Page 57 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

“I’m a pharmacist,” she said. “I’m on the island for six months. Well, five more.”

“Seriously?” Emma asked. “First, that’s sweet. You two met at work and are both here temporarily. Love that. But more importantly, I’d love to pick your brain. The things I could get out of you in terms of murder and pills.”

She laughed. “Any time,” she said. “I mean it.”

“Perfect,” Emma said. “Not to ruin your date, but can I get your contact information? Email works if you want.” Emma handed over her phone. “You can type it in my notes right here.”

Justine took the phone and put her information in and handed it back.

“Thank you for meeting me,” she said.

“My pleasure,” Emma said. “Hate to run, but I know Griffin needs to get back on the floor and I’m going to pick his brain while I’ve got him.”

“That was so much fun,” Justine said a few minutes later when they returned to the casino. She was sitting at a slot machine this time having to get off her feet. She wasn’t used to fancy shoes for long periods of time.

To her, a few hours was long when she was used to having more comfortable shoes on.

“I’m glad,” he said. “Seems like it’s a good night so far.”

When the machine started to ring, she turned her head from Garrett’s smile and saw that she’d just won again.

“Oh my God,” she said. “What is happening?”

He started to laugh. “I think you just won over ten thousand dollars.”

17

SETTLE HER DOWN

“That’s the best night I’ve had in the casino,” he said an hour later. “Just being with someone winning that much.”

Justine was overwhelmed with the attention she got and then didn’t know what to do or how to cash out.

Mitchell and Eli had both come over to congratulate her and Mitchell walked her through the cash out, the taxes removed, and handed her a check since she didn’t want that much cash on her.

“I found it funny that Mitchell asked if I was returning to try my luck tomorrow,” she said.

“I said the house normally wins, but this time you did,” he said. “A lot of people can’t or don’t walk away and want to keep trying their luck for more and end up giving it right back.”

“I can see where it can happen,” she said. “If I didn’t have other things on my mind, I might have wanted to keep playing to see if I could win more, but would have made sure I left in the black and not the red.”

“If you left in the red after that, I might worry I created a monster,” he said, laughing.

“Nah,” she said. They pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. It was only eight and still early in his eyes. He didn’t want the night to end and hoped she asked him up. “As I said, other things are on my mind.”

He got out with her and she didn’t say anything, so they walked toward the door. “Meeting Emma, right?” he asked.

“That was great too. Thank you again. But not that.”

He hoped it wasn’t something with her family from last night.

When they got to her apartment and she shut the door, he asked, “Care to share or it’s none of my business?”

She removed her purse from around her body and tossed it on the chair. No thought at all to the check of her winnings in there when many would do something with it right away.

“Something more important to me, I guess,” she said, moving closer to him.

Her arms went around his neck, she leaned up and got on her tiptoes and pulled his head down for a kiss.

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