Page 33 of Love is a Game

Tyson let out an uncertain hum and tapped his cards, then made his bet.

Kimura picked up two chips but hesitated when Sadie cleared her throat and made an upward gesture with her hand.

“Really?” he asked quietly. She nodded.

“Hey, no helping,” Tyson chided.

Sadie raised her hands in a show of innocence. “I didn’t say a word!”

Kimura picked up three more chips and placed them on the table in front of him. “Entirely of my own choosing, I raise.”

Andrew eyed Sadie, and she met his gaze with a grin, lifting one eyebrow expectantly. So that was how she wanted to play it. Fine. Andrew pushed five chips toward the center of the table.

Tyson sighed and rubbed a hand over his chin. “Too rich for my blood,” he finally said. “I fold.”

He dropped his cards into the muck pile and then turned over the fourth card. A king of diamonds. Andrew watched Sadie’s face but she gave nothing away. Somehow that didn’t surprise him.

Kimura turned to Sadie and picked up chips one at a time until she dipped her chin almost imperceptibly. “Raise,” he said, pushing them forward.

Andrew rubbed his cards together, considering. Could Kimura have a royal flush? It seemed unlikely, but he couldn’t remember if the other diamonds had already been played. A pair of queens couldn’t beat that. He glanced back at Sadie. She set both elbows on the table and rested her chin on her clasped hands.

“Is he always this quiet?” she asked Kimura, her green eyes glowing.

“Only when he’s losing,” he told her.

“Ah,” she said, nodding slowly, “that’s because Andrew Price hates to lose.”

Julie laughed. “So do you!”

Sadie shook her head. “I like to win. There’s a difference.”

“How lawyerly of you,” Andrew muttered, looking up at her just long enough to catch her smile before turning his attention to his cards. He only had eight chips left. Even if he were to call, he might not survive the next round of betting. He knew Kimura well enough by now that he could usually tell when he was bluffing, but Sadie’s involvement had completely thrown him off.

“Come on, Price,” Rivera said, tapping the table. “What’s it gonna be?”

The longer he looked at the cards, the more convinced he was that Kimura was sitting on a royal flush. Part of him wanted to see it to the end, but he knew he’d lost. His choice now was to keep going and end the night with nothing, or quit and keep what little he had left. He took in a deep breath and then slid his cards toward Tyson. “Fold.”

Kimura hooted and laid his hand down for everyone to see as he collected his winnings.

“Pair of tens?” Webb cried. “Are you serious?”

“What did you have, Price?”

Andrew didn’t answer, so Webb flipped over his cards and began to laugh.

“Ouch,” Rivera said sympathetically. “Well-played, Kimura. I really thought you had something.”

Tyson collected the cards. “Apparently, so did Price.”

Kimura turned to Sadie. “How did you know?”

She glanced at Andrew, raising that eyebrow again, before turning back to him. “It was an educated guess.”

“Well, I’m glad I listened. Now don’t let anyone touch my chips,” he instructed, standing. “I’ll be right back.”

He headed toward the bathroom as Tyson began to exchange chips for dollar bills. Everyone else stood and helped clear the mess off the table. Rivera yawned, grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, and then collected his winnings from Tyson.

“All right, I’m out of here,” he said. “Have a good night, guys.”