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He gazed pointedly at me, but I shook my head “I’m happy with my drink”

The server smiled and left us Nervous, I directedbetween us now except two drinks and a few feet of empty air What was I supposed to talk to him about? What could I have to offer a sheikh when it came to conversation?

“So…do you live in Las Vegas?” I asked

S but safe

“I’d much rather talk about you,” he said “It’s not every day I meet a real-life Lady Luck”

I blushed and glanced down at my drink “I’m not that lucky,” I said “Honestly, I could just as easily have bowled you over and killed you as won you money”

When I looked back up, Jalaal was sht rows of teeth His sh allop? These ones were, anyway

“I think you underestimate yourself,” he said “I’m sure there have been plenty of tih”

I wanted to tell hi, the series of events that had led to where I was in life would hardly be considered fortunate by most people A first, foolish love, a broken condom, a deadbeat boyfriend Apart from that one serendipitousfrom catastrophe to catastrophe

Not that I would tell Jalaal that

Wait, should I be telling him about Sam?

Inme to let loose and not worry soabout everything I had to worry about—which o at all

“I once won a teddy bear at a county fair,” I offered “It wasn’t a very big one, mind And I’m not sure if that counts as lucky since those are technically supposed to be games of skill”