Page 5 of Power Play Pursuit

“James!” Martha calls from her usual seat at the poker table. The other players—Bill, Esther, and a lady I don’t know—all turn around, their faces lighting up.

“There he is,” Bill says, standing up slowly, and I join them, urging them to stay seated.

“Grab a seat, boy,” Martha says as I hug each of them in turn.

“And who is this lovely lady?” I ask when I make it to the woman I don’t recognize.

Martha flashes a smile. “This is Lois, a new arrival. She’s got a knack for cards.”

“Nice to meet you, Lois. I’m James.”

“Hello, James,” she greets me, her eyes narrowing slightly. There’s something familiar about her, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. “Do you play poker?”

“Absolutely.” I grin. “That’s why I’m here.”

We start chatting, and soon, we’re fully invested in our game. Martha was right, Lois is a great card player—and a fantastic bluff. I’m going to have to up my game.

“Full house,” she says, showing her hand. That’s her third win in a row.

“Son of a biscuit!” I growl. I really thought I was going to win this one with my flush.

“Oh!” Esther exclaims while Martha just throws her cards on the table.

This is not good. Especially with the already-elevated blood pressure around here.

We play for another half hour before Martha calls it a day, saying she wants to go take a nap. Although she’s a notorious sore loser, so she might just be sulking in her room. Lois follows suit, high on her winning streak.

“How long are you staying today?” Bill asks, putting the cards away. “Do you want to play rummy?”

“Only another hour. Season starts today,” I say with a wide grin. We don’t usually talk about hockey—which I appreciate greatly, given it’s all I think about outside this place. The only exception is Bill, who’s a hockey fan, through and through.

“Oh, golly! Is it starting up already? I didn’t even know it was October yet.”

I chuckle. “I know. It’s crazy how time flies.”

“Are you ready for the season?” he asks, stacking the cards. “I’ll try to watch the game tonight.”

“We are. It’s always exciting to start a new season, especially as the defending champs.”

“Don’t let the pressure get to you,” he says, squeezing my shoulder. “What else is going on with you? Anything new to report?”

I lean back against my chair. “Afraid not. Things are pretty boring out there. I’m sure you have much more exciting developments here at Golden Age.”

Bill laughs, looking around. “It does feel a bit like those fake television shows they always have on.”

It takes me a second to catch up. “You mean reality TV?”

“Is that what it’s called? Doesn’t seem too realistic to me,” he says with a chuckle. “Always arguing and wearing too much makeup.”

“Yeah, that pretty much sums itup.” I laugh.

He frowns, his bushy eyebrows colliding. “What’s the deal with that, anyway?”

I shrug. “Beats me.”

It’s true. I’ve never understood those new beauty standards—the blown-up lips that threaten to deflate under an angry kiss, or faces caked with ten layers of makeup. A lot of girls look like Barbie dolls today. It probably comes from their own insecurities, because I don’t think a single man in history has ever said, ‘Darn it! If only she had longer eyelashes!’ Thinking about this topic immediately puts Elizabeth and her naturally flawless features front and center in my mind. Her smooth skin, the perfect shape of her kissable lips, how her gray-blue eyes widen when I flirt with her.

“So, still no Mrs. Adler?” Bill asks, pulling me back to reality.

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