“But why?” Lia asked.
“Let’s play and you’ll see,” Doc chuckled. “Dillon already gave us the chips, which are a must for tournament play. We’ll use them here so no one loses any real money. We just need a dealer— you’re going to end up stuck in that position until this is over.”
“I can do it,” Fiala said.
“Okay, let’s get to it, then,” Doc grinned as he passed her the deck and set the dealer button back to first position. “I’ll explain why I do certain things after a hand is over so you can understand how people will play the game.”
Chapter Twenty
“You really think people will play like that?” Walker asked when the training was wrapping up.
“I’ve seen it a lot,” Doc replied, trying to ignore the deep ache he felt from his bones. “We can open up a single table for it tonight and you can watch.”
“I approve,” Lia said as she rose to her feet. “I need to change for the evening. Jeb, Bubba, there is a new table in storage. Replace it with the penny table, then Jeb will run the game tonight.”
“You got it, Madam.”
“You going to play, Doc?” Wenn asked.
“Maybe for a little bit,” Doc replied. “I want to see how they take to it.”
“The no-limit variant for tournament play will do well,” Walker said. “It gives a bit more strategy to the game. I don’t see the limit being too popular, but I will stay in the room for a bit and watch, though.”
“Penny game too low for you, is it?” Doc asked.
“Indeed.”
“I need to change and get to work,” Fiala said softly. “Doc, are you going to be okay?”
“A good night’s rest will probably set me back to right,” Doc replied.
“I should go see if Cassia is free,” Wenn smirked. “Since I’m going to be staying the night, I might as well have company.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow morning for my shift,” Dillon said. “I need to head out.”
With everyone breaking up, Doc hung back until they all left. Once they were gone, he leveraged himself to his feet with a grunt. “Feel my age now,” he muttered.
“You don’t look old, sir,” Posy said from the doorway.
“Oh? How old do I look? It’s okay to be honest.”
“Twenty. Though with you moving that slow, you could be thirty.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel better,” Doc smiled. “You cleaning up the room?”
“Yes, sir. Your clothes are in your room, too.”
“Oh good, they were able to be saved?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Damn, I need to talk to Lia about my room.”
“Is there something wrong?”
“Nothing wrong. I paid for the week, but I’ll be leaving town for a bit. Wanted to see if I could extend my stay, but at a discount since I won’t actually be in the room.”
“She’ll be in the main room shortly,” Posy said.
“True,” Doc replied. “I’m leaving after breakfast tomorrow, so don’t worry about water and food after that, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thanks, Posy.” Doc shuffled out of the room and down the hall, trying to get his gait back to normal.
The main room was full of people, the sun having already been set for a while. Several men stood off to the side of the stage, waiting to proposition Jasmine when she finished dancing. Doc looked over at the piano player, realizing he hadn’t paid any attention to them since he’d been there.
A half-elven woman sat in front of it, her fingers dancing across the keys as she played the song. Her auburn hair was in a tight braid that trailed down her back, swinging gently side-to-side as she moved with the music. There was no sheet music on the piano, and her eyes were closed as she played. A deep, old scar marred the left side of her face from just to the edge of her eye down her jaw. Her eyes snapped open and she turned her head to meet his gaze.
Damn, that must have hurt, Doc thought as he gave her a pleasant smile.
A single eyebrow went up, and the musician sniffed as she went back to playing.
Shaking his head, Doc headed to the new table that Jeb was just sitting down at. Guess she’s dealt with enough people giving her shit. Can’t blame her, really. She probably gets enough questions and comments about it. The usual penny players looked at the large table with questioning glances as they took their seats.
Doc snagged the seat to the left of Jeb, “What’s this, Jeb? Didn’t expect a new table.”
Jeb kept his face impassive, deciding to play along since no one else had asked him yet. “Well, sir, it’s here because there’s a new type of poker to be played on it.”
The others all leaned forward at that, but Julius was the first to say, “What kind of new poker game? What’s wrong with stud?”
“Nothing,” Jeb replied. “However, this is a new game that the Lily will be featuring. This table is penny, the next one will be nickel, and the third one will be dime. The other tables will be arriving over the next few days. Once they are all in, Madam Lia will be starting up weekly, monthly, and yearly tournaments.”
“Tournaments?” several of the players asked.
“It was a lack in the town Madam Lia wanted to fill. They will be played using the new game, hold’em, as a base for it. We’ll be able to have thirty players in at a time, and if it’s popular enough, she’ll get more tables so the payout can get bigger.”
“What’ll the buy-in be?” Julius asked.
“Weekly is going to be a ten-dollar tournament, monthly will be a hundred, and yearly will be two thousand. The winner of each will easily have enough to afford the buy-in of the next higher tournament.”
“Well shit,” Raymond said. “Let’s see what this ‘hold’em’ is all about, then.”
Jeb looked at the full table and nodded, pulling the dealer button from his vest. “This is the dealer button— it gets moved one seat to the left after each hand. The person in front of it is the small blind, and the one to the left of them is the big blind. For the penny table, it’s a single penny for each, which gets added to the pot.”
“No antes?” Julius was quick to ask.
“The house won’t be doing antes. We will instead be taking five percent of any pot that has gone past the flop, with the minimum of a penny and the maximum of a nickel. The first few hands will be slow as I explain how to play. As this is limit hold’em, there will be a maximum bet size.”
“Maybe it’ll be easier if we just see a hand?” Doc offered, seeing the confusion on faces.
“Good idea,” Jeb said, breaking out a new deck of cards. He fanned them out before starting to shuffle. “Raymond, Wenn, you have the small and big blinds respectively.”
~*~*~
Hours of hold’em had been played. Doc was sitting at the bar, having given his spot at the table away to someone else. Walker sat beside him, clearly amused while working on a bottle of whiskey.
“I never would have thought it would be like that,” Walker chuckled. “Do you think it’ll be the same with nickel and dime stakes?”
“More variation,” Doc replied, nursing a beer. “Some of these guys will go to the nickel table. Since there’s a limit, they will think they have a chance. People with deeper pockets will play just like this. Same with dimes, but that will be a bit more sedated unless a whale or two rolls in.”
“Whale?” Walker asked.
“Sorry, high roller. ‘Whale’ is a term from back home.”
“Ah. This game came from your home, too, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I never did hear where that was.”
Doc chuckled, “Small town. It’s called Pahrump, but the local tribe that lives nearby called it ‘Water Rock.’”
“Which territory is it in?”
“You’d never be able to find it,” Doc said as he got to his feet with a grunt. “Best luck trying, though, since I have a feeling you’ll try.”
“I do l
ike to know about new and interesting things,” Walker nodded. “When I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”
“Best of luck,” Doc said. He set his empty mug on the bar and made his way toward the stairs.
“Excuse me, sir,” a soft voice called out to him before he reached the stairs.
“Can I help you, miss?” Doc asked, turning to find one of the other saloon girls standing there.
“No, but maybe I can help you,” she smiled.
Doc took in the red hair, rounded, furry ears, and striped tail she had before replying, “Oh?”
“I’m quite skilled with massage, and a friend mentioned that you might have need of such skills.”
“Friend?” Doc asked, but his glance to Fiala, who was picking up glasses from a table, earned him a smile and wink.
“Yes, a caring friend. My prices are reasonable.”
“If Fiala recommended you, then I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Pulling a dollar from his pouch, he held it out to her. “Good?”
“If you’d go two, I can promise that you’ll be very relaxed at the end.”
Doc chuckled and pulled out a second dollar. “What’s your name?”
“Lotus,” the woman smiled, holding her hand under his. “I’ll settle with Westin and get my oils. If you’d like, you could wait for me in your room.”
“Works for me,” Doc replied. Handing her the coin, he watched her go to the bar and shook his head. Be the first time with a red panda, Doc chuckled as he started up the stairs. Curious that Fiala isn’t trying to get me for herself, instead... maybe she wants to distance things a bit? I can understand that.
Doc had barely removed his jacket and vest before there was a knock on his door. “Lotus, please come in,” he greeted her as he opened it.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Doc. Call me Doc, please. You brought some wine?”
“I find it helps people relax more during their massage,” Lotus said as she set a small basket, a single glass, and a bottle of wine on the table. “I will get things ready. If you’d strip and lay out, si— Doc.”
“Works for me,” Doc said, stripping down and getting onto the bed facedown.
“The wine is beside your hand, Doc,” Lotus told him after a minute. “I’m almost ready. Would you prefer citrus, jasmine, vanilla, or rose oils?”
“Vanilla,” Doc replied as he picked up the glass and sipped at the wine. “Nice selection.”
“Thank you. I figured you were a man of taste, considering what Fiala has told me.”
“Oh? What’s she been saying?”
Soft oil-coated hands pressed into his lower back, and warm breath tickled his ear as she whispered, “A number of things, and I’m wondering if they are all true myself... Maybe after the massage, you can show me?”
Doc groaned as Lotus’ hands worked gently but insistently at a knot in his back. “Ah, well, that’ll depend on if my body can take it.”
“Excellent,” Lotus husked. “That will be some time, though. I wasn’t lying about the massage or my skills.”
“I can feel that,” Doc sighed as he started to relax under her hands.
Chapter Twenty-one
Doc tried to roll over, but a soft and warm body stopped him from doing so. Cracking an eye open, he saw Lotus blinking at him. “Morning.”
“Good morning, Doc. I didn’t mean to sleep here.”
“Well, it seems that we’ve had an answer to that question,” Doc murmured, brushing her hair out of her face.
“Yes. I’ll have to let Fiala know,” Lotus smiled. “Goodness, I need to get up, wash up, and get some food in me.”
“A grand idea if—” Doc cut off as the soft knock on his door announced the morning water. “Seems like it’s time, after all.”
“You make a good pillow,” Lotus smiled as she got out of bed, her puffy tail swinging freely behind her.
Doc laughed, “Glad I could be of service.” Wrapping the blanket around himself, he got up and he grabbed the water from in front of his door. “Here you go. Ladies first.”
“Thank you,” Lotus said as she took the kettle.
Doc enjoyed the sight as she took a quick rinse. “I’ll probably have to find you when I get back. I’m sure to be sore from the ride.”
Lotus looked over her shoulder at him, “I’ll look forward to it, Doc.”
“Not as much as I will,” he smiled.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Lotus laughed, holding the cloth out to him. “Your turn.”
“Thanks.” He took the rag and proceeded with his own quick rinse.
“I hope your trip is profitable and uneventful,” Lotus said as he washed.
“From your lips to Luck’s ears,” Doc said.
“Luck?” Lotus asked as she finished dressing.
“Lady Luck. Who else should I worship if I’m gambling most nights?” Doc chuckled, setting the rag next to the basin.
“Ah, that makes sense,” Lotus smiled. “I’ll look forward to your return, Doc. I need to go.”
“Thank you for the massage. It was wonderful.”
“Thank you for the tip, as well as the rest of it,” Lotus grinned before slipping out the door.
Doc chuckled as she left. Shaking his head, he started to dress. Breakfast, pick up the horse, check supplies, and then out of town. Time to see a bit more of the world, even if it is less than a hundred miles away.
Doc was surprised to see Wenn and Cassia at a table, eating breakfast together. “Morning.”
“You leaving town today?” Wenn asked, eyeing the outfit Doc was wearing. “Haven’t seen you outside of a suit before.”
“That was my plan. Better clothing for going on a ride, especially a long one. Did your man hang?”
“No. Judge pulled his soul out. It’ll be on its way to Aire for the soulsmith there to put it to use.”
“Never seen one in action,” Doc said.
“Creepy bastards,” Wenn said with a twitch. “Every time I deal with one, it feels like they’re just sizing me up. Anyway, I’m sure that Wilson’s soul will end up on the rail line.”
“That makes sense,” Doc said, wondering what the railroad would have to do with souls.
“Which way you heading?” Wenn asked.
“West. I didn’t see any mine claims that way.”
“I’m going that way, too,” Wenn said. “Want a bit of company?”
“Wouldn’t mind having someone who knows the general area along.”
“Good. Once you finish breakfast, I’ll see you at the livery.”
“Ah, thanks. That works. Thank you, too, Dillon,” Doc said, taking the coffee and giving Dillon a penny.
“Going to miss this easy money,” Dillon laughed as he headed back to the bar.
Doc was about to reply when Posy came out of the back with a plate of food. “Thank you, Posy,” Doc said, instead fishing out a few pennies for her. “You’ve taken good care of me.”
“You’re welcome, sir,” Posy said. She gave him a rough curtsey before bouncing away from the table.
Cassia watched her go with an amused smile, “She isn’t like her mother at all.”
“Oh?” Doc said.
“Daf is a mean one, but she’s the best cook here.”
“I’m off,” Wenn said, pushing his empty plate away. “Doc, see you soon.” Looking over at Cassia, Wenn took a small pouch and placed it on the table in front of her. “If I come back this way, I’ll stop in. If not, well, thank you for the companionship.” Without waiting for a reply, Wenn picked up the rifle and saddlebags and was on his way to the door.
Cassia watched him go with a sad smile, “He’s a good man.”
“Seemed that way to me, too,” Doc said.
“I should go get some things taken care of,” Cassia said, pushing her mostly empty plate away. “I hope your trip is safe, Doc.”
“Thank you, Cassia. I hope to be back quickly.”
With the others gone, Doc focused on his food; biscuits,
gravy, bacon, sausage, and eggs. He had a second cup of coffee before he finished eating.
Suited for Luck Page 16
