Double Down Date Night

Lucas glanced at the cards he'd just received, but not before the dealer gave herself a second card.

"Damn," Lucas said under his breath, realizing too late he had a hard ten. He glanced up at those light blue eyes squinting at him.

"Everything okay, sir?" The dealer asked. Her name was Ayhoka, Cherokee for She Brought Happiness.

"Fine," Lucas answered. Ayhoka's long hair was so black it sometimes looked blue when the light hit it just right, making her blue eyes stand out even more.

The only other player at the blackjack table scoffed. "You could have doubled down, dumbass."

Lucas's eyes never left Ayhoka's as he said, "Could have – would have – didn't." He smiled; Ayhoka smiled back. He then turned slightly toward the guy in the sweat-stained cowboy hat to add, "Makes you wonder why doesn't it?"

The guy's name was Chad. He'd introduced himself when he sat down. Lucas felt immediate tension from Ayhoka and saw her eyes widen a bit in surprise. His head cocked to the side as if asking, "Is anything wrong?" Ayhoka made an almost imperceptible head move for no.

Chad didn't like Lucas's response and frowned. crude and loud. "Aren't you the smart ass," He growled.

"Not all that smart," Lucas replied, winking at Ayhoka. She smiled, and Lucas felt like he'd just told the funniest joke ever. Chad saw the exchange, too, and scoffed. "What are you two grinnin' at? You ain't givin' no signals, are you, girl?"

Ayhoka glanced to her right at Buddy, the security guard. Buddy stepped forward and looked squarely at Chad. "Everything okay here?"

"Yeah. Shit, yeah," Chad said. "Just keepin' the card shark here off balance."

Lucas was no card shark. Cheating at blackjack would be way out of his paygrade. Until Ayhoka started dealing at the five-dollar tables, he'd only played blackjack as a kid. Now, at least, thanks to YouTube, he knew the basics of betting, splitting, and doubling down. He'd been patronizing Ayhoka's table for about two weeks. Before that, when Ayhoka worked as a drink server on the floor, Lucas played the slots. When she brought him another gin and tonic, Lucas tried to start up a short conversation that grew over time. She got her promotion to a dealer and excitedly told Lucas the first chance she got. A couple of drinks later, he proposed they celebrate.

"What do you have in mind?" Ayhoka asked coyly.

"Dinner?"

Ayhoka's eyebrows raised when he suggested Kuro's. "Oooo. Fancy."

"They have an exquisite beef shishito," Lucas said. "Do you like merlot?"

"I like everything," she said as she walked off to take an order.

Lucas could have hyperventilated as he watched her walk away, a spring in her step, obviously happy. Happy over her promotion, for sure. Maybe for the same reason, he was, too, though.

"Are we going to play, or what?" Chad complained.

Ayhoka flipped her card over, showing eighteen. Lucas held sixteen, and Chad showed fifteen.

"Crap," Chad said.

Ayhoka cleared the table. Chad and Lucas laid their bets. Lucas was dealt the five of spades, Chad got the ace of hearts, and Ayhoka dealt herself the three of clubs. On the second go-around, Lucas's card was the four of spades. Chad received a two of hearts, so he was showing a three or thirteen. Lucas gave Chad a sideways glance. He wanted to ask, "You want to do that?" But he didn't. Ayhoka hesitated at Chad's probable losing play but then dealt herself her second card face down.

It was Lucas's turn; he doubled down and was dealt his face-down card. Chad copied Lucas's play.

"Seriously? Lucas thought. For some reason, he thought Chad was a more seasoned blackjack player because of his semi-knowledgeable comments – albeit of the crude insinuation's variety – since he sat down. Even newbies would have known better than to double down on three or thirteen. Lucas doubled down because he had a hard nine. With the dealer showing a three, his odds were good he'd win.

Asilah flipped her down card over, exposing the ace of hearts for a total of fourteen. Lucas turned his card over to exhibit the ten of clubs for a total of nineteen. Chad had already turned his down card over to show another ace for a total of twenty-five or five.

"Piece of crap. I swear." He flicked the chips toward Ayhoka with the nail of his middle finger.

"Please don't touch the chips."

"Screw your chips."

"Sir."

Buddy instantly appeared behind Chad. Chad rocked his chair back, bumping Buddy. "Wha..."

"Evey thing okay, Sir?" Buddy said.

"Back off, Bubba." Chad stood and pushed away from the table. By then, two other security guards joined Buddy. They virtually surrounded Chad. He turned with his back to the table and held his hands up, palms out, chanting, "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

Buddy said, "Why don't we call it a day, Sir." It wasn't a question.

"Why don't you call it a day. I'm playing blackjack."

Lucas was still the only other player at the table. Ayhoka got a signal from the pit boss to close it down. She nodded at Lucas and mouthed, "Call me," then headed for the service doors.

The Japanese restaurant, Kuro, was tucked off in the casino, away from the boisterous slot machines and gaming tables. Lucas called in advance and was able to reserve a table for two in the bar area. He checked his watch repeatedly, even though he was early.

Ayhoka was right on time. "I'm starving," she said.

"Good. I ordered a Pedestal Merlot 2016."

"Is that good?"

"I hope so. I don't know wines. The waiter said it was excellent."

"Wine steward," Ayhoka corrected. "People really like their titles here."

"I'll call you a croupier, then, instead of a dealer."

The wine steward brought the merlot and presented it for Lucas's approval. "I told you it was fancy," Ayhoka said.

"That Chad guy was turning into a handful, huh?"

"I think I've run into him before."

"Really. At the casino?"

"In the parking lot. I think he's the one who followed me to my car a few weeks ago after my shift." She shook her head.

"It may not have been him. I was dark. I'd just gotten into my car and was shutting the door. It got jerked out of my hand, and this guy was pulling on it and grunting. He was drunk. As I said, it may not have been that Chad guy."

"What did you do?"

"I got my gun from under the seat, stuck it in his face, and told him to back off."

The picture of this petite, dark-haired beauty brandishing a firearm was – well, it was kind of hot. Lucas smiled, "Wish I'd have seen that." But then the picture of this petite, dark-haired beauty brandishing a firearm seemed just a little terrifying. "What if he'd tried to get your gun?"

"He didn't."

"But...but...what if he did. Would you have shot him?"

"I would have done what I needed to do to protect myself, Lucas. Wouldn't you?"

He held his chin between bent forefinger and thumb. Staring at Ayhoka intently, he nodded. "I think I would. I've never been in that situation."

Ayhoka took a healthy sip of her wine. "This is good."

Lucas held his glass up towards Ayhoka. She brought her glass level to his. "Here's to not only a beautiful woman but to a woman of courage and substance."

Ayhoka laughed. "I should write that down and see how it changes over time." She clicked her glass to his and said, "And here's to the nicest guy I've met in a long, long time."

They took a sip. Lucas put his glass down. "Let's order."

They remained at the restaurant for over an hour talking and sipping wine. Ayhoka saw the time and said she'd have to go. "My mom will be waiting up for me."

"You live at home?"

She shrugged. "It's out of necessity. My mom has Alzheimer's."

"I'm sorry."

"It's early-onset Alzheimer's, and she is very independent. But I don't like to leave her alone for too long."

They got up and strolled toward the door. Lucas walked Ayhoka to her car. Awkward. To kiss or not to kiss. He was pretty sure she'd had a good time, and she seemed to like him, so –

Ayhoka stepped close and looked up into Lucas's eyes. It would become a future debate who kissed whom first, but Lucas pulled her back for a second.

Lucas got behind the wheel of his Santa Fe; he didn't even remember the walk to his car. It was nearly midnight. Somewhere nearby, a car backfired. Turning left out of the lot, he headed toward the exit. A security Jeep with its lights blinking idled near where Ayhoka's car had been.

A siren in the distance grew progressively louder. Within seconds, emergency vehicles were surrounding the area. Lucas saw a Jeep just like Ayhoka's with the driver-side door open. She would have already left, he thought.

He saw her standing near the security vehicle and stopped. "You need to move on," a Sheriff's deputy called out as Lucas was stepping out from behind the wheel.

"What happened?" Lucas asked.

"Sir. This is a crime scene. I need you to exit the parking lot." When Lucas re-entered his SUV, the deputy shouted at someone to re-route cars away from the area.

Lucas pulled forward, straining to see if that was Ayhoka's Jeep. Turning right onto the side road, he spotted her blue-black hair beneath the sodium parking lamps. Lowering the passenger side window, Lucas yelled her name. She looked up and waved. "Are you okay?" he cried. "What happened?"

Ayhoka held her hand to her ear and turned her head. She hadn't heard what he said. Two paramedics and a deputy were standing near Ayhoka's Jeep. Lucas made out the shape of a man's body lying arms sprawled out. A hat lying near the body looked suspiciously like Chad's. Lucas stopped and strained to see the body more clearly. It was Chad.

Lucas looked at Ayhoka, then back at Chad, then back at Ayhoka. She shrugged and held her hand to her ear. She seemed to be saying, call me.