Not that I should complain. A little extra pocket money never hurt. And they made it so damn easy.

“You got lucky,” Dallas grumbled.

I cocked a brow. “The last five times?” Standing up, I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my wallet.

Ty held out his free hand, beckoning for the buy-in money. “Put up or shut up.”

Many hands later, it was down to Fitz, one of our senior defensemen, and me. He wasn’t a bad poker player, though not quite as good as he believed. He played in tournaments recreationally, which gave him an inflated sense of confidence.

And made him the perfect mark.

Ty dealt the final card. The river gave me the nine of spades I’d desperately needed.

Beauty.

“Call.” Fitz raked a hand through his copper hair—his tell. He had something, just not something big enough to beat me.

“Flip ’em,” I said, nodding at his hand.

Fitz turned over his cards to reveal a full house: three eights and two kings. Not bad.

Then I flipped my cards over, displaying a straight flush in all its glory: a nine, ten, jack, queen, and king of spades.

Fitz’s eyes bulged, and he slapped the round tabletop. His face reddened beneath his freckles, and he made a fist, pounding his thigh beneath the table.

“Dammit, Carter!”

“Bullshit,” Dallas muttered. “Did you have those up your sleeve or what?”

Ty cleared his throat. “Ahem, the dealer is right here, jackass, and that shit wouldn’t fly at my table. I have fucking eyes.”

“What?” I shrugged, pushing the cards over to Tyler to put away. “You thought I was bluffing?”

Fitz gestured with the neck of his beer, still baffled. “You went in big on a pair of twos a few hands ago.”

“All a part of the game, my friend.”

That pot had been small, the payoff huge. Because it made Fitz think I was a reckless idiot, which was why he went all-in against me just now.

I ended the night two hundred dollars richer. Can’t say I didn’t warn them.

28. double date

CHAPTER 28

DOUBLE DATE

Chase

The bus ride home felt like days.

When I walked in, Bailey was curled up on the living room sectional with her silver laptop propped up beside her. She looked adorable wearing black leggings paired with my white Falcons hoodie. Definitely an added perk to coming home.

Her hazel eyes lit up when they landed on me. “Hi, stranger.”

She closed her computer and stood to greet me as I rounded the couch. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I ducked my head to kiss her. Her warm vanilla scent surrounded me, always smelling vaguely like a cookie or something equally delicious that I wanted to devour—literally.