“Excuse us,” Jesse said, pulling me by the arm to my feet. America eyed me warily as I was ushered a few feet away.
Jesse’s father ran the casino, and it was more than just a surprise that he had joined the family business. We used to chase each other down the halls of the hotel upstairs, and I always beat him when we raced elevators. He had grown up since I’d seen him last. I remembered him as a gangly pre-pubescent teenager; the man before me was a sharply-dressed pit boss, not at all gangly and certainly all-man. He still had the silky brown skin and green eyes I remembered, but the rest of him was a pleasant surprise.
His emerald irises sparkled in the bright lights. “This is surreal. I thought it was you when I walked by, but I couldn’t convince myself that you would come back here. When I saw this Tinkerbell cleaning up at the vet’s table, I knew it was you.”
“It’s me,” I smiled.
“You look…different.”
“So do you. How’s your dad?”
“Retired,” he smiled. “How long are you here?”
“Just until Sunday. I have to get back to school.”
“Hey, Jess,” America said, taking my arm.
“America,” he chuckled. “I should have known. You are each other’s shadow.”
“If her parents ever knew that I brought her here, all that would have come to an end a long time ago.”
“It’s good to see you, Abby. Why don’t you let me buy you dinner?” he asked, scanning my dress.
“I’d love to catch up, but I’m not here for fun, Jess.”
He held out his hand and smiled. “Neither am I. Hand over your I.D.”
My face fell, knowing I had a fight on my hands. Jesse wouldn’t give into my charms so easily. I knew I would have to tell him the truth. “I’m here for Mick. He’s in trouble.”
Jesse shifted. “What kind of trouble?”
“The usual.”
“I wish I could help. We go way back, and you know I respect your dad, but you know I can’t let you can’t stay.”
I grabbed his arm and squeezed. “He owes Benny money.”
Jesse closed his eyes and shook his head. “Jesus.”
“I have until tomorrow. I’m calling in a solid I-owe-you, Jesse. Just give me until then.”
He touched his palm to my cheek. “I’ll tell you what…if you have dinner with me tomorrow, I’ll give you until midnight.”
I looked at America and then to Jesse. “I’m here with someone.”
He shrugged. “Take it or leave it, Abby. You know how things are done here...you can’t have something for nothing.”
I sighed, defeated. “Fine. I’ll meet you tomorrow night at Ferraros if you give me until midnight.”
He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “It was good to see you again. See you tomorrow…five o’clock, all right? I’m on the floor at eight.”
I smiled as he walked away, but it quickly faded when I saw Travis staring at me from the Roulette table.
“Oh shit,” America said, tugging on my arm.
Travis glared at Jesse as he passed, and then made his way to me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at Jesse, who was watching us from the corner of his eye.
“Who was that?”
I nodded in Jesse’s direction. “That is Jesse Viveros. I’ve known him a long time.”
“How long?”
I looked back at the vet table. “Travis, I don’t have time for this.”
“I guess he chucked the youth minister idea,” America said, sending a flirtatious grin in Jesse’s direction.
“That’s your ex-boyfriend?” Travis asked, instantly angry. “I thought you said he was from Kansas?”
I shot America an impatient glare and then took Travis’ chin in my hand, insisting on his full attention. “He knows I’m not old enough to be in here, Trav. He gave me until midnight. I will explain everything later, but for now I have to get back to the game, all right?”
Travis’ jaws fluttered under his skin, and then he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “All right. I’ll see you at midnight.” He bent down to kiss me, but his lips were cold and distant. “Good luck.”