His Frozen Heart Read Online Free PDF

good.”
    Damn, I hated it when she took money
from nice guys. I actually kind of liked it when she took money
from the cocky ones. After all the chicken wings from Chris, I
wasn’t nearly as desperate for manicotti. She answered slyly, “I
think your luck’s about to change. We’ve got time for one more
before we have to leave.”
    Stroking his pool cue slowly, Teddy
argued, “One more? Come on, you two just got here.”
    Libby shook her head, “Nope, I
promised.”
    Attempting to barter for our company,
Teddy suggested, “If you’re so sure my luck’s about to change, how
about if we win this next one, the two of you have to stay and
play.”
    Libby raised an eyebrow. “Really? What
makes you so sure you can beat us?”
    He tipped an invisible hat and put on
a slow-southern drawl, “Darlin’, this ain’t my first
rodeo.”
    Libby smirked, “Pretty confident. So,
if you win, we stay and play, if we win we leave? That’s the worst
bet I’ve ever heard.”
    Teddy’s cocky nature reared its head
when he countered, “Name your price, Sweetheart.”
    Watching Libby shark was a thing of
beauty. She was reeling them in, “If you win, we’ll stay and play
another game, but if we win, you make it worth our while. Fifty
dollars.”
    Teddy’s surprise registered. “That’s
pretty steep.”
    “ Only if you’re going to
lose.”
    Teddy shook his head. “You’re
serious?”
    “ Yes.”
    Teddy eyed Libby more cautiously. “If
I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to take advantage
of me and my little brother here.”
    Libby set her cue on the table, “Never
mind, Candy and I can go.”
    He held up both of his hands with his
palms facing Libby, “Now, I didn’t say the two of you had to go.
But I’m not willing to lay down fifty bucks for the pleasure of
anyone’s company – well, at least not for their company in a bar.
You want to bet money, the wager is equal on both
sides.”
    Libby gave her innocent smile, “Okay,
fifty bucks on both sides.”
    Tony shook his head at Teddy, but
Teddy wasn’t budging. Teddy pulled out his wallet and took a crisp
fifty dollar bill and laid it on the table. Libby’s eyes got big
when she scolded, “Put that away! Gambling is a quick way to get
tossed out.” Her voice softened as she added, “I know you’re good
for it. Put it back in your wallet.”
    Teddy did as instructed, but grabbed
his cue. “I’ll break.”
    Libby didn’t even get a turn. Teddy
ran the table, sinking all of his balls and the eight. Shit, we
barely had enough gas to get to the bar. We didn’t have the fifty
we now owed Teddy.
    Before Teddy had an opportunity to
gloat, Libby offered, “Double or nothing.”
    Teddy shook his head in a
condescending way, “Sweetheart, you aren’t going to
win.”
    Tony walked over to where I stood, his
voice low, “Hey, don’t let your friend get suckered in. Teddy’s
really good. He sharks all the time. Tell her to cut her losses and
walk away.”
    I looked at him incredulously. Was he
serious? If these two were pulling the same stunt Libby and I were,
then his warning would get him in all kinds of trouble with Teddy.
Tony was Teddy’s decoy, but unlike me, he had a conscience about
who they took money from. How many times had I seen Libby take some
hard-working stiff for every penny he had? I’d never once given one
a warning. Damn.
    I had to play naïve – that was my job,
“Really?” I countered, “Libby’s pretty good.”
    “ Not good enough. Tell her
to walk away.” Tony looked me square in the eye as if embarrassed
at how badly his partner would beat us on the pool
table.
    I couldn’t believe what I had heard.
There was no way I was letting on that we were trying to play them
either, so I asked, “Why are you telling me this?”
    “ Teddy’s my brother. He’s a
jerk and has a real gambling problem. When he sees dollar signs, he
turns into a different guy. Just have her pay up and get out of
here.”
    I didn’t share