with the compliments. My ego doesn’t need it.”
Still grinning, Hope pushed herself up, sitting next to him. The light through the trees dappled against her skin. She looked breathtaking—every bit the queen of planet whatever that he’d imagined her to be. But she was more than beautiful. She was radiant with happiness, and Tanner knew that he was the reason. He smiled.
Hope hadn’t let herself feel much joy over the years, that much was clear. Tanner wanted to make sure that nothing got in the way of her joy again.
Tanner felt his heart expand in a way it hadn’t done since—well, maybe since never. Since Troy was born. He picked up Hope’s hand, stroked her palm with his thumb.
“I’m busy for the next few days,” he said. “I have something to do tonight, and Troy and I are spending tomorrow with my folks before she goes to college, and Monday I’m driving her to LA. I’ll be back Wednesday. Are you busy Wednesday night?”
“No,” Hope said, looking at him massaging her hand.
“Then I’ll see you Wednesday night, all right?” he said. “We can have dinner. And I’ll call you from the road.”
“Wednesday,” Hope said. “That’ll be fun.”
Yes, it would. Tanner tilted up her face and looked at her eyes. Unguarded, unaffected, they were a perfect shade of blue. She thought so, too.
“Okay,” Tanner said. “I’ll see you Wednesday, then. That’s a promise.”
Chapter 25
Hope sang along with the radio the whole way home. She belted out rock and roll tunes, harmonizing with the melodies and pounding out the beat on the steering wheel. She felt high with adrenaline. She couldn’t help it and didn’t want to stop it. She felt great.
Because of Tanner.
When she walked into the kitchen, Faith knew that something had happened.
“Have a good day?” she asked, smiling at her sister.
Hope felt her face stretch from her smile.
“I’m on a winning streak,” she said.
They ate dinner and Hope sang to the radio while she washed the dishes, her hips swinging to the music. Suzanne two-stepped around her as she dried and put away, and Squeegee howled, making Amber and Faith laugh. Then before she drove back to Vegas to play in Big Julie’s nine o’clock card game, Hope lay on her bed and studied the crib sheets Marty had given her. The players’ bios were remarkably thorough, describing each poker player she’d be most likely to meet in tonight’s game.
But her mind wandered to Tanner. What he’d said, what he’d looked like. How he’d made her feel.
Well exercised, for one thing.
Stop that! That part had been good, no, okay, great, in fact, wonderful, but sex wasn’t everything.
Lighthearted. That was maybe the best part. She felt carefree. Happy.
And he’d paid attention—to what she said, what she wanted. What she liked.
And he’d helped her. With her game. The hat. Bringing Troy to the hospital for Amber. Calling his friend Jack Sievers for Faith.
Not to mention, making her feel really, really—
Stop that! She was worse than a kid with her first crush. She needed to focus. Everything she’d done all week was for nothing if she didn’t win tonight. And winning meant not just defeating Big Julie, but all the other players who’d be there. None of them probably were top-notch players, but they’d all be able to beat her if she didn’t pay attention.
She rustled the papers, trying to put Tanner out of her mind. All right. Bucky Newhouse. According to Marty, Bucky played conservatively. His face sweated under pressure. When he was confident, he pushed up his glasses. Hope looked at his picture. His face was fleshy and red. He looked like he needed to get his blood pressure checked.
Hope turned to the next page. Alejandro Vargas. Very cool player, Marty said, until he started to lose. Then he played every hand fast and recklessly. Alejandro and Derek, two of a kind, Hope thought.
She went through the pages of all the known players, memorizing them until she could remember them flawlessly.
And then it was time to go.
Hope stood up, leaving the pages on her bed, tucking her keys, wallet, and sunglasses into her purse, and picking up her hat. Just one more thing to do.
“Wish me luck,” she said to her family as they lounged in the den watching a movie. She watched them from the doorway. If I win—when I win tonight—I’ll be able to watch movies on Saturday night, too, she promised herself. Then everything will be worth it.
Faith stood up and went to give her sister a