A Summer Affair (SAMPLE! NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

2- Liam (EDITED)

The bet I made with Jackson had me wishing it wasn't a bet I'd later regret. Here it is, after midnight, and we're downstairs roaming the casino floor, listening to the music of the machines beeping, chiming, and singing away once someone hits something worth getting excited over. Manipulating everyone into thinking they're winning, when in fact, the only time you're ahead is if you walk out of the casino more than what you came in with to play. I was quite surprised to see as many elders as there were, out this late at night, sitting in front of a machine and putting their life savings into a brightly lit musical device desiring to hit the big jackpot.

I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh. Here my friends and I are; we're walking around the casino floor doing the same as everyone else inside, looking to see where we want to lose our money. Just for shits and giggles, I walked over and stopped at a slot machine that caught my eye.

The machine? Wheel of Fortune.

"You have enough fortune, don't you think?" Jace playfully mocked, chuckling while patting me on the back.

I sat down on the empty chair, stuck a fifty-dollar bill into the one-dollar machine, then looked up at him. "Not enough, my man," I laughed. "Besides, this one looks like it would be fun to play."

I felt like going big right off the bat and hit the maximum bet button. The first time, nothing. The second time I pressed the button, I hit three wheels, activating the Wheel Of Fortune spinning wheel. I laughed and pointed up. "Let's see what hits, shall we?" A screen came up instructing me to pick one of the three wheels. I reached and touched one of the wheels on the screen; revealing, I won ten free spins. Then using my finger, I extended it to the wheel and slid my finger on the screen, spinning the wheel and watching the wheel spin with a massive grin on my face. I never was a slot machine player. I always felt they were the biggest scams to steal your money, but now. I this thinking this was okay. I was winning.

On the first spin, I won the minor jackpot—five-hundred-twenty-five dollars. I continued with my spins, and after my spins were over, I won a combined total of seventeen-hundred twenty-five dollars. I looked at the guys standing behind me and grinned. "I'll take that. I got my thousand dollars back and some. Just like that." I turned back to the machine, cashed out, then grabbed the ticket that popped out as I stood.

Jackson laughed. "So, what you're saying is. You're admitting you're going to lose the bet?"

"I'm not admitting anything. I left a thousand-dollars up in our room. The way I see it, I just got that money back to spend... besides, I still have the rest of the night and tomorrow to find my lucky prey. Don't worry; I'll win that bet. Guaranteed."

"Whatever you say, Casanova."

While walking around and occasionally stopping to watch the guys play a machine. I scanned the casino, with not a single woman catching my eye. Which is fine; I've got many casinos, bars, and shows to find that lucky girl. The guys decided they had enough of the Bellagio and wanted to check another place out, so we headed outside and started heading to the strip. As late as it was and not wanting to go very far, we walked next door to Caesars Palace.

While the guys spread out and hit the slot machines, I headed over to the Blackjack tables to do some real gambling, and as I got to the tables, I scanned then studied each dealer, getting a feel of who I could win money against.

I noticed an empty table with a dealer standing and waiting for their next victim, the next loser willing to sit at his table and give him all their hard-earned money. I must be that loser, but I was also feeling lucky, and with a smile, I sat down, pulled out some cash, then exchanged it for chips.