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“Felt what?” Eliza asks, walking into the kitchen

“Oh, nothing important,” Ro says

“Are you going to all your classes?” Eliza asks sternly “Keeping those grades up?”

“Of course, Moo”

“Good girl” Eliza puts an ar

The sesture makes me think of my own mom She’s not a soft, ot overto be with h she’s a very flawed person, I should o home and visit sometime

“How about you, Gia?” Eliza asksokay?”

I sood”

“Still working on your poker game?”

“I am”

No one—not even Ro—knopoker My father raised s like that close to the vest Ro knows Iinto debt chasing a dream

“And you’re okay on money?” Eliza asks me

“I’ood, thank you”

Ro’s parents are middle class, but the way they’ve acceptedthey’d offer help with money if I needed it I alished for a fa up, with faether

My dad was a poker junkie, though And now I aet back to a table toht

Because I a to do with the amount of money I win It’s about what thatwill distractit

Chapter Five

Maverick

“Want to go out tonight?” I ask Pike as I walk into the main locker room area, a towel secured around my waist after my post-practice shower

He gives o out, or do you mean search poker rooas anymore?”

“Yes or no, dickhead?”

“Yeah, I’ll go But seriously, give it up, man We’ve checked pretty much every poker room on the Strip”

“So we’ll go off-Strip”