“I’m trying, along with the other people he swindled,” she snapped, angry that he wouldn’t drop the subject. “What I didn’t lose on the house, the attorney’s fees are eating up. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d rather not discuss this further.”

“Sorry.”

“Me, too.”

“Is he wanted by the police?”

She wished he was; then perhaps there’d be some recourse, but there wasn’t a damn thing she could do except join the others in a lawsuit. “No. It was incompetence, not outright fraud. In the end, I have no one to blame but myself.” Maverick didn’t need to tell her she’d been naive and trusting—Elise was well aware of that fact.

“Is there anything I can do?”

His offer touched her. She didn’t want his kindness or his understanding, and at the same time she craved both. “I should’ve brought my knitting,” she declared with such urgency that Maverick stood, seemingly ready to retrieve it on her behalf.

“Do you need it?”

She shook her head. “It helps calm my nerves, that’s all.”

He sat back down. “I’ll go get it if you want.”

“No, no, it’s all right. Just don’t be kind to me, Maverick. I don’t want you to, so please don’t.”

A scowl darkened his features, and then he seemed to go from anger to gentleness in one blink of his eyes. When he looked at her again, his expression was tender. “I love you, Elise.”

Now she was the one who vaulted to her feet. “Don’t you dare say that to me! Don’t you dare!”

“I mean it.”

“Don’t, Maverick, please don’t. Did you love me when you spent the rent check on a double or nothing bet? Did you love me when there wasn’t enough money to buy milk for the baby?”

He went very still, then whispered. “Yes, I did, but sweetheart, it was a good bet. I couldn’t lose. And I didn’t.”

Elise groaned inwardly. “You say you loved me but you loved gambling more.”

“I did.” He patted the bench, silently inviting her to sit down.

She waited a moment and then gave in. Maverick Beaumont had always been her weakness, but she was older and wiser now and not as easily swayed. Or so she told herself.

“Do you still love gambling as much?” she asked, curiosity forcing her to ask.

He hesitated. “I’m going to tell you something. You might not believe it, but I swear to you it’s true. I’ve given it up. I was good at it, Elise, really good. I made a name for myself but it means nothing to me now. What’s important is my family. I’m through with cards.”

She smiled and resisted the urge to remind him how often she’d heard that before. “You’re right. I don’t believe you.”

“That’s why I’m in Seattle.”

“There are plenty of casinos around here.”

“I won’t be in any of them. I’m looking for a place to buy close to Aurora so I can spend time with her and my grandsons. I missed out on so much while my daughter was growing up, and I feel that God’s given me a second chance with these boys. I’m different now, Elise. I swear to you I’m a changed man.”

“I’m sorry, Maverick. As much as I want to believe you, I can’t.”

It was as if he hadn’t heard her. “I’ve got my eye on a condo. I put down earnest money, but the unit won’t be available until August first. Aurora told me I could stay as long as I needed, and David agreed. Once everything’s been worked out with the title company and the place is vacant, I’ll move in.”

Elise wasn’t sure she should let herself trust him. She wanted to believe what he said, but he’d made so many promises before. His intentions always started out good, but after a week or two of staying away from the gaming tables, he’d find a poker game and be willing to wager their food money on a roll of the dice. She’d seen it far too many times.

“Grandma, Grandpa,” Luke cried, running toward the park bench at breakneck speed.

John followed a few paces behind. “We’re ready to go back to the house.”

This was a pleasant surprise. Generally, it took the boys an hour or more to wind down enough to even consider returning home.

“We want to play that game you taught us,” Luke said, grabbing hold of Maverick’s arm.

Elise’s suspicions rose. “What game?”

“It’s with cards,” Luke explained.

A fierce anger gripped her and her heart began to race.

“Excuse me?” she said to Maverick. “With cards?”

“It’s a Texas game,” John told her excitedly.

“Texas Hold ’em,” Maverick said, and had the decency to glance sheepishly in her direction. “Now, Elise, don’t go looking at me like that. It’s a harmless game.”

She placed both hands on her hips and glared at him. “Do you mean to tell me you’re teaching our grandsons how to gamble?”

He didn’t deny it.

She should have known…should have known.

CHAPTER 16

COURTNEY PULANSKI

After the evening’s inauspicious beginning, the Mariners’ game with Andrew and Annie Hamlin had turned out to be fun. Courtney had met five of Andrew’s friends, and they’d all seemed friendly. The one person who’d been standoffish and distant, not to mention rude, had been Annie. It was more than obvious that she didn’t want to be at the game and had somehow been thwarted by her mother and brother from doing something else. She’d ignored both Andrew and Courtney and had barely spoken a word the entire evening. Which was why Courtney was rather shocked when Annie phoned on Friday afternoon and invited her to a movie that night.

“Yeah, sure I guess,” Courtney said. It wasn’t like she had any other plans. And a movie was certainly preferable to her other option—playing bingo at the VFW Hall with her grandmother. “What did you want to see?”

Annie seemed unprepared for the question. “I don’t really care, do you? I just need to get out for a while.”

“No, anything is fine.” But a nice romantic comedy would suit her; Courtney was in the mood to laugh.

After some perfunctory chitchat, they arranged a time and place to meet. Precisely at seven, Courtney’s grandmother dropped her off at the entrance to Pacific Place, near the Pottery Barn, on her way to bingo, and Courtney waited outside until Annie arrived. Bethanne waved at Courtney as Annie jumped out of the car and slammed the passenger door.

The smile on Annie’s face faded as soon as her mother’s car was out of sight. “You can split now if you want.”

“Split?”

“I only needed you so Mom would think I was going to the movie.”

Courtney didn’t know whether to feel hurt or offended; what she didn’t feel was surprised. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“I’m meeting friends.”

The message was clear: Courtney wasn’t one of those friends. Fine, but she had no intention of wandering around town all by herself. “Can I come?”

Annie gave her the once-over, then shrugged. “Okay, but not looking like that.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” Courtney asked defensively.

Annie shrugged again. “Nothing, I guess, but you need more makeup.”

“Sure, fine.” Courtney had plenty in her purse.

“Follow me,” Bethanne’s daughter said, turning abruptly. She walked into Pacific Place.

Given no choice, Courtney followed her, weaving through the throng of Friday-evening shoppers. They passed a kiosk selling designer cosmetics, which Annie stopped to admire. “You’d look good with this lipstick,” she said, twisting open a display tube of bright purple. She checked the price, raised her eyebrows and put it back.

Courtney started to examine several little pots of eye glitter but didn’t get a chance to see much. Annie had already walked away. Once again, she had to rush in order to catch up. Pacific Place was bright, noisy, crowded with shoppers jostling packages and bags.

Courtney realized Annie was headed for the ladies’ room. Once inside, Annie stepped into a stall while Courtney stood in front of the sink. She set her purse on the counter and pulled out her cosmetics bag. She was stroking on more eye shadow when Annie left the stall in what appeared to be a completely new outfit.

The other girl’s blouse had been replaced by a scanty halter top, with her breasts spilling out over the top. The jeans were now a thigh-high, skin-tight denim skirt.

“Shocked?” Annie asked and laughed. “Mom would be, too, if she saw me.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied Courtney. “You won’t tell her, will you?”

The question was accompanied by a glare that promised to make trouble for her if she refused. “I won’t tell.”

“Promise?”

Courtney nodded.

Annie’s face relaxed in a smile. “Good. Here’s a gift for you.” She tossed Courtney the tube of purple lipstick she’d been looking at only moments earlier.

Courtney caught it just before it hit the floor. She was stunned; she could’ve sworn she’d seen Annie return it.

“It’s a skill I have,” Annie explained.

Courtney hoped she wasn’t around when this little kleptomaniac got arrested. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, keep the lipstick herself. After her mother died, she’d been shoplifting at an expensive clothing store. Security had called the police and, worse, her father. Nothing was worth risking that humiliation again. Or the guilt…She’d never forget the sorrow and disappointment on her father’s face.

When Annie wasn’t looking, Courtney threw the tube in the garbage.

Staring into a mirror, Annie teased her hair, reapplied her makeup with an expert hand and moved toward the door. She sighed when Courtney didn’t immediately follow her. “Are you coming or not?”

Hurriedly, Courtney stuffed her cosmetics bag inside her purse and started after the other girl, wondering where Annie was going now. It didn’t matter. Courtney decided she had to go with her. She didn’t know what Annie was up to but felt responsible. Maybe because of Bethanne; she wasn’t sure. Or maybe it was simply because she recognized the signs—an unhappy, self-destructive girl intent on finding trouble.

They left Pacific Place and walked a few blocks north. Annie chatted along the way, talking about music and school, and she seemed almost grateful for the company. When the Space Needle came into view, Courtney realized they were close to the Seattle Center.

Several kids had already assembled in a parking lot not far from the Center. A tall thin boy with long, greasy hair climbed out of his car, a beat-up old hatchback, when Annie approached.

“Who’s she?” he asked, gesturing toward Courtney, whom he eyed suspiciously.

“That’s Courtney,” Annie said. “She’s cool.”

“Hi.” Courtney raised her hand.

“I’m Chris,” he said as he grabbed Annie around the waist and pulled her against him.