Chapter 14

As Jaime went back to his table Rick turned to Tricia. “Did you meet him while you were playing poker somewhere? He’s a pretty good player.”

Tricia shook her head. “No I met him before he started playing poker. It’s kind of a long story.”

“It sounds like you don’t want to talk about it. That’s fine. I’ve got some phone calls to make anyway. I enjoyed talking to you at lunch today. Hopefully I’ll see you at the tables tonight.”

“Count on it!” Tricia said as Rick strode purposefully through the casino in the direction of the hotel.

“Hey girl!”

Tricia turned when she heard that, looking around and finally seeing Sandy sitting at a slot machine and waving at her. She went over and sat down next to her.

“It’s none of my business but it looked like there was a lot going on there,” Sandy said. “both of them were looking at you like you were good enough to eat and at each other like bull elk about to have a fight.”

Tricia blushed. “Oh come on. Nothing was going on. They are just friends.”

Sandy laughed. “Not with each other! And girl the way you looked at the blonde one was not a just friends look.”

“Shit was it that obvious?”

Sandy nodded and the smile on her face was replace with a look of concern. “Listen if I’m prying I’m sorry.”

Tricia waved the apology away. “No it’s ok. You’re right, it was not a just friends look. Jaime and I have some history. Several years ago we had an affair and I got caught and it nearly ended my marriage.”

“It happens to lots of people honey,” Sandy said. “but it sounds like it didn’t end your marriage. Had you seen him since? I mean before today?”

Tricia shook her head. “I promised my husband I would sever all contact and I did. I made Jaime promise not to contact me and for the most part he kept the promise. Maybe a bit too well since there were so many times in the past eight years I’d have liked to have him to talk to.”

“Well I get the feeling you’re not here to be with him, did you just happen to run into him here?”

“No,” Tricia said. “He broke his promise to not contact me and sent me a card. It was the exact same as the only other card he was ever able to send me. As soon as I saw it I knew it was from him even with no return address and the post mark not being from where he lived. He didn’t write in it either. Inside was a schedule for this tournament series. He claims he was trying to warn me he would be here.”

“Did you meet him playing poker?”

“No, we met online at a time in my life that my husband was being a real shit. He was working tons of hours and pretty much ignoring me unless it was to tell me I was doing something wrong. Jaime gave me something I was missing in my life.”

Sandy nodded. “I hear that. And do you think he was really trying to warn you off? Or was he trying to tell you that if you wanted to see him he’d be here?”

Tricia took a deep breath. “I think he was really trying to warn me he’d be here. I don’t think he thought I’d not come. He claims he didn’t want me to just have us meet on the same tournament table and screw up both our games. Unfortunately I think he’s telling the truth.”

“Unfortunately?”

Tricia nodded glumly. “I tried to turn my life and marriage around and mostly I thought I had. I have a wonderful son now and for a while Matt turned around and was a good husband and even a good father. Lately though he’s been going back to just how he was and now I have just what I did and I get to raise my son as pretty much a single mom.”

“I still don’t see why you said unfortunately he was telling the truth.”

“Because I hate myself for it but I’d love to be lying in bed with him with his arms wrapped around me holding me and telling me how much he cares for me like he did once. It’s been so freaking long since anybody did that.”

Tricia looked up at Sandy with tears leaking down her cheeks. Sandy got off her stool and gave Tricia a hug.

“I’m sorry honey. I’m guessing you won’t like this but I’m gonna say it anyway.” Sandy said holding Tricia who was trying not to cry. “Why don’t you just tell him that. Get what you can while you can honey.”

With a deep sigh Tricia said, “he’s seeing somebody else now.”

“Oh,” Sandy said. “Is she here?”

“Apparently not.”

“Well then?”

Tricia had to laugh through the tears. “I have a feeling he is going to be faithful to her. We discussed that years ago. The concept of being faithful to somebody who you are being unfaithful to your wife with. It’s a real paradox. I think he will do it though.”

“Does he know how you’re feeling?”

“I don’t know, I doubt it,” Tricia said with a shrug. “he’s pretty damn good at reading what I’m feeling though so who the hell knows.”

“Why don’t you tell him and see what happens.”

“I’m scared to death of what might happen.” Tricia admitted. “At this point if he told me he loved me I’d probably leave Matt and try my hardest to get Jaime to leave his wife and be with me. I don’t think he would and I’d screw up Lord knows how many other lives beyond mine including Matty’s and I love him too much to do that. Shit what a freaking mess.”

“Love frequently is a mess,” Sandy said with a wry chuckle. “I’ve made a mess of it myself in my day. But honey I think you know he loves you. You couldn’t have been blind enough to miss that in the way he was looking at you. I doubt what’s his name saw it. He was too focused on a potential rival but I could see it from here.”

“His name is Rick,” Tricia said. “and he really is just a friend. I met him during my first tournament and he’s been nice to me.”

“mmmm ok,” Sandy said. “Well I’m not sure what to tell you. I know what I’d do but you’re a better person than I am.”

“Oh come on Sandy,” Tricia said. “I am not!”

“Well if I was you and Jaime didn’t want me I’d get what I wanted and needed from Rick. It wouldn’t be hard, not the way he was looking and acting.”

Tricia had to smile at Sandy. “I wish I could but I feel guilty enough for being here and not telling Matt or my parents that Jaime is here too. I’ll just muddle through.”

“I know you will honey,” Sandy said. “I was saying what I would do, not what you will.”

“Well it felt better to talk about it even if it didn’t settle anything,” Tricia said. “I’m here to play poker and that can be frighteningly absorbing. Time passes so quickly when I’m playing.”

Sandy laughed at that. “I know. I see that in Gary. Heforgets all about me sometimes when I’m here. That’s why I don’t come to many of these.”

Then Sandy smiled. “Hey if you’re not interested how about introducing me to Rick. He is kind of cute.”

Tricia shook her head at Sandy trying to decide if she was kidding.

Sandy changed the subject though and asked how Tricia was doing and when she planned to play another tournament. That got them off on that subject for a few minutes until Sandy got a phone call she said she had to take.

Feeling a little better Tricia started toward the poker room in search of a game to try to take her mind off all the thoughts still churning in her mind.