Page 237 - It Ends with Us

Darin lea ns for ward and point s at hi msel f. “I’m the sous chef at

Bib’s.” He point s at Brad. “He’s the dishw asher.”
“For no w,” Brad int erj ec ts. “I’m working my way up.”
“Wha t about you?” I say to Jimmy.
He smirks and says, “Take a gues s.”
Based on the way he dres ses and the fact tha t he’s been called
arro gant and pompous, I’d ha ve to assume . . . “Maître d’?”

Atlas laughs . “Jimmy actually works in valet .”
I glanc e back at Jimmy and raise an ey eb row. He tosses thre e poker
chi ps down and says, “It’s true. I park cars for tips.”
“Don’t let hi m fool you,” Atlas says. “He works in valet , but onl y
bec ause he’s so rich he get s bored .”
I smile. It remind s me of Allysa. “I ha ve an em ployee like tha t. Onl y
works bec ause she’s bored . She’s actually the bes t em ployee I ha ve. ”

“Damn straight ,” Jimmy mutters .
I take a look at my cards when it’s my turn and toss in the three
poker chi ps. Atlas’s pho ne rings and he pulls it out of hi s pocket . I’m
raising the pot with ano ther chi p when he ex cuses hi msel f from the
table to take the call.
“Fold,” Brad says, slapping hi s cards on the table.

I’m watchi ng the ha llway Atlas just disappea red down in a hu rr y. It
makes me wonder if he’s talking to Cassie, or if there’ s someo ne el se
in hi s life. I kno w wha t he does for a living . I kno w he ha s at lea st
three friend s. I just kno w no thing about hi s love life.
Darin lays hi s cards on the table. Four of a kind . I lay down my
straight flush and rea ch for ward for all the poker chi ps as Darin
groans .

“So does Cassie no t usually come to poker ni ght ?” I ask, fis hi ng for
more inf ormation on Atlas. Inf ormation I’m too scared to ask hi m
mysel f.
“Cassie?” Brad says.
I stack my winni ng s up in front of me and no d. “Isn’t tha t hi s
girlfriend ’s na me?”

Darin laughs . “Atlas does n’t ha ve a girlfriend . I’ve kno wn hi m for
two yea rs and he’s nev er ment ioned any one na med Cassie. ” He beg ins
passing out new cards, but I’m trying to absorb the inf ormation he