Page 59 of Gambler's Fallacy

“Of course,” he tells me.

I know we still need to talk about this morning, but I’m grateful he isn’t insisting on it.

I don’t think I’ll be so lucky when Caleb returns, but it’s a small mercy that I’m willing to accept for now.

I nod, closing my eyes again, then mumble, “Thank you, Daddy.”

“Sleep well, beautiful,” he whispers back.

I won’t, but at least I’m here in Vortex’s arms instead of alone.

It’s something.

THIRTEEN

VORTEX

Connie is wearing verygarish leggings, to go with her garish purse. Maybe I don’t understand modern fashion, or I’m too old or too male to really get what’s going on with women’s taste in clothes.

She smiles at me when she spots me walking toward her. “Hey, big brother!” she says with a big smile. “Ready to get your ass kicked?”

I roll my eyes. I’ve been kicking her ass at mini golf since we were kids, and if she thinks that’s going to change, she’s in for a rude awakening.

I wish I could’ve brought Seven. He’d probably enjoy it, but the two of them had instantly hated each other, and I hadn’t wanted to piss Connie off by asking if I could bring my “twink boyfriend” with us.

“Keep dreaming, sis,” I tell her as we head toward the front counter to purchase our passes for the day. I pay for us, and the kid at the counter hands over the little golf clubs and balls. I look ridiculous wielding one of these, but it’s one of the few things the two of us can do together.

“I think I figured out the trick to hole five,” Connie says as we make our way to the first hole. “I got a whole new technique worked out.”

“Wait, did you come without me? Did youpractice?” I ask with mock horror. “You know that’s cheating.”

She sticks out her tongue at me. “It isn’t! All’s fair in love and mini golf!” She sets her ball down on the starting area and makes a show of figuring out the angle for her shot.

The first hole is an easy one, with a few tiny mounds for obstacles. It still takes her three putts to get the ball into the hole.

I grin at her. “So much for practice, huh.”

“You’ll see!” Connie takes the ball out of the hole. “I’m just getting warmed up!”

“Uh-huh,” I say, unconvinced. My ball goes neatly into the hole on the first tap of the club. “Wow, it’s almost like I’m going to beat you. Badly.”

The banter is refreshing, familiar, and it’s nice to talk about something other than her constant need for money.See? I want to tell Caleb.She’s fine.

We get through the next few holes with no issue, although I don’t get a hole-in-one again. I’m still ahead when we get to the fifth hole.

The fifth hole is the first that has a real challenge, with an obstacle down the middle that requires the ball to bounce off the sides, against a beam, and then into the hole. Neither of us has ever gotten a hole-in-one here.

“Should we play with handicaps?” I joke as she gets set up. “How about I double my strokes, to give you a chance.”

“You’re laughing now, but I’m going to make you eat those words,” Connie says haughtily. She gets into position and sets up an angle that looks wildly off.

I cough. “There’s no way you’re going to get it standing right there. Do you want me to show you how to get it done?”

“Nope! I’ve got it!” Connie draws the putter back for a largerswing, and now I’m imagining the ball going over the small barriers and into another hole’s area—or worse, somewhere inaccessible.

To my shock, though, she manages to get the ball near the hole. She doesn’t do a hole-in-one, but it’s close enough to where I quirk a brow at her. “Someone really has been practicing. What did you do, come out herejustfor the fifth hole?” I tease her. “Because I have way fewer swings on the first four than you do.”

“Yes, actually,” Connie says with a laugh. “There was this party ahead of me that was taking ages to get through things, so I spent forever on this hole. Then I got bored and skipped ahead.”

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