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A shadow of disco no one knows about” She pauses and then adds, “It involves my father”

If her dad died eight years ago, what could her presence here have to do with hi Gia froo easily

“Are you trying to make it to a level he never did?” I ask “Like the World Series of Poker?”

“No, it’s nothing like that”

I stare at her for a few seconds, silence surrounding us, trying to decipher her expression She’s closed off, though, giving me the same face she reserves for the poker tables

“I want to think your reason for playing is so that will et that vibe”

“I’ll be happy when I reach it,” she says, still stone-faced

“So it’s a sure thing? You coet whatever this is?”

She considers “I guess there’s a s I can to ”

There’s a steely determination in her eyes I’ve never seen there before I want to keep digging into herhere, but I don’t want to push her away

“I like you,” I say instead

“I like you, too But I’ht to four in the hts a week I keep a low profile I’irlfriend who cheers you on at every game”

I feel a flare of aggravation at her assuh my hair, I say, “Did I ask you for that?”

“Oh, are you thinking just sex? Just the occasional breakfast, we fuck and then it’s see you next time?”

Her tone is curt; Gia seeested doing I hold in h—mostly

“Why are you so goddae me by my actions, not your assumptions I’m not an asshole”

“I know myself,” she says “You’re someone I’d hat I can’t have with”

I sigh heavily, an elbow on the table and ainst my fist

“Talking to you about this is like trying to decode a riddle Can’t I just take you out for dinner? Whatever night you’re not playing poker? There’s so here, and we both know it”