Penny pulled her hair back from her face and tied it into a low knot with the elastic on her wrist. “My test results speak for themselves.”
“How about you let your dealing skills speak for themselves.” Brett nudged her elbow, and her skin tingled.
“Is it my turn?”
He nodded, and Penny reached for the cards.
They played for another hour or so, and Penny won just enough to keep a few Smarties in reserve. She stayed in play until the last hand, where only Tyler and Emma were left standing. As Emma pushed all her candy into the middle, Tyler’s eyebrows lifted.
“You sure about that?”
Emma’s cheeks flushed. “Positive.”
“You remember what’s at stake?” Tyler’s grin turned devilish.
Brett leaned back in his chair. “What’s at stake, Ty? I’m sure Sean would love to hear about your secret sex bets with his sister.”
Sean’s face reddened. “Bowen, I swear to—”
“It’s not a sex bet!” Tyler held up his hands, and Emma glared at Sean.
“Maybe itisa sex bet. A super hot, dirty sex bet—”
“I told her that whoever lost tonight had to get up tomorrow to meet the electrician at six thirty in the morning!”
Kelty laughed out loud. “The electrician that always hits on Emma?”
“He hits on Tyler, too!” Emma exclaimed. “But we can’t find anyone else who’s as good for the price, so . . .”
“Emma’s going to have to deal with it tomorrow because I . . .” Tyler paused dramatically, then dropped his cards. “Have a full house.”
Emma’s eyes twinkled. “OramI?” She dropped her hand to reveal four nines, the two in her hand and two from the flop and the turn. Tyler almost swallowed his tongue. Emma pushed back her chair and swung her arms over her head in a victory dance.
When she finished rubbing it in, she leaned over the table. “I can’t tell you how good it feels to know you’re going to be the one objectified tomorrow while I’ll still be cozy in bed.”
Tyler crossed his arms in front of him while she scooped all his Smarties to her side of the table. “It’s fine. I’m getting breakfast at Noni’s on the way.”
“If you don’t bring me a chorizo bowl we’re through, Bowen.”
Tyler grinned, and Penny decided Emma was her new favourite person.
“You all need to get out of my house. I’m turning into a pumpkin.” Brett ran a hand over his face, and Penny glanced at the clock on the microwave. Almost midnight.
“When did you get old, bud?” Tyler clapped Brett on the shoulder as Kelty and Sean cleared their water cups and took them to the sink.
“Speaking of old, we need to plan something for Fly in the fall,” Sean said.
Kelty frowned. “I can’t believe it’s his last season.”
“Only with the Snowballs, right? He still has Masters,” Emma said. Sean nodded.
Penny didn’t know Fly personally since he hadn’t been at the Sunday supper she attended, but she’d heard his name mentioned enough to know he was important. “You could go skydiving,” she offered. “It’s good team building, plus his name.”
Brett stood and scooted his chair in. “Have you gone skydiving?”
Penny nodded. “With my brother.” Her chest squeezed. That had been one of her many attempts to help Lucas see there were better ways to get high.
“Do you think Fly would do it?” Kelty asked.
