Page 20 of Black Ice
She practically floated out of the ballroom, the smile on her face a permanent fixture as she crossed the casino. It was remarkable how quickly her concerns and frustrations evaporated. One email promising money and she positively glowed inside and out. Her mind gleefully ran the numbers from modest to bold to outrageous, prioritizing her expansion plans. Thanks to various marketing podcasts and years in the local outdoor-adventure industry, she could justify each and every change she planned to make. Neither her father nor her new investor would have cause to doubt or worry.
It was nearly noon when members of the stranded group started meandering into their private casino floor. In general, they seemed distracted by the gloomy weather reports and the blanket of white outside every hotel room window. Evie mingled. There was no reason to take her station as dealer yet. She made suggestions and asked questions, polling the guests on everything from how the Silver Aces could make the impromptu stay better to their favorite winter activities.
They wouldn’t have thought of it yet, but once Holly was done and gone, it would take time for roads to clear and airports to reopen. How much time was solely dependent on the amount of snow Holly unleashed. On another quick errand behind the scenes, Evie caught a glimpse of the near white-out conditions through a window. It was easier to understand Jack’s earlierconcern. She made a mental note to brainstorm ideas that would keep people busy and engaged once the sun came out again.
“Evie? What are you doing here?”
She cringed at the sound of Wyatt’s voice, but she did stop to speak to him politely. “I could ask you the same thing.” Her pulse kicked at the sight of him. Why couldn’t she enjoy this same flutter when she looked at Jack? Or any other man?
“Don’t do that,” he said. “You promised me you’d be at home today.”
She guided him to the nearest alcove and tried to give him a genuine smile. It faltered. “I work here, Wyatt. This is where I’m needed, especially with a storm that’s closing roads. Why didn’t you get out last night?”
“I told you I’m here on business.” He frowned, his gaze roaming the space again.
“Same for me.” She gave a small shrug, thinking about her investor. “Besides I’m local,” she quipped, her happiness still fizzing through her. She was a local and thanks to Tate she’d remain a local business owner. “And I’m on the schedule.”
“I suggested leaving yesterday morning and was shot down.” His frown didn’t ease much. “This morning I told my boss it was too late to get out,” he said. “I’ll catch a flight after the storm.”
“You had time to change hotels.” He couldn’t possibly want to spend more time in a casino than necessary.
“Maybe I was hoping to run into you again. I’d like more time with you.”
His voice tempted her to believe, to entertain the possibility of something more between them than awkward, lingering feelings. Suddenly, she was swept back to their last summer as Cottonwood guides and the sweet summer-infused kisses they shared down by the creek. Nothing awkward about those kisses. He’d smelled of sunshine, his hair lightened and his skin bronzed from hours in the sun. Her gaze dropped to his lips andshe caught herself before she foolishly leaned in for a fresh taste of him.
“Are you implying you knew I’d come back to the casino?” she asked, folding her arms to hold herself back.
His expression eased, mischief dancing in his blue eyes. Her stomach twirled in response, as if she was going over that first, thrilling plunge on a roller coaster. Why couldn’t she resist him?
“Goes to show I still know my best friend. Can I take you to lunch?” he offered.
“No, thank you.” She had to hang on to her resolve. He was talking about friendship and her heart and hormones were screaming for something else entirely. Wyatt was her past. Her future was the casino and Cottonwood thanks to Tate. “We’re on a skeleton staff and I need to get back.”
She continued back to the ballroom and he followed her inside. “This is…wait. What is this?” he asked.
“A special event. Private for this particular group,” she replied. “They’re stranded until the storm passes.” She saw the queue for waiting poker players and, smiling, walked to the open table where she would be running an introductory game of Texas Hold ’em. “You really can’t be here.”
Again, he trailed after her. “You thought of this,” he said as the players took their seats.
She shot him a warning look as a few guests took chairs around the table. “The Silver Aces was happy to find a way to make the weather less of an inconvenience for our guests.”
“We’re glad you did,” one woman said. Her hair was gray and she had laugh lines at her eyes and a speculative smile as her gaze moved between Evie and Wyatt. “Will you join us, handsome?”
“I’m afraid Mr. Jameson is on his way out.”
“Evie, I just want five more minutes.” His phone rang and he glared at the screen before declining the call.
“That’s Miss Cotton,” she corrected him with no heat at all. What a difference a little bit of hope could make. She wasn’t as scared of what she might do or say. Of the fallout if she did something impulsive. The email from Tate had infused her with confidence and a subtle affirmation that things were moving in the right direction. Finally. “He’s an old friend,” she explained to the players gathered around the table.
“When is your break?” Wyatt pressed.
“You need to stop.” She removed the deck from the automatic shuffler. “I have plans over my break.”
The older woman with the laugh lines eyed Wyatt again and bobbed her eyebrows. “In your shoes, honey, I’d adjust the schedule.”
Evie chuckled. “He’s always been persistent.” She was too relieved to be overly irritated by Wyatt. “Now, let’s talk about the game.”
Wyatt pulled up a chair and she chose to ignore him. If he kept quiet, no one would notice him and she could escort him out during her break. She gave a preliminary overview to the group and they followed along, asking intelligent questions as they worked through the opening bets and rounds of the game.
