Page 54 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

She was lifting her eyebrow at him. She knew he was going to pay for dinner even though she said she wanted to because it was her idea.

He shot her down gently but then said she could take care of their next date.

“Nope,” he said. “Maybe you’re going to blow a thousand tonight. That’s a hefty date.”

She laughed. “Not likely, but you’re right. If I’m throwing money away, it should be mine.”

But an hour later, she wasn’t throwing it away and she was up five hundred dollars on the Roulette wheel.

“It’s got to be beginner’s luck,” he said, shaking his head when she pulled in chips again after hitting the number fifteen.

“I’m not sure what it is,” she said. “I mean I started just picking colors and then I decided to choose numbers. It’s not like I’m hitting them all.”

She’d lost a few games, but it was addicting once you won.

“That’s true,” he said.

He put a few chips on six. She did the same.

“Why did you pick six?” she asked.

He turned to look at her. “Date number six. How about you?”

“The same,” she said. “I’m just picking numbers at random.”

But when it was spun, it landed on six and she was jumping up and down excited.

She never acted like this in public before, but the feeling was intoxicating.

“Enjoying yourself, Garrett?”

She turned to see a big man in a suit come over. His face was serious, but his eyes were laughing as they landed on her, then went back to Garrett.

“Griffin,” Garrett said, shaking the man’s hand. “I am having a good time. Just won for the first time, but Justine here is killing it on a small scale her first time in a casino.”

“Always good to know,” Griffin said.

“Justine Keller, this is Griffin Zale. Head of Security for Bond Casino and married to one of my cousins, Penelope. He also is best friends with the owner, Eli.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, shaking the man’s hand.

“The same,” Griffin said. “It’s the night for family visiting, it seems.”

“Really?” Garrett asked.

That just meant she was going to meet more of his family, and not that she had a problem with it, but it went back to the fact there was no hiding anything right now and she wasn’t sure why she was trying to do that.

“Mitchell and Ethan are losing pretty steadily at blackjack,” Griffin said. “My brother-in-law walked in with a few friends not that long ago.”

“Alex?” Garrett asked.

“Crew. Guess it’s someone's bachelor’s party tonight he works with,” Griffin said.

“Penelope’s sister’s husband is Crew. Alex Bond is married to Griffin’s sister,” Garrett said, explaining the name to her.

“A couple of connections to the family then,” she said. “Best friends, wife, and then your sister also?”

“Seems to be the way it goes here,” Griffin said, smirking. “Then Emma is on her way in, so I’m waiting for that text. I’m bringing her up to my private domain to watch.”

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