Based on the relative height of the pattie stacks, Liz was winning and Nina was close behind. Polly clearly wasn’t all that committed, as she was absentmindedly eating her stack, but Anna and Maggie were still in with a chance.

Maggie turned to Liz. “Blinds are five ten, you’re small.”

Liz threw in five Starbursts, then unwrapped one and ate it. Maggie dealt the cards.

“You seem to be doing well,” Laura said, taking her hand as it was dealt. She peeked: ace, king, spades. Good start.

“No trash-talking,” said Liz.

“That wasn’t trash-talking,” said Laura. “That was an observation.” She picked up a peppermint pattie to see if she could flip it around her fingers as easily as she did a regular chip.

Liz narrowed her eyes at Laura. “I am growing suspicious of your girl-next-door persona, miss. You handle that pattie like a pro.”

Laura shrugged. “Play and see.”

Liz looked at her cards and opened with two patties.

“I’m out,” said Polly, and tossed her cards. She unwrapped a pattie and ate it cheerfully.

The other two also folded, leaving Nina, Liz, and Laura in the hand.

Laura looked at her cards again, looked at Liz, and then said, “Raise you a pattie.”

Nina said, “I’m out, this is too rich for me.” She put her cards down and then said, “Did you know . . .”

Liz said, “Stop,” quite loudly, and stared at her cards. “No poker trivia, we made a rule.”

“Oh yeah,” said Nina, subsiding.

Liz called the pattie, and threw in five Starbursts.

Laura made a mocking noise. “I smell a bluff.” She tossed in five Starbursts to call.

Maggie rolled her eyes and dealt the flop. The three cards lay in the center of the table: seven, eight of spades, nine of hearts.

“Check,” said Liz, rapping her knuckle on the table.

“Me too,” said Laura. “Check.”

Maggie sighed and dealt another card. Ace of clubs.

Liz, who was displaying the worst poker face in the history of the game, grinned and threw in two more Starbursts and another York pattie.

Laura, whose face was as calm as a pond, called.

The final card was dealt: jack of spades.

Liz literally made a crowing noise and pushed her candy across the table. “All in, baby.”

Calmly, Laura called again.

“Read ’em and weep, Knickerbocker, jack high straight.” Liz started clawing back her candy, but Laura raised her hand.

“Not so speedy there, Hollywood.” She laid her cards down. “That would be ace high flush, winning hand.”