Page 125 of Truck Off

Jayla turns to face me and grabs my arm. “Oh no you don’t. You’re marching your butt in that room and telling that man you love him.”

“I can’t. Not in front of everyone.” I protest.

“Yes, you can.” She insists while waving her hands in the air in a sweeping motion. “Grand, remember?”

“Um.” Frank clears his throat. “I’m afraid I’m gonna have to side with Lina on this one. As much as I support those two declaring their love for one another, I can’t let you interrupt the game.”

Jayla glares at Frank, and for a second, I think she’s going to object. But then she lets out a heavy sigh. “Fine. We’ll wait until he’s done playing and then I’ll make her tell him.”

Franks smiles. “That, I can let you do.”

Jayla takes my hand and leads me into the auditorium. A few heads turn our way, but for the most part, no one notices that we enter.

We find a spot near the front of the bleachers and take a seat. There’s only one table occupied with players, and it’s about twenty feet away from where we’re sitting.

Chase is sitting opposite me. All he has to do is look up and he’ll see me.

“How long have they been playing this round?” Jayla whispers to the man sitting next to us.

“Just started. This is the first hand.” He answers her.

That knowledge allows me to relax some. I’ve not played Euchre much, but I know the basics. If no one has scored yet, this could take at least ten rounds until they’re done. That would give me plenty of time to figure out what I’m going to say to him.

But then Chase looks up and meets my gaze. Our eyes lock and so many emotions pass between us in a matter of seconds. Mila must see the shift in his expression because she turns around. A broad smile covers her face when she sees me.

“Well, thank the heavens,” she says before she turns back to Chase. “Don’t you get any dumb ideas until this game is over. You got that?”

Chase tosses his hands up in surrender. “I’m not going anywhere.” Then he picks his cards up and tosses one in the center.

They play four rounds before Grams loses her temper. The Baylors take the winning tricks and score five points. In the last round, they won all five tricks, earning them two points instead of just one like in the previous three rounds.

Grams is pissed because Chase is distracted.

“Will you get your head out of your ass and back into this game?” she says loud enough for everyone in the auditorium to hear.

“My head isn’t in my ass. Those were some shit hands. Can’t win with shit cards.”

I can’t see Grams’s expression, but I know her looks. She’s probably glaring a hole right through Chase. “Bullshit. We haven’t done this poorly all day. Lina walks in and suddenly you forget how to play Euchre. Get it together.”

The crowd chuckles and someone pats me on the back. I don’t bother looking because my eyes are locked onto Chase. I give him a smile, and something shifts in his eyes. The worry that was there slips and is replaced with something I am all too familiar with. Need.

The game continues and the Mutters make a comeback, scoring six points while the Baylors rack up three more points. The score is eight to six.

Mr. Baylor deals and flips up the Queen of hearts. Chase passes on calling suit as do the rest of the players. When it comes back to Chase, he now has the chance to call suit based on the cards in his hand.

“Spades, and I’m going it alone,” he says without hesitation. He doesn’t even make eye contact with anyone at the table. His gaze is locked on me.

“The hell you are,” Grams says. “If you don’t win all five tricks, they win the tournament.”

Chase looks at Mila. “I know how the game is played, and I’m going alone.”

Mila huffs and tosses her cards down. “You’re just as stubborn as she is. If we lose, no baked goods for you for at least a year.”

A smoldering grin covers his face and winks at me. “Then I guess I better not lose.”

Chase tosses down the king of spades. Mrs. Baylor follows that with the ten of spades and Mr. Baylor tosses down the nine of diamonds, showing he doesn’t have any spades.

Chase’s grin turns cocky. The next three rounds move fast, Chase taking each trick with little effort. When he tosses down the jack of spades, the highest-ranking card, in the last round, the game ends.

---