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“I’ll drink to that.”
The girls talked and laughed over a meal that was exquisite, and Carla finished the bottle of wine before dessert. Rylee went to pay the bill with the card Memphis had insisted she take, but the server just smiled and said, “The meal is courtesy of Mr. Novak. Says to tell you thanks for spending time in the high roller room.”
Rylee frowned. Rich people were weird.
“Tell him thank you,” she said, standing to leave.
“Can we go be cheap tourists now?” Rylee said as they walked out into the casino.
Carla hooked her arm through Rylee’s. “Let’s do it. It’s cute how money makes you uncomfortable when you sometimes sit at tables full of it for a living.”
“Not the kind of money that Memphis and Hunter have.”
They walked up and down the strip, taking pictures and laughing for the rest of the day, and Rylee did her best to put Memphis and his possible criminal charges out of her mind. How could she talk to him about it without sounding like she was accusing him of lying? Then again, if he was going to mislead her that way, maybe they shouldn’t be together. That thought put a knot in her stomach. She’d come to think of Memphis as a part of her, and she couldn’t fathom going back to a world that he wasn’t in.
“Call him,” Carla said as they sat at a slot machine she’d insisted they had to play. Rylee hated slot machines.
She sighed. Her friend was right. There was no way she was going to be able to focus on her tournament tomorrow if she didn’t get this off her chest.
“OK. I’ll be right back.”
Carla waved her away “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be right here winning big money.”
Rylee laughed and rolled her eyes as she looked for a quiet corner to make a phone call in.
Memphis answered in the first ring.
“Is everything OK, Ace?” he asked.
His voice flowed over her, relaxing her as if she were sinking into a hot bath, and she blew out a breath. “I think so,” she murmured. “I just wanted to ask you some questions.”
“You sound odd. Are you sure you’re OK?”
She blew out a breath. “Just missing you. I saw something on the news this morning that worried me. Are you sure everything is OK?”
“There’s a hallway to the left about a hundred feet in front of you. Go down it until you reach the fourth door on the right. It will be unlocked when you get there.”
Rylee looked around and spotted her security detail. “Damn it, Memphis,” she muttered as she headed for the hallway.
“Excuse me?” he said, his voice carrying a steely bite.
“I just don’t like the idea that you’re spying on me. Especially when you should still be focused on staying out of jail,” she said as she approached the door in question. The keypad on the handle lit up green and she pushed her way inside.
“Don’t listen to the news, Rylee. Listen to me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me the Arizona DA was still considering charges? That’s major, Memphis. I don’t like it when you hide things from me. If we’re going to get married, that doesn’t work for me.”
Memphis was quiet for a minute. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But I’m handling it. I was hoping to have it all resolved before you heard any of the rumors.”
“That’s fucked up. Don’t do it again,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a hint of a drawl.
“Gross. Don’t call me that.”
“Are you still wet for me, Ace?” he asked, his voice taking on a husky undertone.
“Don’t distract me right now. I want to be mad at you, and I think I’m allowed.”
