Page 49 of In Spades

The sound of footsteps from upstairs drew my attention to the door. A moment later, Steve and Erica came down and joined the group.

“You’re late,” Maddie said from behind the bar. She was busy cleaning up so we could start the first round of poker.

“Sorry,” Erica said, tossing her purse aside. “My parents are in town, and they’re watching Aly tonight. We had to make sure everything was settled.”

Erica’s relationship with her parents had been rather testy over the years. They had put in the work to mend old fences after a few near-death experiences. I loved that for her, but her restored relationship with them reminded me that I would never let myself have that kind of reconciliation.

Aly was the luckiest little girl. She had four sets of grandparents doting on her. Tom and Evelyn Daniels, Steve’s former in-laws, spoiled the shit out of her as if she was their own granddaughter. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

Steve wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her back against his chest. Erica looked up at him like he hung the moon and stars.

“DeRossi, Lawson,” Steve said, nodding in their direction. “Welcome back.”

Steve Pelham was a man of few words. Hell, that greeting alone was the most cordial he had been to Isaac, well, ever. His bride had softened him up.

Erica whispered something in his ear. He looked around and shook his head.

“Bee here yet?” Steve asked. “Where’s Chase? I saw his truck out front.”

The group looked around the room in confusion.

“I think Bridget stepped outside,” I said, feeling a sudden urge to buy them a few more seconds together.

Maddie and Hannah Jane shared a conspiratorial look.

“You mind tracking them down?” Maddie asked me, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

The back of my neck prickled as a wave of suspicion washed over me. They were up to something. The look they shared gave me the sneaking suspicion that they wanted to talk about something, but needed me out of the room.

Probably just them coordinating who would bring suspiciously timely “leftovers” to my house next.

Quietly, I slipped through the French doors, not bothering with my shoes. The air was crisp, but the sand under my feet was still warm. I looked around for Bridget, but I didn’t see her.

Moonlight glistened over the still water. The high tide left only a sliver of beach between the grass and where the water lapped the sand. There weren’t many places for Chase and Bridget to go.

Movement caught my attention. Beams of light from inside the house illuminated Chase’s broad shoulders. He was walking down the beach toward a figure sitting in the sand.

Bridget stood up when she saw him. She dusted the sand off the back of her faded jeans and wrapped her arms across her waist. She was still in her black and red Jokers tank top and had to be cold.

“Hey,” she said quietly. “Is it time for poker?”

Chase shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I just figured I’d come find you. Haven’t seen you in a while…” He dug the toe of his work boots into the sand.

Bridget ran her fingers back through her honey blonde hair and tossed it to the side.

I almost turned around and went back inside, not wanting to intrude. Curiosity got the better of me.

“Are you really going to marry him?” Chase asked. His raspy words were laced with heartache.

Bridget didn’t say anything at first. She dropped her hands in front of her and clasped them together. “Yeah,” she whispered absently. “I am.”

Chase shook his head and turned away from her, walking until his boots hit the water. “So that’s it?” He laughed sarcastically, pulling his Carhartt ball cap up before running his hand over his short buzz of dark hair. “I don’t even get a chance?”

“What am I supposed to do, Chase?” Bridget sounded exasperated as she sided up to him. “Never get married? Is that what you’re saying?”

Chase turned to her.

Do it, Chase! Kiss the hell out of her! I silently cheered for him to do what he should have done years ago.

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