The Baby Gamble (Texas Hold'em)

“YOU READY FOR THIS?” Becky fluffed the curls that fell most of the way down Annie’s back in their room at the Mirage Saturday afternoon. The two of them had arrived the night before and, other than having a long visit from June, who was just down the hall, along with Cole, they’d seen no one.

They’d slept. Ordered room service.And talked for most of the night.

Becky was there for Annie. She wanted nothing to do with Luke.

“Completely ready,” Annie said. She was nervous, afraid of some of the challenges that lay ahead, of not having a clear, controlled plan for the protection of her heart, but adamantly certain she was doing the right thing. The best thing.

For her, the only thing. She belonged with Blake.

Just as June had belonged with Tim Lawry. For better or worse.

“You know, I watched my mom run her hands over the wood on my cradle. And as she talked, I could remember my father doing the same sort of thing. He was gifted, Bec. That man could look at wood and see amazing things.”

“I know, honey.”

“He had weaknesses, but we all do.”

“Yes.”

“I let my memory of the bad overshadow the good.”

“You were a kid, Ann, with the responsibility of an adult suddenly thrust upon you. You did what you could.”

“I had my own weaknesses,” Annie said, looking at herself in the mirror. The wide blue eyes, a child’s eyes, finally seeing the world from an adult perspective. “I hurt my mother so much.”

“You both got hurt.”

“But the thing is, she’s always loved me. Even now, all it took was for me to go to her, and there were no recriminations or blame. No judgments. Just love.”

Becky smiled, nodded.

“She loved my father that same way.”

“That’s what love is, honey. It allows us to see the good, in spite of the bad. And if it’s working right, it gives us the strength to cope with the not-so-good.”

“That’s where I got messed up,” she said. “I somehow got it in my head that it was up to me to choose people in my life who wouldn’t hurt me. When, instead, I was hurting myself because by those standards, I haven’t let anyone love me.”

The concept was convoluted. Not at all black-and-white, easily defined or understood. It wasn’t rigid. But it was life.

If she was ever going to be happy, she had to understand that everyone ha

d weaknesses, to forgive them any pain they caused, and allow herself to love, to accept love, in spite of everything.

Annie was ready to do that. To start living for real.

GLANCING AT HIS WATCH, Blake took a long, deep breath. This was it. The next few hours would bring so much change.

“You ready?” Cole asked. They were due downstairs in ten minutes.“Not just yet,” he replied, listening for a knock on the door. It had to come. Now was the time.

He’d made some phone calls. Pulled some strings with one of the government agents who’d worked closely with him after his release.

He was due to testify at the trial of his captors in another six months or so.

And he knew now that when he did so, he’d have the backing and support of an entire family of friends. Annie and Cole. But the Wild Bunch, too.

It was time they were all together again.

All of them.