laughed and put her arms around her new pet.
Hope felt a heavy sadness steal over her. Tanner, who’d been watching her instead of Amber and the dog, noticed Hope’s changed expression.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Hope swallowed.
“The dog’s probably a bad idea,” she said softly, watching Faith and Amber play with Squeegee while Kenji tried to get the collar on her. “I don’t even know if she’ll get to keep it.”
Tanner glanced at her. “Why wouldn’t she be able to keep it?”
Hope shook her head. “Oh, you know. But Faith wanted to make a positive affirmation, and I decided I would try to live up to my name and be a little hopeful. Despite everything.”
Tanner, looking puzzled and concerned, opened his mouth to say something. Hope took a deep breath.
“I have to go,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Kenji, this was great. Thank you for everything.”
“No problem,” Kenji said, glancing up at her, still struggling with the collar.
“I’ll go with you,” Tanner said.
“You don’t have to,” Hope said.
“Yes, I do,” Tanner said patiently. “We all do. We’re helping you at the tables, remember?”
“Oh,” Hope said. “Right.”
The uncles nodded.
“Set a date for that helicopter ride, Amber,” Marty said. “Let us know.”
“The meal was delicious,” Isaiah Rush said.
“Especially the potato salad,” Tanner said.
“Bing, bing, bing!” Sharp Eddie said.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Weary said.
“We had a great time,” Pete Wysniewski said.
“Our best wishes for a felicitous day and many memorable and exuberant birthdays in your future,” Jim Thickpenny said.
“Happy birthday, Amber,” Hope said, stooping to give her niece a hug.
“Thank you, Hope!” Amber said, beaming at her. “Thank you, everybody! This has been the best birthday ever!”
Seeing her niece’s undiluted joy, Hope tried to put some energy into her smile, but she felt her sadness spread like thick, damp fog through her body. Even as her shoulders sagged, she heard her little voice kick in.
Don’t feel sorry for what you lost. You’ve worked hard so Amber—everyone—can be secure. Safe. So get back to the tables and win the ranch back.
Chapter 16
Hope walked down the hallway to the casino so fast that Tanner had to make an effort to keep up.
“Hey, Hope, is everything all right?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said. “I’m just ducking in here for a minute.” She headed toward the women’s restroom, pushed the door open, and disappeared. Tanner looked at the closed door.
The uncles ambled up.
“Where’s Hope?” Sharp Eddie asked.
Tanner nodded toward the restroom. “Did she seem okay to you?” he asked. “I’m not sure she’s okay.”
“I’m not going in there again,” Weary said. “I went in the last time. I don’t exactly mind it, but I think it’s somebody else’s turn.”
“We’ll give her a minute,” Marty decided.
“What?” Tanner asked. “What’s going on here?”
Marty shrugged. Looked away. Looked at Tanner. Thought about it. “Hope ain’t exactly on good terms with birthdays,” he finally said.
“She did pretty good with this one,” Pete Wysniewski said. “That I saw.”
Marty nodded. “She thinks the world of that little girl,” he said. “Plus, I think she likes having us here. In spite of everything.”
“Until the end there,” Weary said. “The dog.”
Everybody nodded.
“Will somebody tell me what the hell is going on around here?” Tanner said, exasperated.
“Hope had her heart broke on her birthday,” Marty said. “A long time ago, when she was just a kid. She took it real hard. And birthdays been pretty sensitive ever since.”
Hope had looked very sad at the end.
“What happened?”
Marty shook his head. “If she ain’t told you, I’m not sure she wants you to know,” he said. “And I’m not sure you gotta know it for this gig.”
“If she can’t snap out of it, she could mess up her card playing,” Tanner argued. “At least for today.”
“Then we’ll deal with it,” Marty said.
Hope dried her eyes in the restroom and checked her mascara. Seventeen years later, and she could still bawl at a family birthday party. What a joke.
She’d gotten out just in time—before she embarrassed herself and ruined Amber’s birthday. If she’d done that, she never would have forgiven herself.
She peered in the mirror. Her eyes were a little red, but there was nothing she could do about that. At least the tear stains were gone from her face. She was about as ready as she’d ever get.
Someone knocked on the door. Hope smiled, still feeling a little shaky. One of the uncles. They were worried about her. Well, they knew the story.
Tanner stuck his head in the door. “Everything okay in here, Hope?”
She blinked, a little surprised to