“Oh, she really is the nicest!” I hear behind me, just as two hands sharply come down onto my shoulders.
I swivel my head and see Eli, grinning mischievously behind me.Thisis who Kwan is playing cards with? Comeon. He’s just desperate to wriggle his way into everyone’s good graces.
“Hi, Eli,” I say, attempting to take all exasperation out of my voice and probably failing miserably. I take a step back, because—loath as I am to admit it—his nearness jars me, especially since the image of him in his towel is now unhelpfully flashing through my mind. His physicality always seems to throw me off, and I hate that I now have an even more arresting image to accompany it.
But Eli clearly doesn’t notice, because he sits back down in his chair, across from Kwan, and pulls up his cards again. “Ready for me to beat you handily?” he asks, ignoring me and restarting the game.
Kwan looks back up. “I was having a bad day,” he explains, while he and Eli throw in chips and turn over cards without saying another word to each other. It seems like they’re playing some version of poker. I can see Eli’s whole hand since I’m standing behind him, and I fight the urge to whisper what he’s holding to Kwan.
But once the chips are in, Kwan looks up at me again. “My daughter was going to come up this weekend, but now she’s too busy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say genuinely. As a widower who lives alone, Kwan is always counting the days until he can go to Baltimore to see his only child or excited for her to come visit. “It’s hard when plans fall through like that.”
He nods while throwing in another chip and laying down a card. “I ran into Eli as I was coming out to walk Lucy. Perceptive kid.” He raises his eyebrows at Eli, who shrugs the impending compliment off by staring at his cards even more intently. “He said he wanted someone to play poker with, but I think he could tell I was a bit bummed.”
“You’re underestimating my desire to take your money,” Eli drolls.
“I wouldn’t bet against Kwan, though,” I say, wanting to defend him. “He plays pool with my best friend a lot, and those two are ruthless together.”
“Yeah,” Kwan chimes in, “I could hustle you in pool much better than cards.”
“Well, thank goodness we’re playing cards,” Eli says with a smirk. I can’t help but notice this smirk is a friendlier version than the one he gives to me, more mischief and less irritation embedded in it.
Kwan puts his cards down with a smug look at his hand, which includes three jacks. “Not ‘thank goodness’ for you!” he says, breaking into a belly laugh that shakes the table. The glee is glowing from his face. For being such a softie sweetheart, Kwan really is a treacherous competitor. I’ve seen him with Dane at the pool hall, and you’d think they were in a blood feud based on how seriously they both take it.
My eyes flick to Eli’s cards, and I realize he actually has Kwan beat—three queens. But before I can even make a noise, Eli folds.
“You got me,” he says, miming disappointment.
I’m frozen watching Eli. Kwan notices nothing as he merrily gathers up all the chips while Eli quietly shuffles the deck again. He’s not hamming it up, but he’s not hyping Kwan’s win either. Did he not see his own cards?
Not possible.
He let Kwan win. Subtly. Without fanfare. I would’ve expected any moves to win over the neighbors would be overt—hammering in his memories of his grandmother or buying people’s affection with treats. Letting them think they won a game of cards would fit right into that tactic.
But I can’t help but admit that this isn’t that; this isn’t about winning over or scoring points. This is a dollop of kindness.
It’s strange to realize this abrasive man has a tender spot.
It’s hidden under all those layers of confidence and surety, but it’s impossible not to see now that he’s accidentally shown his hand both literally and figuratively.
Before I can delve into the pit thatthatthought has created in my stomach, my phone buzzes. I look down, hoping to see another text from J, but instead it’s a text from my mother.
Tina: Emergency!!! I need you to call me!
With any other person, I’d immediately scramble to pick up my phone, but with my mother I know it’s probably nothing, so I can take a second to say goodbye. I lean down and first pet Lucy, who looks up at me contentedly.
“I’m off home,” I say to Kwan. “If you need anything this weekend, I’m around. Hope your streak continues.”
I look over at Eli to see if his expression betrays anything, but he’s clearly good enough at poker to not let on that anything’s amiss.
Kwan pats my arm. “You’re sweet, Nora. Maybe Lucy and I will come for a walk with you and George on Saturday or Sunday.”
“That’d be fun,” I say with a smile. I turn to Eli. “See you later,” I mumble.
“Looking forward to seeing you on the roof on Tuesday,” he says pointedly with that smirk he seems to reserve only for me, erasing whatever momentary goodwill I’d begrudgingly let seep in.
I can feel my jaw tighten, and I take a deep breath. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
