Free Settling Up by Eryn Scott Page B

five.”
    “Sorry. I just can’t believe he ripped your hair out of your head.” She giggled more. “Actually, I can’t believe you didn’t stab him with your fork after he did it, knowing how crazy you are about your hair right now.”
    I rolled my eyes, not appreciating the use of the word “crazy”, but feeling a little pride in the restraint I’d shown in the given circumstance.
    “Anyways, it doesn’t matter because you’ve got another date on Friday, with the tattooed cat guy.” Betsy let out a little squeak of excitement.
    I sighed. Oh lord. What had I gotten myself into?

9
    Measures of center
    “ W hat’s wrong with you ?” Mack’s voice resounded around me where I sat, head down, eyes closed at the Blackjack table. “There a new bald spot you want to show me?” I could hear him chuckle softly to himself.
    I peeled my face up off the felt table and gave him a distinctly unamused look.
    “Bad date hangover.” I groaned, patting my hair back into the comb-over.
    Mack’s eyebrows hitched up. “Oh?” He started dealing cards, getting us started on our first game.
    I watched him for a second, unsure if I should take the slight catch in the word as evidence that he didn’t want to talk about it. I mean, I wouldn’t blame him. Listening about some sad woman’s defeated love-life couldn’t have been on his list of things-he-wanted-to-spend-his-time-on.
    “So what happened?” he asked, holding me with his blue, slate eyes.
    I sighed. Okay. I guess he did want to listen.
    “He was a CPA.” I took a hit and lost the round.
    Mack collected the cards and my chip. I set out a new one.
    “With a secret desire to become a world-famous disc jockey.” I arched an eyebrow and watched Mack freeze. His face crumpled into laughter, that deep resounding sound that made it impossible for me not to join in.
    “The reason I know this is not only because he told me, but also because he played some music for me. On his phone. In the restaurant.” I motioned that I wanted to stay with my current cards with a horizontal swipe at the air.
    Mack was laughing more with each new phrase I spit out. He shook his head. I won that round and he collected the cards, putting out more.
    “And he danced at me. Aggressively.” I motioned for another card.
    At this, Mack stopped. “No. He didn’t.”
    I nodded, eyes wide and wild. “Oh yes. Oh yes he did. Like this.” I mimicked the head pumping, shoulder rocking, arm flailing Thomas had performed last night.
    Mack held his stomach as he laughed, only straightening up after a loud throat-clearing warning from the pit boss behind him.
    “Yeah. And he drank wine like Hannibal Lecter and yanked hair right out of my scalp.” I sat back and pursed my lips together, taking the chips I’d won on that last round.
    Mack’s shoulders shook with silent, restrained laughter as he cleared the cards and laid out new ones. “That sure does sound like it would leave you with a pretty bad case of the why-did-I’s the next day, ” he said. More chuckling.
    I sighed. “Yeah. And my sister has decided being a stay at home mom forced her to miss her calling as some sort of pimp, because she’s booking me dates right and left.”
    “Right and left, huh?” Mack’s jaw tightened slightly as he gave me another card.
    “Yeah. Got a date with some tattooed cat guy on Friday.”
    “Tattoos?”
    I let my head wobble from side to side. “I listened to your advice. Fiddled with percentages and stuff.” My shoulders lifted into a shrug.
    Mack’s teeth glinted in a wide smile. “You did?” He shook his head. “I mean, not that I’m surprised. I give great advice.” He cleared his throat. “I’m glad I was able to help — er — well, maybe help. It sounds like I’ve doomed you to really bad dates with this plan. Maybe you were right about me making you settle your standards.”
    I waved a hand at him, hoping to dismiss his worries. “Nah. You were right. The date was really