Page 21 of A Convenient Heart
But tonight, the cigar smoke was irritating his eyes. The noise of that lonely cowboy doing an awful job of charming the saloon girl grated on his nerves. Even the feel of the cards under his fingers was off.
He couldn’t stop thinking about those moments facing Merritt on the wide porch of the two-story boardinghouse. The words had beenright thereon his lips to tell her the truth, but the exhausted lines in her pretty face had dissuaded him. He couldn’t do it.
He’d taken the coward’s way out and agreed that they should meet for breakfast in the morning.
Except he’d seen the train schedule and knew there was an eastbound train leaving early in the morning.
He’d be on it. Gone from her life. Away from this town where he didn’t belong.
It would be a good thing too. He couldn’t forget that Morris had been on that train just yesterday. Some distance from that part of Jack’s past wouldn’t hurt.
Agitated, he tossed his cards down and folded. He’d lost track of the cards during this hand, a mistake he hadn’t made since the early days when he’d started playing.
He told little white lies all the time. Being a little flexible with the truth was often a way to gain the good graces of someone Jack wanted to get closer to. It was part of how he was able to help people.
But something about speaking the lie to Merritt was bothering him like a pebble inside his boot.
He scratched the back of his neck, still missing his comfortable old cowboy hat. Straightened his shoulders and sat back in his chair a bit. He just needed to focus.
“Mind if I join in?” a new voice asked.
Jack vaguely recognized the man in a sharp vest and trousers and nodded a welcome. He’d met several folks and bumped elbows with a dozen others over the course of last night and this morning. He couldn’t remember them all and only had a vague recollection of seeing this man before.
A new set of cards was dealt, and the antes were slid to the center of the table.
The new man flipped open the side of his jacket to reveal a fine vest underneath and a gold pocket watch dangling from inside. He placed a stack of dollar bills on the edge of the table.
He must’ve been sizing up Jack in the same way Jack had been doing, because his eyes narrowed.
“Do I know you? Ah. You’re Miss Harding’s beau.”
Jack had kind of hoped to spend his hours here tonight avoiding any talk of Merritt. None of the other men in here had given any hint of recognition.
He picked up his cards for a glance and to keep from answering.
“Does she know you’re here?” Pocket Watch pressed. He hadn’t touched his cards yet. “She’s such a sobersides—you can bet that once you’re hitched, she won’t allow for this kind of fun.”
Scraggly Beard guffawed and Pocket Watch slapped his knee, amused at his own cleverness.
A thunderous anger stirred inside Jack. He didn’t know Merritt—not really—but he’d judged her as an upstanding woman. How dare these two mock her?
But there was a deeper part of him that knew Pocket Watch was right.
He couldn’t imagine Merritt liking someone like him—the real him. The Jack who earned his living at a card table.
It shouldn’t matter. He was leaving in the morning.
You aren’t playing against the man across the table. You’re playing against yourself. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you.Bybee’s voice echoed in his mind.
The man had taught Jack everything he knew about cards. And then some. And that voice from his past was right.
Jack stuffed the anger down inside until all he felt was a cool indifference.
Even if he did feel a thrill of vindication when he won a total of two dollars off Pocket Watch.
He knew better than to press his luck or raise suspicion, so he pushed back his chair after the next hand.
Pocket Watch watched him with a baleful stare while Scraggly Beard and Mustache were busy counting their remaining funds and organizing the cards for the next hand.
