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she’d finagled, washed over her. She smiled.
    â€œOoh, God, that good, huh?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œI knew it! There was just something about that guy—”
    Treena paused mid-plié, throwing off their mirror-image synchronization, then resumed the rhythm. “That’s exactly what I thought—that there’s just something about him. But I can’t seem to pin down what it is.”
    â€œMaybe I should have said there was something about you and him together, because chemistry would be my guess.” Carly shrugged. “Does it really matter?”
    â€œYes. Why him, why now?” She looked at her friend. “The timing sucks—Big Jim’s only been gone a short while. And Jax probably isn’t going to be around for very long, anyhow. Turns out he’s a professional gambler.”
    â€œNo shit?” This time it was Carly who broke the rhythm. “That’s the last thing I would’ve guessed. He doesn’t have that shiny-shoed, greased-back-haired, mobster look that pops to mind when you hear the word gambler. ”
    Treena laughed out loud, tickled by the description since it so closely echoed how she might have described the profession herself before she met Jax. “He’s part of the big poker tournament that’s going to be starting over at Bellagio next week. Or maybe it’s the week after—I’m not real clear on the time frame.”
    â€œAh, that’s different, then—he’s legit. Not to mention big, built and in town for a while. And he obviously likes what he sees when he looks at you.” Carly tilted her head to one side. “Considering he’s the first guy you’ve accepted a date from since Big Jim, I’m guessing you like him, too. So I don’t see the problem.”
    â€œI know, I know—there shouldn’t be one. Maybe it’s just…too soon.”
    â€œAw, hon, it’s not.” Carly reached out and gave Treena’s shoulder a quick, fierce squeeze. “You and I both know your time with Big Jim wasn’t even close to what most would expect from marriage.” She reached out to brush back a curl that had managed to escape the sloppy French twist Treena had screwed her hair into. “Besides, there’s no rule that says you have to jump into this thing feet first,” she said, her blue eyes soft with compassion. “You can take it as slow as you want. But I’d sure hate to see you blow this off entirely.”
    Treena smiled fondly at her friend. Carly’s breezy don’t-mess-with-me attitude, flawless figure, and spiky blond hair often fooled people into assuming she was a cynical die-hard party girl. Her friend might look like the last of the red-hot mamas, but in Treena’s opinion she was actually the original free-spirited earth mother, nurturing and fiercely loyal. “Then you’ll be happy to know,” she said, “that I have another date with Jax after the ten-o’clock show tonight. I also gave him my phone number.”
    Carly whooped. “That’s my girl!”
    â€œWell, I’d hardly classify her as a girl,” said a third voice from across the room.
    Treena sighed and knew before turning around who she’d see. “Eavesdropping again, Julie-Ann?”
    Irritation crossed the younger woman’s face as she strode across the hardwood floor toward them, but she swiftly disguised it. “Trust me,’ she said coolly, “your pitiful life is the last thing I’d find interesting. Overhearing Carly was strictly inadvertent.”
    â€œInadvertent,” Carly murmured. “My, what big words we know.”
    Julie-Ann ignored her, and said to Treena, “If you’dbothered to check the schedule you’d have seen that I have the studio for the next hour. I’ve been chosen to be part of a documentary on Las Vegas showgirls and I want to give them my very best.” Then