The Baby Gamble (Texas Hold'em)

“I do.”

“Please turn and face each other.”

Doing as she was told, Annie thought about the ring she’d slipped to Becky. The one she’d given Blake more than ten years before. The one he’d handed to her for safekeeping when he’d left on that business trip to the Middle East six years ago.

Blake, with a searching look, took both of her hands in his, and Annie knew, in that second, that they were going to be okay. Really okay.

Blake Smith didn’t know what had hit him yet. But he would. Just as soon as they got off the plane in San Antonio that night.

She held out her left hand when instructed, and couldn’t stop the tears from springing to her eyes as she felt the thin gold band slide onto her finger. And then, turning to Becky, she took her own offering, holding Blake’s gaze as she slid his wedding ring back where it belonged.

She wasn’t sure he recognized it. Didn’t expect he would. And then she felt his hand tremble in hers. Saw the moisture in his eyes and knew that he had.

“Don’t you ever take this off again,” she said, interrupting the ceremony in a loud and clear voice. Her own wedding poem.

“Never.” It was that vow that Annie heard, over and over, as their group went up to a penthouse dinner and then, changing clothes, took the limousine Blake had arranged back to the airport.

There was to be no gambling today. They would form a circle around Brady Carrick and get him safely home.

Because that’s what they did. Formed circles of love around each other and shared strengths where there were weaknesses.

THE PLANE LANDED, they claimed their baggage and, after a quick exchange with Cole, June and Becky, Annie stepped alongside Blake. He saw the exchange. Didn’t know what it meant.

Jake Chandler had come back to Texas with them, intending to arrange a funeral for his uncle, deal with the bar and then head back to California. But he was going to stay in touch this time.This was where the party ended for the day. Annie had her car. Blake had his. She had her home in River Bluff. His was in San Antonio.

And he was okay with that. Fate had seen fit to give him this second chance to have Annie as a part of his life. And he would not waste a single moment mourning for what might have been. For what couldn’t be. He would, instead, be grateful every day of his life.

Luke and Brady had driven together and, calling out their farewells, they headed off before the rest of them. Blake didn’t mean to interrupt, to observe something that was absolutely none of his business, but he couldn’t help noticing the long glance Luke Chisum gave Becky Howard as he took his leave.

As far as Blake knew, the two had never exchanged so much as a word during the entire twenty-four hours they’d been in Las Vegas.

Clearly, they should have. There was something to be said between them. That much was obvious.

And maybe it was his business. Just as his business was theirs. Something to talk to Annie about.

Sometime. Over the phone. Or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

The members of their group slowly peeled off, going to their cars. Cole and his mother drove away, and that left only Blake’s wife and her best friend. The two women had driven to San Antonio together. Which meant that Blake wouldn’t have a moment alone with Annie before they parted.

But he could call her later. Thank her for marrying him. Tell her that he was glad they’d done what they had that day. That he had no regrets.

“Okay, call me.” Becky’s words reached him. The women were leaving. But why would Becky want him to call her? “See ya, Blake.” She walked to her car and got in.

Leaving Annie standing there.

“Let’s go,” she said brusquely, moving past him, wheeling her bag behind her.

“Where are you going?”

“To your car.”

Standing there perplexed, and then maybe a bit frustrated, angry or something, Blake called out to her. “It’s not over there.”

Annie turned around, came back, passed him and continued on her way.

“It’s not there, either.”

“Then where the hell is it?” she asked, standing before him.