Page 11 of Restart & New Revenge
Ace sighed, took a breath, and turned back to me. “Look,I’msorryIbit your head off and said you were a loser asshole.”
“You didn’t call me an asshole,”Ireplied.
“Oh.Imust have just been thinking that part,”Acemumbled, though loud enough for everyone to hear, triggering multiple snorts and snickers in the room.
“Oh,Ilike her,”Ruthiesaid with a chuckle and then turned toAce. “Ithink we’re going to get along really well.”
4
ANNA
FIVE YEARS AGO
The bar was packed.Isat at the very end—my preferred spot since it was tucked away in the corner.Archerwas in the seat next to me—my roommates and his friends were playing a game of pool off to the side.
I’d learned his full name wasArcherAlexanderPapadopoulos, soGreek, notItalian, heritage was where he got his olive complexion and dark hair.
I’d also learnedVacationVinniereally was his cousin—well, just in name.HiscousinVincewas in theArmyand lived inGeorgia.Archerwas going to visit him in several weeks when he came home on leave.Hedidn’t have any siblings, but he and his cousin were as close as brothers.
I liked that he had that.
Who knew ifIhad cousins out there somewhere?Iprobably did but likely wouldn’t ever meet them.
“So,Archer, when you’re not hanging out at a casino, what do you do?Teachsurfing lessons?”Iasked, nodding to hisHawaiianshirt.
He chuckled. “I’mactually a cop.”
“HawaiiFive-0?”Iinquired asIsipped on myLongIslandiced tea.
I planned to make that drink last as long as possible.
One, becauseIwasn’t the type of woman to make a guy buy me drinks all evening long, so this was likely my only free one.
Two, becauseIhad never liked drinking enough that you lose control over what's happening around you, and besides, my roommates had already had several, so one of us needed to remain at least semi-sober.
And three,Ihad a feeling there was a chanceImight be headed for a one-night stand tonight—somethingIwas not normally into doing.Archerspecifically seemed like the kind of guy you would want to remember everything with, andIcouldn’t remember it ifIwas three sheets to the wind.
“Despite the shirt, no, notHawaiiFive-0,”Archeranswered with a small smirk. “Iwork here inVegas.Mannyworks with me, andNickwent to the police academy with us but now works over atATFinTexas.”
“Ahh, so theHawaiianshirts are to make you look less like cops and more like tourists, eh?”
He grinned at me and nodded. “Somethinglike that.Whatabout you,Ace?Whenyou’re not running a card scheme, what do you do?”
“I’m graduating fromUNLVactually,”Ianswered, feeling all sorts of pride thatIcould say that.
“So you’re aRebel.I’ma fellow graduate, too,” he noted. “Gotmy degree in criminal justice.Whatabout you?”
“Journalism and communication, and hopefullyI’llhave a job lined up in a couple of weeks.”
“Ahh, soTVnews reporter?”
“That’s certainly one of the options,”Itold him asIleaned back in the bar chair. “Ijust had an interview inBakersfield,California, at a localTVstation there, butIalso have an interview at a newspaper here inVegastomorrow.Thatone would be nice soIcould stay in the area.”
“You grow up here?”
“No,Igrew up inNorthernCaliforniaactually, but this place has grown on me, thoughBakersfieldisn’t that far.”
“Nah, it’s less than four hours,”Archerresponded. “That’scool.Ican’t wait to see your face one day on theTVsoIcan tell all my friendsIknew her back in the day when she was just a card swindler,” he said, andIlaughed, harder thanI’velaughed in ages.
