Fuck, I total forgot about that. Because—well, I had Emmy Rose riding me. Why would I look anywhere but straight ahead?
“What’s the meeting with the realtor about?” Emmy asks. She’s rifling through the bags of clothing that I had delivered to my door for her. “Are you building another casino?”
She picks a pair of blue jeans and a simple white top, and walks into the bathroom where I am. She’s so unassuming and I love that about her.
Too many women would pick through the bags until they found the most expensive items. Looks like Emmy went with comfort. She even requested a pair of white low-top converse.
“Actually, that’s the issue,” I tell her as I slide a belt through my slacks. It’s crazy to me how we fit together so seamlessly. Here we are, getting ready together, and it feels completely normal.
I want her to move in with me. I know it’s soon, but her sister’s apartment is a piece of shit. I don’t want Emmy living there, in that part of town.
I want her with me.
I don’t want to bring it up, though, because then we’ll start talking about her sister, which will either cause her to get upset—since the doctors are saying she isn’t exactly responsive yet—or she’ll start asking me questions about why I’ve been to her sister’s place. And we’ve already covered that ground to her satisfaction once. I don’t want to dredge it all back up now.
“We don’t know what business we want to start. And the city of Vegas won’t sell to just anyone. They want a business they feel will benefit the Vegas economy.”
I fill Emmy in on the Grotto connection, and how my friends are ponying up the cash for the place.
“What shit does he have on you, Ace?” She buttons her jeans, looking in the bathroom mirror distractedly. “Like, do you think it’s something bad?”
“I think Grotto is full of dirt on everyone—but the thing is, he isn’t clean. Hell, if the questioning with the police about his connection to your sister goes the way I hope, they’ll be charging him. Then any stake he had in this property will be meaningless.”
Emmy nods in understanding. “Well, what will you and the boys do with this property? If the agent wants to know ASAP, you kinda need to decide.”
“You’re telling me, baby.” I pull Emmy toward me, and plant a kiss on her lips. “If this property were yours, what would you do with it? McQueen suggested a strip club.”
Emmy throws back her head, rolling her eyes. “No surprise there. He’s kind of the biggest player of the bunch, isn’t he?”
“Honestly, now that I’m out of the running, I think the title would go to Landon. McQueen is a softy, Landon is trouble.”
“And Jack?”
“Jack is so caught up with Ashley that he can’t think straight.”
“I can’t believe you’re friends with these people, like actual famous people. I feel so out of your league.”
“That’s all bullshit, and you know it.”
Emmy shrugs. “I don’t know. Part of me still thinks this is all going to disappear. That I’ll wake up from this dream.”
“So what you’re saying is that you think I’m dreamy?” I ask, tugging on the belt loops on her jeans, keeping her close.
“You are such a dork, Ace.” I kiss her nose, her cheeks. Her mouth.
“Your dork, though, right?” I ask, looking into her eyes.
“Yes, my dork.” She smiles, like she can’t help herself and that’s when any trace of doubt leaves my mind. Emmy is here to stay.
“So you don’t think I should build a strip club?”
“Ace, I want to be a social worker, help people who are struggling. I don’t think if I had a jillion dollars I’d build a club like that … but, then again, I’m the one who’s a cocktail waitress. I don’t think you should take business advice from me.”
“What should I take from you?” My arms are wrapped around her, and I reach down to squeeze her ass.
But Emmy isn’t playing around right now, her eyes are on me, her words deep and true.
“My heart, Ace. Keep my heart.”
“You giving it freely?” My forehead rests against hers and she wraps her arms around my neck. We may be completely dressed, but fuck, when I am with this woman, I’m undone.
“If you promise not to fuck this up,” she says.
“I promise, Emmy Rose. I promise.”
EMMY
I see Tess and Claire as I cut through the lobby of Spades Royalle. The casino is alive, and the lights and noises jar me more than usual. I grimace as I walk toward my girlfriends, who are holding trays, pretending to work.