Page 58 of Lucky Shot
Mike and Travis chuckle. Nick rears back like I asked him for the password to his bank account.
“I’m giving us away,” I say and wave my hand toward the guys, each of them folding as they take their turns.
Reluctantly, and frowning like it’s his job, Nick takes off his hat and places it onto my head. It’s too big and falls over my eyes.
I tip my chin up so I can meet his gaze. “Better? Do I look like you now?”
I smash my lips together and try to look as grumpy and broody as him.
His lips split into a smile, and he gives his head a shake as he huffs a small laugh. The reaction lights me up. There’s something very satisfying about making the grumpy hockey player laugh.
“Spot-on impression,” Conrad says.
“Nick could never pull off a midriff shirt,” Travis adds.
“Better than you could,” Nick fights back.
“Keep your clothes on, Galaxy.” Penn smirks.
I look between them and beam. “Oh my god. You’re both smiling!”
Everyone else except Nick and Penn laugh. Penn’s lips twitch with amusement, and when I glance back at Nick, he’s shaking his head at me again. He reaches out and lifts the brim of his hat so it sits higher on my forehead. Absently, his pinky brushesmy hair out of my eyes. His hand lingers there a moment and electricity zips through me.
“Whose deal is it?” Mike asks.
Nick’s hand drops and his body tenses as if he’s suddenly become aware of his actions.
It takes a few more hands until I finally feel like I’m getting the hang of it, and they deal me in my own cards. I’m terrible at calculating odds and all the other things that Nick instructed me as being important when considering your hand, but I’ve had decent luck flying by the seat of my pants. I spend my time trying to read everyone, like they claimed to be able to do with me. Unsurprisingly, Nick and Penn are the hardest to read.
I’m staring at the now hatless man to my right when it’s his turn. He’s stoic and almost robotic in his movements. If he has a tell, I haven’t figured it out yet.
Nick raises on his turn and relaxes back in his chair. He must feel my stare because he slides his gaze to me. “What?”
I narrow my gaze. “Nothing.”
His dark brow lifts in challenge as I continue to burn a hole through his face. Is he bluffing?
I take one more glimpse at my cards then decide to fold.
“Me too,” Penn says as he slides his cards to the center of the table. Only then does Nick smirk. It’s small and it’s gone nearly as quickly as it happened, but my jaw drops in surprise. He was totally bluffing!
“I should get home before you all cheat me out of the rest of my money,” Travis says.
“The way you’re playing tonight, you’re practically giving it away,” Danny retorts.
“I should go too,” Conrad says.
“Is that the time?” Mike asks, holding his phone out and tipping his head back as if getting a good look. He stands. “It’s way past my bedtime. Thanks for the game, boys.”
Travis and Conrad stand, then Danny.
Nick reaches for the cards. “Penn?”
“I’m going to head out too.” The big guy pushes back from his chair and stands. He’s taller than I originally thought. He adjusts his hat on his head, lifting it, running his fingers through his light-brown hair, then placing the hat back on. “Are we still on for running around the lake tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah.” Nick dips his head with a nod. “I’ll meet you at mile marker one at five.”
Penn nods—two nodding, stoic, grumpy men. I think they probably have entire conversations without using more than a dozen words.
