a tight hug and catching her off guard.

She recovers quickly, reciprocating the motion. We stand in the lobby, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Wolf whistles and cat calls have us separating in laughter.

“Alright, Gypsy is expecting you. There are a few spots out back. You can park in one of those.”

Still reeling from her kindness, Rhodee ducks her head to catch my eyes.

“Did I break you?” she asks with a laugh.

My head jerks in the affirmative as words refuse to form.

“Give me your phone,” she says, holding her hand out.

When I hesitate, she raises an expectant eyebrow. Slowly, my brain comes back online. Reaching into my pocket, I unlock it and place the phone in her hand.

Rhodee taps the buttons in rapid succession before an alert sounds.

“You have my number, and I sent myself a text, so I have yours too. Do you want a quick tour now and all of your employee credentials, or do you want to get settled into your new home?”

My decision is quick since I’m already here.

Striding through the casino floor, it’s obvious that Rhodee is easy going and well-liked. Both staff and patrons greet her at every turn. She introduces several people along the way and my brain is almost on overload trying to remember them all.

After two hours, my rumbling stomach and frequent yawning has Rhodee laughing.

“Alright, that’s enough for now. Why don’t you head to The Whiskey Genie? I’ll let Gypsy know that you are on the way,” she says. Leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, “Her burgers are swoon-worthy.” Waggling her eyebrows as she makes that statement has both of us cackling.

Reaching the exit, Rhodee stops me as my hand touches the handle. “If you want to start sooner than planned, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy getting to know your new home.” She winks at me before blending into the crowd.

Walking to my car, a stupid grin is on my face, confident that I have made my first friend in my new town.

Chapter 17

Antonia

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