Текст книги "Black Number Four"
Автор книги: Kandi Steiner
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I laugh, but keep my eyes trained on the wheel, my stomach in knots. I have plenty of money for the rest of the cruise if I lose the one-hundred, but I want to win this bet for Skyler.
“You have a tattoo?” I ask, trying to distract her. “I don’t know how I missed that.”
She laughs through her hands. “If you’re still talking to me after this, maybe I’ll show it to you later.”
“Looking forward to it,” I say quietly, leaning lower to say the words close to her ear. She nudges me playfully with her elbow but doesn’t take her hands from her face as the ball clicks against one of the metal number dividers and starts bouncing, making its way one more time around.
“I seriously can’t breathe,” Skyler says one more time. I close my eyes, too, waiting for the dealer to announce the winning number. My hand finds Skyler’s hip and I give it a gentle squeeze, trying to calm her. It’s just a silly bet, but for some reason, I really want this.
“Black four.”
My eyelids spring open and Skyler’s hands shoot from her face straight up into the air as she turns to face me, mouth open and eyes wide. We scream together and she throws her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug before jumping up and down as the dealer places the glass marker on black number four, right on top of our bets.
“OH MY GOD! That did not just happen!”
Everyone at the table is clapping, happy for us regardless of their bet outcomes. Maybe it’s the fact that I bet a hundred on it or maybe it’s just that our energy is infectious. Either way, we have the attention of the entire casino.
“Kip.” Skyler is breathing erratically as she turns back to the table. “That’s like three thousand dollars. Holy shit.”
The rest of the table laughs and even the dealer cracks a smile as she calls over the pit boss to check the chips she’s piled up for me.
“Well, I guess we better find a really awesome way to spend it tomorrow on the island, huh?” I spin her around to face me. “See? You just needed to have a little more faith in your number. That’s all.”
Skyler smiles, her blue eyes reflecting the bright lights of the casino. “I think I just needed you. Maybe you’re my lucky charm.”
I swallow the lump building in my throat. If she knew why I showed up in her life in the first place, lucky would be the last thing she’d call me. Even though I’ve made up my mind about telling Dad the deal is off, I’m still hiding everything from Skyler and I didn’t think it would eat at me the way it still does. I feel like I need to tell her, to just explain it, but when I think about having the conversation, I have no idea where to even start. Every scenario I play out in my head ends with a slap to the face and the girl I want walking away from me for good.
I can’t risk that.
“I’ll take that title.” I grin. “Am I the kind of lucky charm you never take off? You know, the kind you shower with?” I waggle my eyebrows and she rolls her eyes, turning back to the table to pull our chips. But when she turns back to face me, her eyes are hungry again, hooded with a purpose.
“Well, I did say I’d show you my tattoo.”
Damn.
Thank you, black number four.
“I need to keep drinking or I’m going to start slipping into hangover mode,” Jess says, pouring up five shots in the little mouthwash cups from the bathroom. She hands one to me and even though it’s the last thing I want right now, I down it. I’m exhausted from being in the sun all day on the island. Plus, I had the women’s tournament this morning, too. I won, thankfully, which means I get free entry into tomorrow’s tournament. If I win tomorrow, I’ll officially have enough to pay the entry fee for Vegas. Maybe I shouldn’t be drinking tonight…
Meh, whatever. I’ll drink an energy drink in the morning.
It’s Spring Break! And I’m feeling more alive than I have in as long as I can remember. There are three blow-dryers going at once as the girls hurry to get ready for tonight, my skin is still hot from the sun today, and there’s a huge smile plastered on my face. After the tournament, I snuck into Kip’s room and we showered together. Everyone else was already on the island, but we took our time. After all, I had to show him my tattoo – four tiny dots near my left hip bone. They look like freckles, which was my intention, and I shiver at the memory of Kip’s wet fingers tracing a line between each one before he slowly bent down to trace that same trail with his lips.
On the island, we were together, but we couldn’t really be together. Everyone was around Kip all day. He took the liberty of completely blowing the three thousand dollars he won last night by buying drinks and cabanas for all his brothers and my sisters on the beach. Clinton and his brothers along with the Delta Beta Gamma sisters were kind of pissed off, but they understood and we all kind of hung out in the same place, anyway. There haven’t been any fights yet, no drama – just an insane amount of fun.
I love Spring Break.
“I want to get laid tonight,” my Big says, turning on her straightener and flipping through the clothes she has hanging in the closet. Jess, Ashlei, and Erin are all staying in one room and Cassie and I are in the adjoined one. We’ve opened up the middle door, though, and there’s clothes and makeup everywhere.
Jess and Ashlei hoot in approval and my Little smiles. “I like that attitude, Grand Big.”
Erin shrugs, pulling a short, sea-green dress from its hanger and laying it on the bed. “I’m serious. There are so many hot guys on this boat my ovaries can’t handle it anymore.”
“So no more worrying about Kip?” Ashlei asks and my eyes snap to Erin, anxiously awaiting her reply.
“Please.” She bats her hand at the empty air. “I’ve been over him. He was fun, but I think I put more thought into it than I should have. I mean, we dated in high school, for God’s sake.”
I let out a long breath of relief but try to hide it, focusing on applying my mascara in the mirror beside Cassie. After Kip broke things off with Erin, she was a mess, but only for a few days. Before the cruise, we talked about everything – the deal, the presidency, her and Kip… me and Kip. She had basically said the same thing then, that it was different with him and she wasn’t upset about it, but I know Erin, and I wasn’t sure I could believe she’d gotten over it that quickly. But now, she’s on the prowl looking for someone to bring home. If that isn’t the green light go sign, I don’t know what is.
Still, I wonder if it’s too early to let everyone know about me and Kip.
I’ve thought about what I would do if everyone reacted the way I think they would. If my sisters were pissed, if I didn’t get president, if everything just kind of went to shit. At first, it frightened me. Being president is in my “blood”, so to say. My Big is president, her Big was president, so on and so forth for who knows how long. I would break our biggest Greek family tradition if I didn’t step up next year, if the girls didn’t trust me enough to elect me. Maybe it’s Kip messing with my head, but for some reason, I don’t care as much as I used to. I want to be president, I think I would make an amazing president, but at the end of the day… I just want to be me. And me likes Kip. A lot.
“I like this plan.” Jess nods, taking another shot. “I vote we all bring someone home tonight.” She pauses, considering what she just said. “At different times, of course. No orgy business on Spring Break.” We all burst out into laughter and Jess shrugs, smiling as she hands a shot to Ashlei.
I nudge my Little, eying her in the mirror. “You think you’ll be cozying up with Kade tonight?”
She blushes. “I don’t know. He’s still… emotionally unavailable, I guess. We’ve been hanging out, but I can’t tell what he’s thinking.”
My mouth pulls to the side as I digest her words. Funny, Kade has been with Kip almost the entire cruise and I haven’t really seen Cassie with him. Maybe they’re sneaking around, too.
“He’s a boy.” I smile, handing her my favorite lip gloss. She returns my smile as she applies it, checking herself again in the mirror. “He’ll come around eventually. Just give him time to break down his feelings. For some reason, that’s hard for them.” And for me, apparently.
Cassie nods, handing back the tube of gloss. “Thanks, Big. I think things are looking up.”
After we’re all dressed and ready and the room is just shy of a hundred degrees from all the blow-dryer and curling iron heat, we head to the piano bar onboard. Everyone is pre-gaming there tonight before heading to the club. My palms grow sweaty the closer we get to the bar. I can’t wait to see Kip, and now that I know Erin has her own agenda, I can’t help but think tonight might be the night Kip and I make things official. I don’t want to push it too soon, but I feel like I’m the small ball at a circus with a large elephant balancing on me. I either need to make a move or I’m going to get crushed under the pressure, and that won’t end well for anyone involved.
The bar is packed and we squeeze our way into an opening, ordering our first drinks. Well, our first ones of the night, anyway. I think we’re all still buzzed from the island. I scan the crowd as we wait and find Kip almost immediately. He’s dressed in a dark pink button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to quarter-length, exposing his freshly tanned muscles. Paired with dark gray jeans and the messy way he’s styled his hair, he looks absolutely edible. And he’s wearing his glasses.
Why those black frames make my legs weak, I’ll never know.
He finds me seconds after I find him, and his lips curl up into a soft, relaxed smile. He tips his drink in my direction and Jess hands me mine just in time for me to return the gesture. She follows my eye-line and her brow pops up when she turns back to me.
“Seriously, Skyler?”
The heat rushes to my face and I look away quickly, taking a sip of my drink. It’s pink and fruity, something with rum. “What?” I ask, feigning innocence. Jess just keeps her eyes fixed on mine.
“Listen, I think Erin is going to be fine, but you need to break this to her easily. Explain to her. I think we all know that you had real feelings for Kip when this whole game started and it’s clear they haven’t gone away. Are you the reason he officially called things off with her?”
I’m not sure if I should admit to that one, so I shake my head subtly and take another drink so I don’t have to speak. Jess nods, but she seems unsure of my response. “Good, at least you can say it was over first.”
“They were never dating,” I clarify, feeling like I need to defend myself. I’m not a home wrecker. Kip was mine. At least, it felt like it. Ugh, the stupid game has my head all twisted. I don’t know how to tell right from wrong, anymore.
Jess takes a long swig of her drink and kisses my cheek. “You don’t have to defend yourself to me, Sky. I’ve been team Kip and Skyler from the beginning.”
My eyes grow wide and I pause mid-drink. “Really?”
She smiles, nodding. “Do you even have to ask, Sky? Erin was crazy to pull the shit she did, honestly. I’m just glad it’s all over. And from the way you’ve had that big ass smile plastered on your face for the past week, I’d say you feel the same.”
“You have no idea,” I reply, letting out a long breath.
“It’s good to have you back. Sad Skyler and Pissy Skyler outstayed their welcome.”
I smack her ass playfully and she yelps before grabbing my hand and pulling me toward where our sisters are gathered around the piano.
As the night goes on, the drinks get stronger and everyone is singing at the top of their lungs to every song the piano man plays. After the third round of Benny and the Jets, Kip’s brothers start chanting his name and shoving him up toward the piano. I eye him curiously just as the man at the piano wipes his head with a white rag and stands, letting Kip take his place at the bench with a smile.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m told we have a pretty good piano player here on board from Palm South University,” he says and everyone goes nuts, including Clinton and his brothers. Kip blushes a little and I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a red tint on his cheeks. If possible, it makes him even sexier and I find myself smiling without even realizing it.
Everyone starts chanting Kip’s name again and the piano man steps back, taking a seat behind Kip and sipping on a bottle of water. Kip moves his hands over the keys, playing a soft melody with no direction as he finds his groove. “Go easy on me, guys,” he says softly and I swear I feel all the girls swoon in unison. Me included.
Damn him.
His brothers all continue cheering and I can tell from the soft glaze of his eyes that Kip is definitely past buzzed at this point, but maybe that’s where he found the courage to play. If it is, then I need to get him buzzed more often. I’ve been dying to hear him play ever since I saw the keyboard in his apartment.
Slowly, he begins playing a song that sounds familiar. When he sings the first line into the mic, his eyes find mine, and I’m locked in place. His voice floats over the crowd, smooth and dreamy, but everything feels muted to me. The cheers from his brothers, the swooning screams from the girls, the clinks of drinks in the air – it’s all lost as he sings straight to me. His blue eyes dance in the soft light of the bar and he smiles through every note of the Michael Bublé song. His hands work methodically over the keys but I fantasize about having them on me instead, feeling lightheaded at the thought.
It’s so silly, this stupid game we’ve been playing, but I got completely caught up in it. Everything that seemed to be so important to me just a short three months ago now seems trivial. Kip sees me for who I really am. I’ve never been more comfortable in my life, whether I’m wearing a ball gown or nothing at all – he sees the beauty in me, the beauty I’m not even sure I see. I don’t know where we go from here, where the story will take us, who will still be in it and who will flee the pages, but I think I’m finally ready to find out.
By the time the song ends, everyone around me has their arms high in the air, the cheers roaring through me, but I’m standing completely still. When the feeling finally returns to my legs, I move toward Kip before I can double think it. He stands from the bench just as I reach him and pull him down by the collar of his shirt, pressing my lips to his.
If I thought the crowd was loud before, it’s deafening now. Cheers and whistles ring out and Kip smiles against my lips, picking me up and spinning me a little to liven up the show. When he pulls back, the smile remains. “You do realize we’re in front of people, right?”
I grin, shaking my head before pulling him back into me. “Who cares.”
We kiss for years, or maybe it’s just a few seconds, but I feel it all the way to my core. It’s out now, no more secrets. Well, maybe there are still secrets, but none that matter now. I’m with Kip. Kip is with me.
And the rest of the world can just deal with it.
“You’re so handsome,” I say, my words slurring a little as Kip unlocks the door to my room. He laughs, pulling my arm over his shoulder a little tighter and guiding us through the opening.
I may have drank just a little too much tonight.
After Kip played, everyone knew what was going on and, surprisingly, it didn’t seem like anyone cared. Clinton came up to chat with us, giving me shit about hiding everything from him. He seemed to like Kip more once he started talking about football and Kip was able to join in and actually knew what he was talking about. I had to rub it in his face that maybe jock and nerd actually do mix.
The girls were all complimenting Kip on his piano skills and Kip was still buying shots for everyone, so that helped our case. Even Erin was still hanging around us, though she did seem a little irritated, but not like what I expected. None of my other sisters seemed upset, either. If anything, I’d say they were like Jess – on team Kip and Skyler.
I think I like that team, too.
“You must say that to all the boys.” Kip drops me down onto the bed and I let my body fall back against the plush comforter as he lifts my feet, unstrapping my heels.
“No,” I draw out the word, shaking my head. “Just you, silly.”
Kip pulls me up long enough to unzip my dress and slide it up over my head. My body reacts instantly, need spreading from my mouth to my stomach and down between my thighs. But, just as quickly as he has the dress off, he’s replaced it with one of my long t-shirts. I try to pull it up and over my head, but Kip stops me, laughing.
“Keep your clothes on, Sky. I can’t be responsible for what I do if you take them off.”
“But I want you,” I whine, realizing only after the words slip out how ridiculous I sound. That’s how it works when you’re drunk, isn’t it? The words come out before your brain has the chance to tell you not to be stupid.
Kip smiles, lying down on the bed and pulling me up into his arms. “You have me,” he says quietly and I run the tip of my nose along his neck, settling in. Slowly, I trace my fingertips up and down his abdomen, making him shiver slightly each time I reach the lower end.
“What are your dreams, Kip?” I ask, my fingers still lightly tracing. “What do you want most in life?”
He lets out a long breath, his hand playing with my hair as he thinks. “If you asked me that a couple of months ago, I would have known exactly how to answer. But right now, I don’t know if I can give you an honest reply.”
I look up at him, my chin resting on his chest. “Try.”
He sighs, brushing the hair from my face. “Career-wise, I want to be a screenwriter. I want to move to California and go to UCLA. I want to graduate with honors and internships out the ass and I want to land my dream job writing for one of the big television stations, like FX or ABC or HBO.”
I smile. “And life-wise?”
His eyes are dark, the only room coming from the bathroom light he flicked on as we passed it on the way to the bed. For a moment he says nothing, like he’s afraid of the next words he’ll speak. But then his mouth opens, closes again, and finally, the words force their way out.
“I’m beginning to think as long as you’re in it, I don’t really care what happens anymore.”
My heart swells at his words and I feel his heartbeat quicken in his chest as he swallows, his eyes still searching mine. After a moment, he clears his throat.
“What about you? What are your dreams?”
I furrow my brows, unsure just as much as he was minutes before. “I feel like, with school, I bounce around trying to figure out what I want to do, but nothing ever really clicks.” I pause, figuring out what to say next. “Nothing except for poker. I just… I get poker. Poker gets me.” I lean up, resting on my elbow so I can look at Kip. He waits patiently for me to finish and I can’t put into words how much it means to me. “I think I might want to own my own casino company.”
Kip’s brows shoot up and he leans up on the pillows, pulling me closer. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, I think so. Not like a real casino or anything, but like those party companies where you can hire casino people for your event. You know, fake money that people trade in for raffle tickets or donations to charity and stuff. I’ve seen them at a few sorority events and I really think I could do it. I think I could be amazing at it. And then I wouldn’t ever have to give up what I really love.” I pause, shaking my head a little. “It’s stupid, isn’t it?”
“What?” Kip laughs. “No, it’s not stupid. Why would you think that?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, because it’s not traditional. It’s not a lawyer or a doctor or whatever else makes people say ‘Oh, you’ve really got a great dream there.’”
“Do you think me wanting to be a screenwriter is stupid?”
My eyes go wide. “No! Your dream is amazing! I wish I had your talent.”
“And I wish I had yours,” he says, swallowing hard. For some reason, it feels like there’s still something he’s not telling me – like there are words right on the tip of his tongue that just won’t quite fall out. “Not every dream has to follow some sort of formula that society thought up, Skyler. The reason not many people have the same dream as you is that none of them have the same talent and drive. You’re unique. You’re special. You’re not meant to fit in some sort of box.”
I lie back down on his chest, letting his fingers running through my hair soothe me until my eyes close.
“What about playing for a living?” He asks. “You could make a killing, Skyler.”
I shake my head. “That’s not what matters to me. I want to win this tournament in May for me and for my family. They would be set, I would have enough to pay for the rest of school and start my company, but I wouldn’t have the lifestyle that goes along with being a lifelong player. I don’t want the travel, the media, the pressure. I just want to play and have fun. And if I can make a living off of that? Well, that would be perfect.” I contemplate that word and shake my head again. “Almost perfect.”
“And what would make it perfect-perfect?” Kip asks, smiling.
I shrug, hesitant just like he was. “Maybe a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy with glasses,” I say, climbing up to straddle him. I pull his lips close to mine, and just before closing the distance, I whisper, “Maybe that.”
My lips find his in a frenzy, but he slows me, moving in a slow rhythm until I finally match it. At the touch of his lips, my entire body comes to life, the electricity from his touch running through me in steady currents.
I find his belt and pull at it, freeing one of the clasps. Kip grabs my hand, cursing under his breath. “I don’t want to take advantage of you, Skyler. You’ve been drinking. A lot.”
I shake my head, laughing as I kiss him again. “Drunk as a freshman with a fake ID or sober as the day I was born, I want you, Kip. Please.” I rock my hips against him and he groans, his grip on my wrists tightening as he fights his urge. “Give me what I want.”
His hands free my wrists and I undo his belt quickly before he bucks his hips up enough to slide his jeans down, kicking them off the rest of the way. I’m only wearing a scrap of a thong under the t-shirt he put me in and I can’t wait any longer. The ache in my stomach for him to fill me is consuming, driving every thought, every movement. As soon as he pulls free from his boxers, I slide my panties to the side and come down on top of him in one fluid motion. Kip’s eyes roll to the back of his head and we moan together, the pure ecstasy of him inside me controlling both of us.
I ride him slow and steady at first, my hands weaved into his hair and my mouth hard on his. Each time I come down against him, he bucks his hips, meeting me in the middle and causing a friction right where I need it. My moans grow louder and I bite my finger, not sure if any of the girls are home in the next room.
“I love the noises you make for me, Skyler,” Kip breathes, running his hands up my thighs to the small of my back. He helps me ride, pumping into me harder and faster until it’s too much and I feel myself start to come apart. I can’t hold it any longer, I’m too eager for the burning numbness to destroy me.
“Oh my God,” I breathe, moving my hips faster. “I’m coming.” My breath leaves my chest, expelling itself and leaving me to fight for air as the waves of my orgasm crash over me, wave after wave. Kip growls, biting my lip as I moan into his mouth and I feel him release inside me. We come together, each of us falling apart at the seams while being stitched together. Loud colors invade my mind and by the time we finish, I’m shaking uncontrollably, breathless. Hopeless. Completely caught up.
For a moment we just lay there, him still inside me and our foreheads pressed together as our breaths steady out. Slowly, I move off him and pull the covers up over both of us. I find my place on his chest again and my already heavy eyelids stop fighting to stay open. Just before I fall asleep, I feel words coming from my mouth. I’m not sure if I control them, but I don’t disagree with them, either.
“Don’t leave me, Kip. You can’t leave me now. You can’t hurt me now. You can’t. Please, tell me you won’t hurt me. Promise me.” The words fall out of my mouth quickly before they start to slowly fade, my mouth too tired to say anything else. The alcohol mixed with the exhaustion from today and the calming of my orgasm lull me closer to my dreams. I feel Kip swallow hard but he pulls me tighter, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. Just before I fade out, he whispers.
“I promise.”
When my eyes flutter open, I’m greeted with my Little’s piercing green eyes. She’s smiling and slowly shaking her head.
“You’ve been cuddling with me all night.”
I groan, my hand finding my forehead as I lean up on one elbow. “I have?”
She laughs, nodding. “I didn’t realize you liked to be big spoon.”
My head is pounding, so I try not to laugh but fail. Glancing to the left, I spot two small pills and one of the plastic cups from the bathroom full of water. There’s a note on a napkin just next to the cup with a large circle and a small line of script in the middle of it.
I smile, remembering our conversation from last night before reaching for the pills and chasing them down with the water.
“So, you and Kip, huh?” Cassie asks. I nod, still smiling at the note. “You definitely caused quite the scene last night.”
I shrug, not really caring anymore. “Well, people will get over it. I’ll only be the topic of conversation for a few days, I’m sure.”
“Have you talked to Ex yet?”
I frown, my stomach sinking a little. “No, why? Is she okay? She seemed fine last night.”
“I’m sure she’s good,” she says, but I can tell there’s something she’s not telling me. “I just think maybe you should have told her before everyone else found out. There were a lot of eyes on her when you kissed him, too.”
Ugh, I didn’t even think about that.
“You’re right,” I groan. “I’ll talk to her after the tournament. Things have been so weird between us all semester… I just want things back to normal.”
Cassie smiles. “It’ll all work itself out, Big. Don’t worry about it today. You ready for this thing?” She throws back the covers and slowly moves over to the closet, sifting through it as I massage my temples.
“Yeah,” I say confidently, which is surprising considering how hungover I am. But, even so, my focus is locked in. I’m going to win this tournament today. No doubts, no other possibilities – I will win. “What are your plans?”
Cassie pulls a long, black and white chevron maxi dress over the light blue bikini she’s slipped on and fusses with her hair in the mirror. “I think we’re just going to lounge by the pool for most of the day since we’re at sea. There are supposed to be some fun games up on the deck and I’m sure the frat boys will make it interesting.”
I laugh. “That is a definite. You should stop by for the final round of the tournament. It’ll probably be around seven or so.”
“I love how you don’t even question if you’ll be at the final table. You just know,” she observes, her brows raised. “You’re such a bad ass, Big.”
“I’m just ready,” I correct her, smiling. “And when I’m ready, no one can take me down. No one can beat me.”
There’s a knock at our door just as Cassie finishes packing up her pool bag. She swings it open, revealing Kip in nothing but a pair of red board shorts and Ray Bans.
Cue mouth watering.
“Well, I guess I don’t need to wish you good luck then,” Little says, winking back at me before excusing herself. She smiles at Kip as she scoots past him and he gives her a slight head nod before making his way inside.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he says and my stomach flutters at his words. He holds out a can of Red Bull and I exhale a long breath.
“You’re a life saver,” I say, popping open the can and drinking half of it in one gulp. Kip eyes me, smiling.
“You ready to go?”
I pull my hoodie on and check myself in the mirror. The make-up is from last night, but I’ll be wearing sunglasses, so I’m not that worried about it. Everyone will be outside while I play today, anyway.
“Yep, let’s do this.”
We make our way to the seventh deck, making a pit stop for mimosas on our way to the casino. As we walk, Kip holds my hand in his and I can’t help but feel exhilarated at the touch. There’s no more hiding, no more games – it’s just me and him.
“You don’t need to sit in here and watch me all day,” I say, pulling him to a stop just outside the casino. “Go hang out on the deck and enjoy the weather. It’s too pretty to be stuck inside.”
He smiles, his blue eyes even brighter against his tan skin. “I want to watch you play. I promised a game of water basketball with the guys this morning but then I’m coming back and I’m all yours.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
He cuts me off. “Again, I want to. Besides, we still have tomorrow in Key West before we head back to the port.”
I nod. “Okay, but if you get bored just go outside. It’s not a big deal.”
Kip laughs. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“What?” I blanch. “No, I just –”
“I’m joking.” He cuts me off, pressing his lips to mine and effectively taking the breath I needed to finish the sentence. When he pulls back, he eyes me curiously for a second before asking, “What’s my lucky number?”
I scrunch my nose. “Huh?”
“The formula that your dad uses, do you know it?”
“Oh, yeah I know it.”
“Well,” he chuckles again. “What’s my lucky number?”
I smile. “When is your birthday?”
“April 6th, 1993.”
“Okay, so you do the number of the month plus the date plus the last two of the year. That would be four plus six which is ten. Then add nine, nineteen. Then three, twenty-two. Then you add those two together so two plus two is…” I falter, my eyes growing wide again as I meet his.
“Four.”
“Four,” I breathe, repeating him. “Holy crap, maybe that’s why it worked at Roulette. Maybe four is luckier for you than it is for me.”
“What happened to me being your good luck charm?”
I laugh. “Well, it’s all messed up now! I think you’re stealing my luck!” I shove him away and hold up my two index fingers in an “X”. “Stay back, luck-stealer.”
