Page 26 of Gambler’s Ruin (Calamity City Mafia #3)

“I’ll let Vortex know, too. I was going to meet him and his sister Connie for lunch today.

We can make a thing out of it,” I say, feeling slightly better about the idea of having lunch with more people.

We’ll need a big table, and there will be a lot of attention on us — too much attention for anyone to risk approaching.

I hesitate, then send a text to the group chat.

Lori and I are going to the Mexican restaurant for lunch. Want to come?

Vortex is the first to reply.

Be there in five.

Thankfully Vortex and Connie are already there when we arrive. Connie waves to me. “Hey, Seven. And… who’s this?”

Lori looks at Connie with wide eyes. “Oh my gosh. I love your style!”

I’m not sure what style she’s referring to. Connie is wearing a long, tunic style shirt that’s black with a pink polka-dot pattern, a pink belt around her waist, and leggings that have a hot pink-and-purple design on them.

Connie does a small twirl. “Thank you! This is from…” She stops, looks at Vortex, then continues, “Never mind. I have a few extras, if you want freebies.”

Lori nods. “Yes, please! I’m Lori, by the way.”

The two of them head into the restaurant ahead of us.

Relief floods me as they do, chatting as they go. I’m not sure how much more I can handle today. Lunch is going to be hard enough, but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy to bail on Lori this time as it had been the last time.

Vortex stays at my side. He must catch something in my expression despite my best attempts to hide it because he asks, “You okay, Seven?”

I manage a smile. “Yeah.”

“Uh-huh.” He takes my arm and pulls me aside. “What’s going on?”

I shake my head. “I’ll talk about it later,” I lie, having no intention of doing that. But it’s the only way he’ll let it go.

“Okay,” he replies, squeezing my arm. “Let’s go sit down. I’m starving.”

We join Connie and Lori at the table, where they’re still chattering excitedly about clothes. I don’t understand the appeal of what Connie’s wearing at all, but I know better than to say that aloud.

I fall silent instead, letting everyone talk around me.

It doesn’t take long for Caleb and Trent to arrive. Trent smiles when he sees Lori. “Did you have fun with Seven?”

Lori nods. “Yeah! And look, Dad, I got you a present!” She hands him the snow globe with a wink at me.

Caleb and Trent both stare at the snow globe. It takes several moments for Trent to say, “Wow! Thanks, Lori. I’ll treasure it. It can probably sit on my work desk.”

“As a reminder of that time you visited Calamity City,” Caleb adds, and Trent shoots him a dirty look.

Lori bursts out laughing. “Oh my god, Dad. You can say you hate it.”

“I don’t!” Trent insists. He clutches the snow globe closer to his chest. “It’s going to be my most prized possession now. When I die, it becomes an heirloom that you have to keep in your family for generations to come!”

Lori’s eyes widen and she shakes her head. “Um, no. That’s not?—”

“It’s true,” Caleb says solemnly. He sits down next to Vortex. “I’m here as a witness. It’s going into the testament immediately.”

“Caleb!” Lori snaps. “You can’t join in on his jokes! You’re too cool for that!”

Caleb grins at her. “I am? Seven, am I cool?”

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the banter, and being included in it momentarily makes me panic. But I swallow that down and shake my head. “Nope. Not at all.”

Vortex chuckles. “There you have it. Caleb isn’t cool and never will be.”

“Look on the bright side,” Connie says to Lori. “It means your dad has to commit to the bit and keep that snow globe forever.”

Trent groans, but he shakes the snow globe and holds it out. “It’s not a bit! I am truly enamored with this piece of tourist cr… This lovely reminder of my home.”

He finally sits down, and the servers bring us the usual chips and salsa while they ask for our drink order.

It’s strange, sitting here at a large table. Everybody exchanges jokes and laughs, and I wonder if this is what normal families are like.

The only person missing right now is…

I look down at my phone, where it shows that Havoc had read the group text but didn’t reply.

Maybe I should get him a snow globe that he has to pretend to like so I have an excuse to see him again.

My mood has crashed, but everyone else is so cheerful and chatty that I don’t want to bring it down. I nod and smile at the appropriate times, but I can’t bring myself to do more than that.

I miss you.

I send that text directly to Havoc, then quickly add,

But I know you still need time. Do you like snow globes?

I clutch the phone, not expecting anything. The food arrives and I have to set the phone aside so I can eat the tacos.

Only when the lunch is over do I notice I got a response.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

It buoys my mood, and I do smile then.

I’ll get you one.

A snow globe, I mean. Will you pretend to like it?

After a few seconds he responds.

I’ll pretend to love it.

I laugh, drawing Vortex’s attention to me. He grabs my hand and squeezes it, and Caleb smiles at me too.

Things will get back to normal soon.

I just know it.