Senior Year Box Set

You could discern the disdain that Ashley had for Harry and his snarky banter from her body language. She ignored Harry’s question and looked at the dealer, who then put down an ace-high flop. Ashley led out with a standard continuation bet. Harry made a big production as he began to inspect his cards, as though he’d called Ashley without looking before the flop.

“I need to check to see whether I have an ace to continue with this hand or not,” he announced to the rest of the table.

Harry smiled as he checked his hand.

“That’s lucky,” he said smugly.

“What? That you didn’t hit jack deuce?” Ashley asked.

“I don’t have jack deuce,” Harry said and paused. “I think you have king, queen, and missed.”

Based on what I saw, I thought he might be right, and I watched him play with his chips as he contemplated his next move.

“I have to find out where I am. It wouldn’t do to simply let you overrun me. I’m in position on a scary board,” he reasoned and then turned to Ashley. “You want to play a big pot or a small pot? It’s up to you.”

As irritating as Harry was, that was a great way to get a read off your opponent. Whatever Ashley said or did would give him information. When Ashley wouldn’t look over at him, I was sure she had an ace.

“Depending on your answer, I can go either way,” Harry continued.

“It depends on the turn,” Ashley said.

“I’ll determine how I will play this hand before we get to the turn. Big pot or small pot?” Harry persisted.

“Medium,” Ashley finally said.

“Medium?” he asked in disgust.

“Okay, I’ll raise,” he said and pushed in a large bet.

My dad had taught me that if someone talked that much and then bet aggressively, they were probably bluffing. On the other hand, he might be baiting her into calling.

“I think you’re bluffing,” Ashley said.

“You can’t call that. You know I’ve got the goods,” Harry shot back with a smirk. “But this is personal. Want to make this really interesting?”

Ashley looked at him with an exasperated expression.

“Why don’t we up the ante, so to speak, and make a side bet?” Harry goaded.

“On just this hand?” Ashley asked.

“Good point, because I have you beat. How about the last man standing gets the other’s winnings?”

She gave him a dismissive look. That could be a lot of money, depending on how they finished. Then again, it wasn’t chump change at this point in the tournament, either. Personally, I would have told him to stick it.

“Scared you can’t last longer than me?” he egged her on.

“No. I’m scared you won’t keep your word. It wouldn’t surprise me if you skipped out when you lose.”

Harry acted hurt.

“If I had a way to guarantee it?” he asked.

“Then I would say, bring it on,” Ashley said.

Harry waved over the tournament director and told him what they wanted to do. I was surprised the rest of the table wasn’t pissed off with the delay of the game. Blinds at these levels were no joke, and they increased every twenty minutes. Each minute not playing poker got you a step closer to having to play much larger pots. Better poker players preferred to get in more hands and let their skill win rather than leave it to luck and be forced to make decisions when the blinds were higher.

The tournament director agreed that if that was what they wanted to do, he would make sure it happened.

“Show your jack two,” Ashley said as she tossed in her hand.

“Eight three,” Harry said with glee as he showed his bluff.

I would have called, but that was easy to say sitting on the sideline.

◊◊◊

Watching poker without knowing what their cards are, like you see on TV, is often dull and boring. I got up to stretch my legs. I found Beth, Harry’s sister, leaning against the wall, playing with her phone. She saw me coming and smiled.

“Did you see that Erika released a statement?” Beth said.

“No. I came here to get that off my mind.”

“She supported what you said and explained that Harry had been caught with his mistress, and that’s the reason she’d broken the engagement off. Now the press is hot on the trail of who the other woman is.”

“I wish I’d known.”

“That would have stopped you?”

It made me sad that she would assume something like that.

“My mom had a similar experience. I have a half-brother who is only a couple of years younger than me. When she found out, it devastated her. I made her a promise I would never be involved with something like that,” I explained.

“Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“Have you talked to Erika?” I asked.

“Only for a moment. She’s going home to Germany and then back to New York. I got the impression she didn’t want to see any of us again, and I can hardly blame her. My brother has a habit of doing things like this. I’d hoped he would settle down with her,” Beth shared.

“One of his mates said this was an arranged marriage. Something to do with your dad putting his foot down.”

I couldn’t help myself from digging for some gossip. Royal scandals, when I wasn’t involved, were good sport.

“Let’s just say he got caught with someone he shouldn’t have been with. In a way, you sleeping with Erika was karma biting him in the butt.”