by A. C. Grey
Unfortunately for Tess, her Pink Chucks could only counteract so much bad luck. After playing well for days, she was knocked out in forty-fourth place. While she was disappointed, she couldn't really complain too much. Forty-forth place paid a little over $200,000, which wasn't a bad return on her $10,000 entry fee. She made her way over to where Zoey was playing and leaned against the rail to watch.
A year ago, if someone had asked her if she'd have been mad to be knocked out of the World Series at this point, she would have wholeheartedly said yes. But not now. Watching Zoey succeed, seeing the giant stack of chips in front of her girlfriend made her equally, if not happier than if she'd been in that spot herself. She couldn't wipe the goofy grin off her face as she watched Zoey do her thing.
She had to laugh quietly to herself as she saw Zoey expertly shuffle a stack of chips between her nimble fingers, remembering the night she'd taught Zoey that very trick. Her girlfriend was gorgeous, breathtaking even, and it wasn't just the leather jacket and those ridiculously hot aviators. It was something that came from within – it was her confidence. Something that had been dying to get out for weeks and had finally overtaken her. Zoey might not know it, but Tess could see it. She no longer needed the cocky poker diva façade. She had become what she'd been pretending to be. She was confident, she was sure, and it was a good look on her. Tess continued watching in silence, smiling as her girlfriend controlled the table, making it look effortless.
"She's pretty great, huh?" A man's voice cut through Tess's quiet moment of admiration.
She looked up at the bystander. " Yeah. She's the most remarkable person I've ever met and a great poker player."
The man nodded and they went back to watching Zoey in silence. Tess smiled to herself. Now, even strangers were starting to notice how incredible Zoey was. She'd come such a long way.
By the end of the day, Zoey had accomplished something that not many people in the world could ever claim. She had made the final table of the biggest poker tournament in the world. Zoey met up with Tess, who immediately wrapped her arms around Zoey in a warm hug. "I can't believe it, Zoey. You made it. No . . . actually, let me correct that. I can believe it. Because you are incredible."
Zoey hugged her back and grinned. "Thank you."
Tess pulled back and gazed into Zoey's eyes. "Thank you for what?"
"For everything. For having faith in me. For being there for me. For supporting me. For loving me. For everything. Without you, none of this would have happened."
Tess shook her head. "You and I both know that's not true. You did this, Zoey. Sure, I was there, cheering you on. But this is on you and you alone. Don't ever doubt that."
Zoey smiled as she studied the redhead's gorgeous face. "You are incredible, Tess. I love you so much." She placed a quick kiss on Tess's lips before continuing. "Now come on, the night's young and I want to celebrate."
"What exactly do you have in mind?" Tess smiled.
"I want to dance with my gorgeous girlfriend. We're going to a club."
"Not exactly what I had in mind, but . . ." Tess's words were cut off by Zoey's mouth upon hers.
After kissing her soundly, Zoey leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Don't you worry, Ms. McLeod. I have more than one kind of dancing in mind for tonight. But first, the club."
Tess laced her fingers through Zoey's. "Alright, lead the way. It is your night after all."
* * * * *
They got to the club and both immediately regretted it. It was packed, it was hot, it was sweaty, and it was filled with clientele who could only be described as 'barely legal.' "Why do I feel like I'm the only one in here who doesn't still have to ask their mommy for lunch money?" Tess whispered into Zoey's ear.
Zoey laughed. "Yeah, it's like we're the chaperones at a really bad high school dance. Seriously, I feel old."
Tess shook her head. " We'll just have to show them how it's really done." She placed a quick kiss on Zoey's lips. "Now, are you going to buy me a drink? Otherwise, how are you going to get me drunk so that you can take advantage of me?"
Zoey cocked a bemused eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Somehow, I don't think I need to get you liquored up to do that. But yeah, if we're going to stay at this club full of children, I'm going to need a drink. Rum and coke?" Tess nodded. Zoey pulled her wallet out and handed her purse to Tess before heading to the bar. Tess seized the opportunity presented to her and pulled Zoey's phone from her purse. She sent a quick text to Zoey's dad before slipping the phone back.
Mr. Cameron – It's Tess again. Hopefully you get this. I just thought you should know that your daughter made the final table of the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. Tomorrow she plays for the world title and millions of dollars. Look it up. It's a big deal. This isn't a whim. Your daughter is incredible. Don't throw that away. – T.
Zoey came back with their drinks and they enjoyed them while quietly flirting with one another. After finishing them, Zoey took Tess's hand and led her to the dance floor. Tess wrapped her arms around Zoey's neck while Zoey encircled her waist. Bodies pressed tightly together, they moved in tandem with the beat, hips grinding, breasts brushing, breaths intermingling in a silent prelude to what they'd continue in private later on. Zoey closed her eyes, savoring the electric closeness, the marvelous feel of Tess's body against her own. It was insanity, really. No matter how many times they'd touched, how many times they'd kissed, how many times they'd made love, just the slightest contact from her girlfriend sent her body into overdrive. Inhaling Tess's sweet, citrus-laced scent, Zoey pulled her closer, burying her face in Tess's auburn curls as they continued to sway with the music.
Finally, unable to take it any longer, she crashed her lips to Tess's, their tongues immediately finding each other, mimicking their dance, their tango, as they tasted, savored, enjoyed each other. Tess thrust her hips against Zoey's as she raked her fingers through Zoey's dark hair, needing to deepen their embrace as much as was possible. A low moan rumbled in Zoey's throat as they continued their explorations, the music, the club, the world ceasing to exist beyond their two bodies, their lips.
Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through their private moment. "Wow, Zoey. Never would have pegged you for a lady lover." Zoey pulled back in shock. Tess turned to study the source of the voice in front of them. It was the same bystander she'd chatted with earlier. Confused, she looked to Zoey.
"Uh . . . Steve. What the hell are you doing here?" Zoey said to her ex.
"I heard you were here in Vegas pretending to be a poker pro. Figured I'd come and check out if the rumors were true. Guess they left out the really juicy bits.” He gestured to Tess with a slimy smirk on his face. "Why weren't you this interesting when we dated? We could have shared the ladies."
Tess struggled to contain her rage as Steve continued to mock Zoey.
"What do you say, Zoey? We can make another go of it and share this hottie here. I'm sure she won't mind." Unable to suppress her anger any further, Tess balled her fists before lunging at him.
Zoey held her back. "Don't worry, babe. I've got this." She looked Tess straight in the eye, silently warning her not to make a scene.
Zoey then turned to the jackass standing in front of her. "Let me tell you a few things, Steve. First of all, there is no chance in hell that I will ever go back to you. If we were the last two people on Earth, I'd be completely comfortable letting the human race die out before I'd take you back. Second, Tess or 'the hottie,' as you called her, is incredible. She is one hundred times the person you will ever, ever be. So yeah, I'm not going to share her with you or with anyone. I don't know how you found me here, but frankly I don't care. The fact that you assume that you can just waltz back into my life after cheating on me and then having the audacity to blame it on me, shows me that you haven't changed. You're the same delusional, self-absorbed, pig that you always were. What I ever saw in you is beyond me. So do me a favor and crawl back into the hole you came from. Now, you'll have to excuse us, but I'm going to take
my gorgeous girlfriend home. The closest you're ever going to get to our bedroom is in your dreams." With that, Zoey grabbed Tess by the hand and led her from the club.
Steve was clearly taken aback by Zoey's confident set down. She wasn't the timid, obedient girl he'd known. "You were never anything without me!" he called after Zoey. Zoey shook her head and didn't look back.
After getting in the car, Tess leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Zoey's cheek. Turning Zoey's chin so that they were eye-to-eye, Tess smiled. "The way you stood up for you . . . and for me, back there . . . it was spectacular. And fucking hot. You're right. He doesn't deserve you."
Zoey smiled wanly. "Let's not talk about it anymore. The last thing I want to be thinking about when I take you to bed is my jackass of an ex-boyfriend."
Tess nodded. "Fair enough. Remind me though, if we ever run into him again, to thank him. If he hadn't been such a jerk, I'd never have found you."
Zoey smiled and gently squeezed Tess's hand as they drove home.
* * * * *
Tess awoke the next morning and turned to snuggle into her girlfriend. However, her body was met with a cold, unoccupied side of the bed. After looking at the clock and realizing it was still a few hours before they needed to wake up, she sat up, blinking as she searched for her absent girlfriend. She rose and headed from the room, eventually finding Zoey outside, pacing back and forth beside the pool.
Coming up behind her fretful girlfriend, Tess wrapped her arms around her before placing a gentle kiss on her shoulder blade. "What's up, babe? Can't sleep?"
Zoey turned in her arms, facing Tess. She let out a sigh. "I don't know. Nerves, Steve, my family. Not sure. Just feeling a bit uneasy. I can't help but worry that I've gotten this far, only to fail."
Tess pulled Zoey in for a tight, reassuring hug, rubbing gentle circles across her back. "You're going to do great, Zoey. I just know it. And you can't fail at this point. Even if you get knocked out in the very first hand today, you've still accomplished more than many other poker players ever will. Even me." She pulled back and fixed her gaze on Zoey's. "I've never made the final table of the Main Event. You are great, Zoey Cameron. So just relax and have fun."
Zoey nodded and swallowed hard, letting out a deep sigh. "You're probably right. It's just hard not to feel nervous. All the press and the cameras and everything. I just wish I had your confidence sometimes."
Tess smiled. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't actually think I'm as awesome as I often profess to be. I get nervous too. I've just developed ways of dealing with it. Little tricks. In fact, I think I've got just the thing for you. We've got a few hours before the tournament. I've got a plan." With that, Tess turned and headed back towards the house.
"Tess, if this is just a ploy to get me back in bed . . ."
Tess turned and laughed over her shoulder. "Zoey, you and I both know that I don't need a ploy to get you into my bed. Now get your mind out the gutter and come on. Get dressed. We've got an errand to run."
Zoey rolled her eyes and followed her girlfriend inside. Shortly thereafter, Tess was driving them to a mystery destination. As they pulled to a stop, Zoey turned to look at Tess with a bemused expression on her face. "A shoe store?"
Tess nodded and flashed Zoey her gorgeous smile. "Yep. We're getting you some pink Chucks."
Zoey shook her head. "Oh, no. No way, Tess. Pink shoes are all sorts of wrong. You will never, ever get me into a pair of pink shoes."
Tess rolled her eyes and got out, heading around to the passenger side to pull Zoey from the car. "Don't knock 'em til you try 'em. Now come on inside. Humor me."
Zoey grumbled but let her girlfriend lead her into the store. They came to a stop in front of a display of many different Chucks, in many different colors and styles. Zoey crossed her arms in mock indignation before shaking her head again. "I'm sorry, Tess, but I cannot, simply cannot handle pink shoes. It's not gonna happen. Ever."
"Zoey. Trust me. Once you've got them on, you'll feel their magical powers. You'll never know how you lived without them. Then, you'll go and kick that tournament's ass. Don't underestimate the power of the Chuck."
Sensing that she wasn't going to win this battle, Zoey sighed. Her girlfriend's endearing obsession with her ridiculous shoes was wearing down on her. Part of her wanted to give in, just to see the smile on Tess's face. But the other, wise and rational and wholly unperky part of her screamed no. No to pink shoes. After chewing on her lip indecisively for a moment, she smiled. She knew what to do.
"Tess. I'm sorry, but I cannot, will not, do pink shoes." Tess looked a bit crestfallen and Zoey almost caved right then and there. "However, I am willing to compromise. What if I get these instead?" She reached over and picked up a pair of dark blue and black plaid Chucks. "They're a little less flashy. A little more my style. Not everyone is capable of rocking the pink Chuck like you are, babe. I'm just not awesome enough." She smiled as she mocked her girlfriend.
Tess took the shoe, studying it with an intent look on her face, clearly pondering the effectiveness of a shoe that wasn't pink. The furrow in her brow as she examined the shoe, taking the job a little too seriously, made Zoey want to laugh. Her girlfriend and her perky eccentricities were absolutely adorable. Finally, Tess nodded. "Yeah. This could work. I can sense the magic. Not quite as powerful as the pink magic, but it might do. It probably suits you better. It's kind of like the magic wands in Harry Potter. Each person has to find the magic wand that's right for them. Here, each person needs to find the Chuck that works the best magic for them. So yeah, I approve. Let's get them."
Zoey burst out laughing. "Tess . . . you seriously did not just compare shoes to Harry Potter."
"Uh, yeah, I did." Tess said in complete seriousness. "What's wrong with that? Harry Potter is awesome."
Zoey shook her head. How in the world had she ended up with a Harry Potter-referencing, pink shoe-wearing, awesome-spouting, ball of perkiness like Tess McLeod? And how in the world did she make her so happy? She didn't know, but right now, she was willing to admit her love for both Harry Potter and for pink shoes.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
As Zoey made her way under the bright lights of the TV cameras to the final table, she couldn’t help but grin. Maybe her insane girlfriend was onto something. Her new blue shoes were in place and though she’d never, ever admit it aloud, especially to Tess, they did boost her confidence just a little bit. She also had to smile as she thought about the reason she’d chosen that particular pair of Chucks. Blue, though never a real favorite of hers, had quickly become her favorite color. Undoubtedly because blue was the shade of a certain perky redhead’s eyes. Zoey could no longer look at the color blue without thinking of Tess and those beautiful eyes. And though she hadn’t told her girlfriend, she’d brought along her own lucky charm. Safely residing within her pocket was a photo of Tess she’d snapped while Tess had been sleeping. As play got underway, Zoey felt her nerves creep back in. Instinctively, she reached into her pocket and rubbed the photo, remembering how thankful, how lucky she was to have found Tess and her fears quickly subsided.
Zoey glanced up into the stands that the casino had erected, searching for Tess. After scanning the crowd, she finally locked eyes with her gorgeous girlfriend. As she did so, a giant grin spread across her face. Zoey’s heart swelled as she noticed the two people sitting next to Tess. Tess’s parents were there. They had come to cheer her on, to watch her try to play her way into poker history. Tess had kept their arrival a secret. Zoey took a few deep breaths, trying to retain her composure. It meant so much to her. These people, who’d she’d only spent a short time with, were willing to make the trip just to support her. Because she was important to Tess. She closed her eyes briefly, willing away the tears that threatened to form. She was moved beyond words. After their weekend in San Diego, she considered them family already, and clearly they felt the same way. Reaching into her pocket once more to feel her photo, she took a deep breath and focused on the ga
me.
After folding a bad hand, Zoey took the opportunity to study her opponents. She recognized only one player, a professional she’d heard of named Jack Gomez. He had a reputation for being a young, aggressive player and for playing lots of hands that other players would throw away. She knew that he could be a force to be reckoned with. She looked around at the rest of the remaining players, many of them as-of-yet unknowns. Just in the short time they’d been playing, she’d been able to pick up a few tells on some of them, which she knew she could use to her advantage down the road. After sizing up her competition, she had a feeling that, other than the unpredictable role that luck would play, Gomez was probably her biggest competition. She felt she could make quick work of most of the other players. She smiled to herself as she realized what she’d just been thinking. She was, for one of the first times in her life, sure of herself. She had this. She could do this. Whether it was the magic of the Chucks, the photo in her pocket, her cheering section in the stands, she couldn’t be sure. But somehow, deep down, she knew that it was none of the above. She was here because she’d earned it. And she could do this, not because of any superstitions, but because she was a great player. This tournament was hers to lose.