Clutches and Curses (30 page)

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Authors: Dorothy Howell

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I opened the bag, but instead of checking out the lining, I saw an envelope tucked away.

“Open it,” Ty said.

I did. Inside was a platinum Visa card with my name on it.

Ty smiled, looking quite pleased with himself.

“I don't need your money,” I said.

“Yes, you do.”

I couldn't argue with him. He was right. He'd known it all along. That's why he kept tempting me with a beach house, a car, a shopping trip.

But Ty hadn't stopped there. His mind had skipped ahead. He knew that as long as I needed money, I'd need him.

“What kind of man would I be if I stood by and did nothing while you struggled with your bills?” Ty asked.

I couldn't argue with that.

“The beach house, the convertible, the shopping trip, it's a lot,” I said.

“Then forget about them,” Ty said quickly, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. “We'll take one big thing at a time. We'll go slow. Move in with me and let me take care of you.”

I shook my head. “I don't know.”

“I need you, Haley. I need you in my life, every moment I can possibly get you in it,” Ty said. “I know I'm distracted and gone a lot. I wish it could be different, but it's not. So let's make the most of the time we have. Move in with me. You'll see. I can make things better.”

He looked honest and sincere, a little desperate even.

I handed him the Visa card. He didn't look happy about it, but he took it.

“Let me think about it,” I said.

Ty looked relieved. “Good.”

“Oh, wait,” I said. “There's something you can do for me right now.”

“Anything,” he promised.

“Give a two hundred dollar gift card to each of the employees in the Henderson store,” I said. “And not a Holt's gift card. One from someplace nice.”

He looked at me as if I'd lost my mind, but he simply said, “Sure.”

Ty looked at his wristwatch. “I have to get back to L.A.”

“You're not staying for the reception?” I asked.

“Something came up,” he said. “Come back with me.”

I almost protested but, really, I'd had enough of Henderson, Vegas, and the opening of the Holt's store. If Preston had a problem with me leaving before the grand opening, he could take it up with Ty.

“Can we go out for dinner tonight?” I asked as I carefully put the Delicious back into the gift bag. “I want to take my new handbag out for a spin so everybody can see it and be jealous.”

“Whatever you want,” he said.

Ty pulled out his phone and made a call as we walked past the wedding chapel and restaurants, then stopped suddenly near the entrance to the buffet. His tone changed and his expression morphed into the this-will-be-a-long-call look I'd seen more than a few times across the dinner table.

Nearby, just steps away, was the casino. Rows and rows of brightly colored slot and video machines glowing in the dim light, their
pinging
and
ponging
a siren song that lured in thousands.

Mike Ivan stepped in front of me. Yikes, where had he come from?

He leaned closer and said, “I won't forget what you did,” then walked away.

Oh my God. What did that mean? Was it a good thing, or a bad thing?

Jeez, I really hope I haven't been cursed again.

I turned to the casino once more. I hadn't gambled at all since I'd been here. Marcie had advised against it, and I'd gone along with her advice.

Madam CeeCee had told me I must perform a selfless act to break the curse. I hadn't done that, yet I'd won that awesome Judith Leiber handbag. Of course, I'd given it away, so I didn't know if that constituted good or bad luckâ

Hang on a minute. I'd given my raffle prize to Maya. That was selfless, wasn't it?

Only one way to find out.

I was leaving Vegas now, and how would I possibly know if the curse had been lifted unless I tried my luck?

Ty was still on his cell phone, so I ventured into the casino. The sights, the sounds, drew me in. I eyed the machines, waiting to feel a connection.

“Trying your luck?” Jack asked as he appeared beside me.

“Where's Maya?” I asked.

“Working,” he said.

“Did she sell the bag?”

“Didn't you hear the screaming?” Jack asked. “I'm heading home.”

“Me, too,” I said, and turned my attention to a bank of slot machines. I eyed them. The Lucky Star machine called to meâI swear. A giant, neon yellow star shot out of the top.

I dug into my pocket and came up with a five dollar bill. Okay, so I wasn't exactly a high roller.

I settled onto the stool in front of the Lucky Star. A tiny old lady sat next to me wearing a ball cap covered with gold sequins, her cane propped against the machine she was using.

“I've got the Beemer,” Jack said, easing a little closer.

I fed the five into the slot machine.

“The blue convertible?” I asked. “Cool ride.”

“Want to ride with me?” he asked.

I tapped the max bet button on the machine, then hit the spin button. It chimed, the three reels spun, stopping on a star, then a moon, then a comet. The readout announced I'd won a quarter.

Hmm, not exactly the kind of luck I'd hoped for.

“Haley?” Ty walked up and gave Jack a sharp look.

I hit the spin button again.

“The car is waiting,” Ty said.

The reels spun. The first one stopped on a star.

“You can drive,” Jack told me.

The second reel stopped on a star.

“The corporate jet is waiting,” Ty said.

The third reel stopped on a star.

An alarm went off. Bells clanged. A whistle blew.

“Heaven above!” the lady next to me screamed. “You won the big jackpot!”

“What?” I eyed the machine, not really understanding what was happening.