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“I think we’d stand a better shot in L.A. Maybe we should go back there,” I joked. I watched as his shoulders slumped and his spirits clearly fell. “Of course, I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait as long as you want, as long as I feel like I’m not intheway.”
“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with all this.” Harry’s frowndeepened.
Without thinking, I reached out and ran a hand through his gorgeous strawberry blonde hair. “I’m not. Otherwise, we might nothavemet.”
We pulled up to the valet and stepped out. Together, we walked into the lobby. “I’ll see you soon,” I murmured as I pasted a smile onmyface.
“I’ll go with you, help you get seated.” Harry wrapped an arm around mywaist.
“Dude, I am perfectly capable of finding a table. Go on,” Iurged.
“Dude, huh?” He smirked. “Note to self: don’t infringe on Laney’sindependence.”
I grinned. “Yougetme.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for a hint of a second. “I try. I want to.” Then Harry waved and bolted for theelevator.
As casually as possible, I wandered toward the restaurant, then I heard a commotion in the casino and decided to check it out. A man seemed to be causing a scene at a blackjack table. When I managed to pick my way through the crowd, I discovered it was Drew, ofcourse.
“I want to play at this table,” he complained drunkenly. “Tabby is my good luckcharm.”
“It’s Talia,” she grumbled. “Sorry. This tableisfull.”
“You don’t look sorry, Tawny. You look sour.” He chuckled at hisownjoke.
Security was making their way toward him and I knew I needed to intercede before he ended up in jail and rehab. I shook my head, hoping to allay all the old fears, which were ready tosurface.
“Hey, Drew,” I cooed as I pushed through the last few people separating mefromhim.
He whipped around and looked at me. Recognition lit up his face. “Jenna! So good to see you. Come playwithme.”
I shook my head. “The table is full. Why don’t you comewithme?”
“Nah,” Drew grumbled. “I’m in Vegas. I wanttoplay.”
I popped my hip out seductively. “Are you sure you don’t want to buy a girl a drink?” Security stood a few feet behind him, but I shook my head and waved them back. Talia, the dealer, managed to keep theirattentiontoo.
Drew eyed me for a moment. “A drink. Sure.” He moved closer and threw an arm over my shoulder as I turned to move him out of the casino. This was a ridiculous time for me to realize I didn’t have Harry’s phone number. “Jenna is an awesome name,” Drew slurred as westumbledaway.
“Well, it’s a bastardization of my last name, but I’m really glad you like it.” Years of taking care of my mother had taught me how to indulge drunks and make them pliable instead of explosive. “My name’sLaney.”
“That’s not what you told me the first time we met, Jenna.” He wagged a finger in my face. “I think you’re trying to pull one over on me. Good luck with that. I’m notdrunk.”
We wandered through the lobby, and the bell boy came rushing over when he saw me supporting all of Drew’s weight the best I could. “Let’s get you to a seat, sir.” He motioned me to a cushioned bench in an alcove. “I think you’ll be morecomfortablehere.”
Drew shook his head even as he crumbled onto the settee. “No. I promised Jenna a drink. I’m a man ofmyword.”
The bell boy looked at me helplessly. I shook my head. “Can you call upstairs and let Miss Summers and Mr. George know their friend, Drew, is downstairs with Miss Jenner?” I spoke in a low voice, hoping to avoidalarmingDrew.
“Jenna, I don’t feel well.” He heldhishead.
Though I’d been standing in front of him in case he fell forward like before, I now moved to sit beside him and hold him up that way. I’d learned my lesson. “Is this better?” I rubbedhisback.
“A little.” He burped and I nearly choked on thefumes.
“Did you drinkhere?” I knew the accuracy of drunken responses was questionable at best, but I really wanted to make conversation, distract him while we waited on everyone to comedownstairs.
“Here. And several other places.” He looked at me andgrinned.
