The Gambler (Notorious 2)

“I’m saying—to the kid who tried to steal my car—” I arched my eyebrow and let that sink in “—don’t get any ideas.”

“My idea was learning how to play cards so I could make some money, now I’m free labor—”

“I’ll pay you,” I said, because that thing about the money bothered me. I knew the kid needed out, needed a way to take care of his sister, and I remembered feeling that way all too well. “But that’s between you and me. Juliette doesn’t need to know.”

Miguel nodded in agreement and I felt a shimmery satisfaction at doing the right thing.

“Now,” I said, opening the door to the rear courtyard—the one that was truly magical, even to a jade like me. “Let’s get some tools and go to work.”

But the kid barely heard me. He stared wide-eyed and slack jawed at the maze and the whirling fountain, the glittering glass roof of the greenhouse.

I walked past him, smiling, to the toolshed in the back corner. I swung open the wooden door to the dusty interior of the shed and the smell of grass and dirt flooded out, giving me the weird desire to actually get my hands dirty.

Miguel caught up and took the tools I started to hand him. A couple of scrappers, a crowbar, a sledgehammer. I tucked a few pairs of dirty canvas gloves into my back pocket.

“Hey, how come you’ve got such a nice yard and your house looks like crap?”

“An excellent question,” I said. “I think we were just waiting for the right extortionist to come along.”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“Sometimes,” I said.

“What’s the story with you and the chief?” Miguel asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked, playing dumb as I stepped back out into the sunshine.

“Why does she expect the worst from you?”

I kicked the door shut behind us.

“Because that’s all I’ve ever given her.”

8

JULIETTE

Driving from the station to The Manor on Monday afternoon, I had no idea what I was going to find. Maybe Miguel didn’t even show up. Or maybe Tyler picked up and left over the weekend and just didn’t let me know. It brought me a weird satisfaction thinking this. Like believing the worst of him was just so cozy. And look, I’d gotten over Tyler leaving the way that he did. My heart repaired itself and maybe it didn’t work the way it used to but it worked.

I was fine.

To my total surprise when I slowed down to a stop in front of The Manor I was happy to see Miguel was there, crowbar in hand trying to take off the boards of the porch. And there was Tyler, sitting in a lawn chair, looking like some bayou prince all gilded and sleek.

And my heart responded not even a little bit. I wouldn’t let it.

But the questions I’d put away for so long, they were back.

Why? Why did you leave like that? What went wrong? Was it all a lie?

Completely irrelevant, but I wasn’t going to lie, I wanted the answers. I wanted the answers bad.

I stepped out of the car to the sounds of them arguing.

“This is bullshit,” Miguel said when he caught sight of me. He held out the end of the crowbar towards Tyler. “He just sits there. While I’m breaking my back on this porch.”

“It’s community service,” I said.

“You’re taking his side!” Miguel could not believe it.

“Looks like we’re done.” Tyler said, folding up his paper. “Go ahead, Miguel and take the tools back to the shed in back.” He stood, his tee shirt and jeans shifting over his tall lean body. He had more shoulders than he used to. More size all around.

He was a man.

The thought sent an absolute flood of memories through my brain. Since he came back, I’d been fixated in my unguarded moments on our first kiss that summer. I’d walked right up to him at JJ’s and told him he needed to kiss me.

“For science,” I said.

“What kind of science?” He asked in that sun-licked drawl.

“Comparative studies.”

“Oh, honey, there’s no point in comparing me to anyone.” But he stood and the second he slipped the wide palm around my waist my body lit up like a flare. And kiss or not, his touch was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me.

The kiss, looking back, had changed my life. That was how he kissed. Like the future was in the balance.

“What are you thinking about, Jules?” Tyler asked, grinning at me like he knew.

“How was Miguel today?” I asked, skipping over his question.

“Fine. Surly.”

I smiled.

“Juliette,” he breathed and against my better judgement I looked at him. And I realized he was playing our greatest hits back in his head like I was.

“Don’t,” I said. “You don’t get to look at me like that.”

“I know. But I don’t know how to stop.”