Page 8 of Not that Sea-Rious
Eventually, he glanced in their direction, did a double take when he met Tina’s eyes, and stammered, “Uh.What?Me too?”
“Of course,” Carolyn said.“We can’t exclude you.You’re at the table.”
“Oh, uh.”He furrowed his brows, wearing a slightly confused expression.“Thirty, but I wouldn’t recommend putting any chips there.It came out just before you all got here.”
“But you’re still playing it,” Joyce pointed out as she gestured to his chip.
He lifted his shoulders and made an “eh” sound.“It’s my number.”
Marissa pursed her lips as she placed a chip on top of his.“The ball could still land there.It doesn’t know when we saw it last, but let’s get creative.”
She had everyone’s attention.“Three and zero.That’s thirty.”
Her friends nodded as they leaned over one another to place their chips in the same spots.
Marissa eyed the man beside her expectantly.Would he play along?The dealer launched the ball and it whizzed around the ring.
“Sure,” he said and brushed against her as he placed his bets.A zing shot through her chest from their contact, and she inhaled sharply.
Dismissing the sensation, she lifted a brow when she noticed where he placed his chips.“Why are you putting them on the lines?”
“Spreading the wealth.Basically, playing more numbers with one bet.”
Marissa shrugged and followed along, crowning his chips with hers.What’s the worst that could happen?She’d be out ten bucks?Oh well.She’d spent more on less.
As the ball tinked around, the dealer waved a hand over the table.“No more bets.”
The group leaned closer over the wheel.
What were the odds everyone at the table would win?Slim to none for sure, but the point wasn’t about winning money.They were there to have fun and make memories.
Dink.Tink.Tink.
The ball rattled as it landed in a slot, bounced out of it, and rolled over another one before settling in its spot.
No.
Fucking.
Way.
Blinking, Marissa couldn’t believe her eyes.She had to be seeing things.How many daiquiris had she had?
“Zero,” the dealer announced as he placed the marker on top of the stack of chips.
Screeching filled her ears.The women threw their hands in the air before hugging one another.Marissa joined in on the hooting and hollering and wrapped her arms around the stunned man beside her without a second thought.
Together, the group celebrated their win as the dealer cleared the board of the losing chips.
“How much do we get?”Joyce asked.
“Weren’t you listening before?”Carolyn admonished.“Kenny says we can’t tally it yet.”
“‘There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done,’” Tina sang.
Joyce furrowed her brows.“He’s not evendealing,” she said and immediately covered her mouth.She glanced toward the dealer as he doled out the stacks.“I’m so sorry.I didn’t mean it that way.What I should’ve said is that you weren’t giving us cards.”
The dealer smiled.“It’s fine.”
