by Max Hudson
I set the menu down and glared at him, trying to figure out his motives. “What’s all this about?”
“I told you before.” He shrugged lightly. Every one of his movements were like liquid to me, they were so easy and flowing like he wasn’t solid or all the way there. “I’m terribly sorry for the ordeal that guest put you through. This is my way to apologize. And if you require medical attention of course I will pay for any of the costs.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, still not entirely convinced. It really wasn’t that bad of an injury, just annoying mostly.
The waiter arrived again and I ordered a filet mignon, I never had enough money to have something so nice so I might as well enjoy the chance while I had it. Mr. Knight ordered something with venison and then we were left alone.
“Are you enjoying your work?” He asked, his fingers curled around his glass of water.
“I’ve really only been here for a few hours. But yeah, I was liking it before that guy,” I explained. “But I’m not going to let it bother me.”
“I heard your little speech to him.”
“Really?”
“I had arrived just as you started, I decided not to interrupt you since you sounded so passionate.”
My face grew hot again. Why did everything Mr. Knight said affect me so much? No one else’s teasing got to me like his.
“You are quite the intelligent man.”
I quickly took a drink of water to avoid looking at him. I had to remember that even though he was my boss, he was also my rival in whatever bet I’d gotten myself into.
“I was wondering,” he started. “Where did you learn so much about Blackjack?”
I set the glass down. That was a safe enough topic. “You know, I majored in math, and it’s all probability. Like I was telling that asshole. As long as you learn all the percentages, you can win a decent amount. Although it’s mostly luck. You can have all the skill in the world and still lose.”
“Did you frequent a lot of casinos in your youth?”
Mr. Knight was only four years older than me, what did he mean by youth? “Not really. I don’t like to bet with money. I used to a little in college between friends but that was different; it wasn’t at a place designed to take as much as you’ve got.” I realized what I just said. “I mean…”
“No. You’re right. People understand the agreement when they walk in. We want their money and they want to prove they can take ours even with the odds so stacked against them. The thrill of winning against a much stronger opponent is a hard rush to beat.”
I could tell now he was talking about me. But was the stronger opponent him or me?
“Since you don’t like to bet with money, I was wondering if you would take me up on a different wager?”
“Don’t we already have a bet going on?”
He waved his hand. “That one can wait. I have a feeling it will take much longer to decide who wins. This one will have a set time limit.”
All common sense told me to say no. “What are the rules?” I asked instead of listening to myself.
“Tomorrow, I want you to give me everything you get during your shift and I’ll give you everything I get during mine.”
I ran some numbers in my head. I made a bit in tips plus my wage and he made...a lot more than that. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Do I have to have a reason?”
“I mean I guess not but you do realize how unfair it is to you?” I didn’t even care about how I was maybe talking him out of something that could only benefit me, I just wanted to understand him.
“Understand Mr. Griffin, that you cannot hold anything back. Everything you get during your shift is mine. No matter what it is.”
So not just money. But it wasn’t like people were giving me anything else. Maybe he thought this was some way to get the information he wanted. But no one could give that to me so what did I have to fear? “Fine. If you want to so bad.”
“Do you want to shake on it?”
“Sure.”
I reached my hand across the table and shook hands with Mr. Knight.
“It’s a deal then,” Mr. Knight said and then reclined back in his chair. “I look forward to the exchange at the end of the day tomorrow.”
It was my turn to find out more about him. “Why do you like bets so much? I’d understand if you liked poker or something like that but all of these deals seem to be informal.”
“If you grow up in a casino, you tend to want something a little more adventurous than what’s played around here. You said it yourself, the odds here are fixed. The games I’m playing have a more...surprising outcome.”
My mind flashed to the Green Man who made a deal with me on New Year’s. I glanced up at Mr. Knight. But the eyes were still wrong. They were still beautiful eyes. The flecks of brown brought out the green and in the dim light they almost glowed. But they still weren’t the deep emerald I was searching for. And if it were him, wouldn’t he have said something by now?
Our food arrived and if I never ate anything else for the rest of my life. I'd still die happy. The meat melted in my mouth and it was gone far too soon. “Thank you for the meal.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Maybe we can have lunch again some time.”
My heart stopped for a moment. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“It’s not an intrusion. I usually take lunch here in the booth alone. I appreciate the company this time around.”
I had no idea if he was being serious or not. Everything he said sounded like he was telling a riddle. Did he actually like me being here, or was he a big fan of how easy it was to rile me up and make bets with me?
“I’ll think about it. But not tomorrow. I don’t think I could afford to buy you a meal here due to our wager.”
His smile curled. “Smart man.”
“I try.”
After the bill was waved away, I stood up and moved to button my collar.
“One moment.”
I paused, my hands on the buttons.
“Can I see the back of your neck? I’m worried about the injury you’ve sustained.”
“I mean, sure,” I said, turning around and showing him the undoubtedly angry red marks. “But I don’t need to go to the hospital. And I’m not going to sue you or something if that’s what you’re worried about.”
I turned back around and saw a somewhat angry look in his eyes.
“That man has been banned from the casino for life,” he said with an edge to his voice.
“Good.” Something about the way he was looking at me, part anger and part something else, was it concern? No. Couldn’t be.
“Well I’ll go open up my table,” I said.
“I look forward to your report tomorrow.” He nodded at me and then exited his private “booth”.
I walked out and watched him disappear from the restaurant. I headed back to my table, trying to get back into the headset of a dealer. I had gotten into a sort of groove that I had to recapture. The rest of my shift was uneventful. There were no more screaming customers and no more injuries.
At the end of my shift, back in the breakroom as I was packing up, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
Behind me was Claudia in another stunning dress. It was blood red and floor length with a toga style top and her hair was done up in curls.
“Hey Claudia.”
“I heard about the commotion today.”
“Yeah. It sure was an eventful first day on the job.” I instinctively reached for the back of my neck.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?”
“Did your brother tell you about our deal?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No. I mostly meant are you ready for your first day as a wedding officiant?”
“Am I ready for what?”
Chapter Six
The reason I was ordained to marry people was because Arthur and Lance had talked a lot about getting married and didn’t know who’s side I’d stand on at the wedding and dec
ided to make it fair I’d just officiate it. We’d gotten drunk one night and I filled out the paperwork. I thought it was weird I had to put it down on the application, but I didn’t think it was something they’d actually want me to do. I just thought some people were assigned marrying duties and others were the dealers. I didn’t know you were expected to do both. The stole part of the uniform was starting to make a lot more sense.
“Most of the dealers we have get ordained, but lucky for us you were already certified,” Claudia had said in her bubbly voice.
“Shouldn’t the couple pick who they want to marry them?”
“Some people bring their own, but it’s part of the fun that a dealer does it. Some people have a favorite dealer that they request but tomorrow’s couple didn’t have a favorite so, you it is. Hey? Are you all right?”
I had my face in my hands and I was groaning softly. I had a deep feeling that Mr. Knight knew about this and purposefully planned for our wager to take place tomorrow. I wasn’t sure what he was expecting to get but I had a feeling he had thought the wager through more than I had.
“You’ll be fine.” Claudia patted me on the back, but it didn’t really help.
That morning I was even more nervous than I was before my first shift the day before. It wasn’t just the wager; it was also the fact that I was about to be a big part of what could be the most important day of this couple’s life. I had a tidy script that Claudia gave me the day before to practice but I still felt like I could ruin everything.
I headed into work with a nervous smile plastered on my face. I had the script crumpled slightly in my pocket as I adjusted the stole. For my morning shift I’d be doing the wedding and then I’d go back to working a blackjack table at night. What a strange day I had ahead of me.
I stepped into the chapel, behind the velvet rope and couldn’t shake the feeling that I was trespassing. The door creaked as I opened it. It was strange to hear such an ancient sound along with the chimes of all the slot machines around.
Inside it was a small, one room chapel with five rows of pews on either side. The altar wasn’t elevated and consisted of a simple wooden lectern that looked newer than the peeling green paint walls of the chapel itself. Each step forward creaked. In each of the stained-glass windows there was a vase of flowers, probably picked out by the couple who I didn’t really know anything about. The only clue I had was the last name banner on the back wall. I hoped the soon to be Dillon-Mackenzie’s were a nice couple for my first wedding.
They arrived ten minutes before the ceremony was about to start. The two brides walked in wearing two different but beautiful white dresses.
“I’m Lacy Dillon,” the woman with fiery red hair and the dress with a larger train introduced herself.
“I’m Marie Mackenzie.” This bride was several months pregnant and had beautiful braided brown dreadlocks and a dress that was plainer but with beading that I found eye-catching.
“Nice to meet you ladies, I’m Gavin Griffin your officiant.” I hope I didn’t sound as nervous as I felt.
“How fast are you Gavin?” Lacy asked.
“At what?”
“Marrying people.”
“Honestly? I haven’t done it before,” I admitted.
Lacy laughed and Marie snorted. “Then don’t do this your next time, but we want you to talk as quickly as you can,” Marie said.
“Ready for it to be over with?” I asked.
“You could say that, but I'm more worried about the baby,” Lacy admitted. “She’s due any time now and we wanted to get married before she was born.”
“She’s due today?”
“Well the doctors said any time this week and we already had this day reserved a year in advance,” Lacy explained. “Couldn’t cancel it.”
I quickly got out my notes and I knew I was sweating. “Congratulations by the way.”
“It was expensive, but worth it,” Marie said as Lacy reached forward and touched her belly reverently. “I don’t think she’s coming out today anyway. She hasn’t been kicking as much as she usually does.”
“Then let’s get a move on while she’s sleeping,” I said with a slight grin. This couple was so nice and didn’t freak out when I told them I was new. I felt myself relax. I should have realized it was never that easy for me.
The Chapel began filling with seemingly random guests of just people from the casino, some were even holding chips.
Lacy seemed to see the confusion on my face. “We didn’t invite anyone, so for the witnesses we asked them to send in whatever guests wanted to come to a wedding.”
“People always make brides out to be picky, you guys are the most easy-going people I’ve ever met,” I said.
“I wouldn’t call it that, it’s more like, sometimes, you don’t wait for what you want,” Marie explained looking deep into Lacy’s eyes. “Let me tell you something Mr. Griffin, you gotta take what you want before anyone else tries to take it from you.”
“Then,” I raised my voice. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union between Marie Mackenzie and Lacy Dillon.”
They took each other’s hands and I continued to read off the little paper. I felt like next time I should have it memorized. Holding the crumpled paper made me feel ever more unprofessional. Lucky for me, the couple were more interested in each other than me.
“Today you make the step to become partners for life.” I was almost at the vows and everything was going smoothly.
“Oh.” Marie stumbled slightly.
“What is it?” Lacy asked in a hushed voice.
“My water broke.”
“Shit,” was my undignified response.
Lacy turned and pointed at the whispering audience. “Someone call an ambulance. I don’t have pockets in this damn thing. And you.” She pointed at me. “Keep going.”
“Ahh, I’ll skip a lot.” I scanned through the lines. “Do you both promise to uphold all the vows this paper wanted me to list off?”
“Of course.” Marie had sat down in the first pew and was fanning herself with the veil she pulled off her head.
“Always.” Lacy was hovering over her, with a look of love on her face overtaking the nerves.
I tossed the paper to the side. “Do you want to be married?”
“I do,” Marie said through a groan.
“I do.” Lacy launched herself forward and began peppering kisses on her wife’s faces.
“Then continue to kiss the bride.” While they made out, I found the marriage certificate, got two of the guests to sign it and, once the brides finally broke their kiss, I handed it to them to sign too.
The paramedics came in only moments later and helped Marie up. Before they left, Lacy grabbed my hands. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem ma’am, it was my pleasure.”
She seemed overcome with the dual joy of being married and about to be a parent. She leaned forward and gave me a peck on the cheek before rushing off to join her wife in the ambulance.
The random guests began streaming out after that, all of them talking about the wedding. Somewhat dazed, I walked out and headed to the breakroom to eat my lunch. This was nothing like days at the office.
***
After a fairly easy shift as a dealer, I headed over to Mr. Knight’s office. I didn’t forget about our deal.
He was sitting behind his desk in a dark green tuxedo jacket. “Hello Mr. Griffin. What do you have for me today?”
I handed him all of my tips for the day in cash and chips. “My paycheck too of course. And,” I tried to remember the exact wording. “the advice: take what you want before someone can take it from you.”
He nodded. “Sage advice. Was that everything?”
No. No it wasn’t. I was blushing again. I had to control that around him, but this was a whole new level of embarrassing myself in front of him. I looked away. “Could you come over here and stand next to me?”
I couldn’t see how his face reacted, only hear
d the creak of his chair and his footsteps. I only looked up when I knew he was right in front of me.
I shook his hand and agreed to this crazy business, didn’t I? There was no backing out now. I leaned forward, titled my head up, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. My lips grazed the stubble on his jaw as I moved away.
I couldn’t look at him again.
I heard him hum a little. “You must have had a lucky day.”
“Something like that,” I murmured.
He clapped his hands together and I looked up at him again. “You will find your paycheck different from most weeks and here is the only other thing I received.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out something golden.
I reached out and he set it in my hand. I inspected it: it was a golden pocket watch with an engraving of a deer, its eyes piercing. “Where did you get this?”
“An important guest left after a wonderful stay and in thanks offered me the piece.”
I wanted to say that it was too nice for me to accept, but it was the rules of the game. Instead I said, “So are we done? Are you satisfied?”
“For now.” He smirked slightly. “Good work today Mr. Griffin.”
“Thanks.”
I didn’t want to admit it but, my lips still tingled as I walked out. When the door was closed behind me, I raised my hand to my lips and shivered.
Chapter Seven
“You kissed your boss?” Arthur shrieked and I had to pull my phone away from my face.
“It was on the cheek,” I said meekly.
“That doesn’t make it better, what on earth kind of place are you in?”
“Vegas?”
“I can’t. I can’t talk to him. Lance.” I heard shuffling on their end.
“Hello Gavin,” Lance’s steady voice appeared.
“Hey.” I got back to folding laundry. It was my day off so I was getting all my chores done.
“It sounds like you are getting into trouble.”
“Oh, deep trouble,” I agreed.
“Is your boss pressuring you?” He asked seriously.
“No. It’s just. I can’t help saying yes to all these bets, you know how I am.”