Chapter 3 - Poker Face
“I fold,” Stone said succinctly, laying down his cards.
“Why is it every time I have a decent hand, you fold? I am not winning anything!” Gracey said, agitated. While she would never admit it aloud, Gracey wanted to win the two hundred dollars.
“You just told me; you had a decent hand,” Stone shrugged.
“I did not. I haven’t said a word,” Gracey snapped as she looked back over her shoulder to see if Antoine was giving away her hand.
“Your face gives you away,” Stone answered.
Gracey knew her facial expressions clearly told when she was angry, sad, happy, et cetera, but not while playing cards.
“Okay, let’s try again,” Stone suggested and dealt again. Gracey had a pair of queens. She concentrated not to show it on her face. “I fold,” Stone said again.
“No way,” Gracey exclaimed.
“Okay, let’s try again,” Stone suggested once more and dealt again. Gracey had two face cards both hearts. “I fold,” Gracey quickly heard.
“One more time, let’s try again.”
Two more cards were dealt. A pair of three’s. Gracey bet ten dollars. Then came the flop and the betting continued. Then the river. Gracey bet again, and Stone met the bet. Neither had a strong hand, but Stone won on a higher pair. Gracey lost again.
“Okay, I give up,” Gracey said defeated almost in tears.
“Stop telling me what cards you have,” Stone explained.
“But I haven’t smiled, I haven’t frowned. Do you read minds?” Gracey asked.
Laughing, much to Gracey’s displeasure, Stone replied, “No, but I read tells.”
“Tells?”
“Yes tells. Let’s play a few more hands, and I will explain.”
Stone dealt again. Gracey had two low cards, off-suited. “You have two low cards,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“How do you know that?” Gracey asked.
“Because you rubbed your ear, and if would have had a strong hand you would have rubbed the back of your neck. And when you have a so-so hand you tap your foot impatiently hoping to get a couple of good cards so you can raise the bet. You have tells,” Stone repeated. “Playing poker is an excellent way to learn to bluff; a way to control your facial expression during a stressful situation, a way to keep a straight face. For us to investigate your mother’s death and find the culprit, you are going to need a poker face.”
Gracey listened to every word but did not respond. “Let’s eat a little lunch and then we will try again," Stone suggested. "Remember, this time it actually will be winner take all, so any money you have at the end of an hour’s worth of play is yours to keep. Are you up to the task?” Stone asked, with a smirk.
Without delay, Antoine appeared with two goblets of sparkling water and a freshly made Caesar salad. After asking Stone and Gracey how they would like their salmon cooked, he left to finish preparing lunch. Lunch was prepared to perfection; Lemon Pepper Salmon, and couscous. And for dessert, they had crème brulee and a cappuccino. Neither had eaten much for breakfast, and they were hungrier than they had expected. They barely uttered a word during the meal.
After lunch, Stone glanced at his watch and realized it was mid afternoon. He had not slept much the night before, and he could tell Gracey had not slept well based on the circles under her eyes getting darker by the moment. “We have a long journey ahead of us still, Gracey, maybe an afternoon nap would be welcomed.” Without hesitation, Gracey agreed.
Stone led Gracey to the rear of the plane to the sleeping quarters. There was a bed on either side of the aisle. Gracey noticed her emerald green pajamas lying on one bed and Stone’s night pants on the other. There was a robe at the foot of each bed. Forget the poker face, Gracey's expression clearly said, ‘we are not sleeping in the same room.'
“Gracey, what’s wrong?” Stone asked concernedly.
“We are not sleeping together,” Gracey replied alarmed.
“Of course, not Gracey, we have separate beds,” Stone said stating the obvious, looking back and forth between the two beds.
“But they are in the same room!” Gracey called out fretfully.
“Gracey,” Stone laughed as he said her name. “Technically, yes. But there is a whole aisle between us.”
“But you don’t understand. Until last night, the only men who have been in my bedroom have been my father and Dr. Robertson. It’s not proper,” Gracey exclaimed, almost in a panic. While she desperately needed sleep, she was not going to sleep in the same room with a man who was not her husband. Gracey went back to her seat, and near exhaustion, she sighed in desperation.
Fighting the urge to laugh, Stone followed. He sat down beside Gracey and took her hand. “You can’t sleep up here. You need some sleep before dinner. I can tell you did not sleep well last night, and it is probably my fault. I should not have told you what I did last night. I am so sorry. I should just have asked about the perfume and left.”
Then Stone continued. “Let’s make a deal. You go back and take a nap. I will stay up here and nap, and we will figure out something for tonight. It’s over twelve hours before we touchdown in Nashville and two more hours to Lone Hill by car.”
Gracey went to the back and looked at her night clothes. No way was she sleeping on a plane full of men in her pajamas. After a trip to the bathroom and brushing her teeth, she removed her shoes and crawled into bed fully dressed.
Stone stayed in his seat and made a couple of calls. He paused for a moment remembering Gracey had mentioned Dr. Robertson. Jason Robertson was his family doctor, as well. Dr. Robertson would come to his family’s mansion each month to give him and his mother their monthly allergy shot. Small town, Stone thought and dismissed the coincidence. Stone reclined his seat and using a pillow and blanket from the second bed he took a short nap.
Gracey awoke, feeling rested. She went into the bathroom to freshen up, and then quietly went back to her seat. Stone could not abstain from laughing. "Your clothes look like you have slept in them."
“I did,” Gracey snapped.
Still laughing, Stone suggested she change for dinner. Antoine motioned to Gracey silently. He held up a fresh set of clothing and smiled. It was one of the two dresses she had packed. It had been pressed, and her clothes had been unpacked and put into storage drawers or were hanging in a small closet. It was almost like being home, but someone else had done everything for her. Gracey felt a little spoiled. She also felt guilty she was enjoying it.
While waiting for dinner, Stone and Gracey returned to their poker game. With lots of ribbing, teasing and laughing, she became cognizant of her tells and by dinner time she pocketed most of Stone’s money.
Gracey could not believe dinner could be better than lunch. They dined on a Cobb salad, lamb chops with mint and mixed spring vegetables. And for dessert, Italian style éclairs and a glass of dessert wine.
After a cup of coffee, Antoine suggested a movie. Gracey remembered she had seen the trailer for a new movie which was scheduled to come out as soon as she was scheduled to return from Africa. Gracey remarked now she would have to wait a week to see it. “Oh, we have that,” Antoine stated.
“How?” Gracey asked.
“Money does have its privileges,” Stone answered as he winked.
Antoine set up for the movie to include refreshments of sodas, popcorn, and Gracey’s favorite jelly beans. Sitting side by side, Gracey and Stone settled in to watch a movie. It was a romantic comedy, not Stone’s favorite genre, but this was for Gracey. It was good to see her smile. Her smile made him smile. The movie was two and a half hours long, and despite Gracey’s tenacity to stay awake until the end, sleep won the battle. Stone felt euphoric when Gracey leaned towards him and fell asleep on his shoulder.
Stone wanted nothing more than to have Gracey sleep next to him all night, but he knew neither would sleep well, all night in a sitting position. Stone pu
shed the call button, and Antoine arrived to assist. Gently waking Gracey, they led her to the sleeping quarters. As they sat Gracey on the bed, she awoke fully, and the scene from the afternoon started to replay.
“Wait, wait!” Stone begged. “I think we found a solution,” he added quickly, as he glanced at Antoine. “Ever watch old black and white movies?”
“Yes.”
“Ever see any movies where the man and a woman are forced to share a room, and they would put a blanket on a clothesline for privacy?” Stone asked Gracey.
“Yes.”
“Well, that is what we are going to do. I will go up front, and you get ready for bed and climb in. Antoine will put up the divider. Then I will get ready and go to bed.”
Gracey sat for a moment pondering her dilemma. Both of them needed a full night’s sleep. And it was Stone's plane, or at least he was paying for it. And so far he had been nothing less than a perfect gentleman.
Gracey surrendered. “I guess it will work. You have already seen me in my pajamas, and you have already been in my room, and since we aren’t technically sleeping together, okay.”
Stone sighed in relief and went back to his seat. Gracey quickly readied for bed and sheepishly climbed into her bed pulling the blanket all the way to her chin. Antoine and Stone positioned the privacy blanket, and Stone took his turn preparing for a well needed and full night’s sleep and climbed into his bunk.
“Good night, Gracey,” Stone told her and turned to the wall.
“Good night, Stone,” Gracey replied and stared at the blanket between them.
Antoine dimmed the lights, and soon they were both asleep.
Unfortunately, after a few hours of sleep, Gracey’s nightmares started again. The anxiety of finding her mother’s killer devoured her dreams. Gracey’s muffled cries soon interrupted Stone’s sleep, as well. When Stone realized the nightmare was not subsiding he had to make a decision whether to wake her and let her suffer in her sleep. It was more than Stone could endure. His heart ached to hear Gracey's anguish.
Stone left his bed and moved to hers. “Gracey, you are having a bad dream,” he whispered, reaching out to her. Stone took Gracey into his arms and held her against his bare muscular chest while she cried. Feeling safe Gracey settled back to sleep. Afraid Gracey would awake, or the nightmare would return, Stone lay beside her atop of the blanket and held her until morning.
Gracey woke to the smell of coffee brewing in the galley. As she tried to turn over towards the wonderful scent of caffeine, she found herself in Stone’s arms. But where did the nightmare end and where did the dream begin, she wondered. She remembered the nightmare but did she dream the rest? Did she dream Stone holding her while she cried? Did she dream she slept safely in his comforting arms? Looking at Stone's serene face, she knew it was not a dream.
Gracey lay quietly for a few minutes, looking at Stone and memorizing every feature. She inhaled Stone's scent and found it sweet and musky at the same time. While a contradiction, she found his scent appealing and comforting. Gracey closed her eyes and relaxed in Stone's arms.
Stone awoke slowly, feeling the heat from Gracey’s body through the blanket. He listened to her breathing and to her heartbeat. He inhaled and took in her scent, lavender, and vanilla with a hint of spice. He found solace in her scent. Gracey was awake but totally relaxed. Wanting to prevent Gracey any embarrassment, Stone pretended she was still asleep and slowly left the bed and readied himself for breakfast.
Gracey waited until she knew Stone was up and dressed and then took her turn in the bathroom. As she approached her seat, she found Stone already sipping his first cup of coffee. Stone innocently smiled, happy to see her and before she finished sitting, Antoine was there with a cup of coffee for her. “Breakfast will be ready soon,” Antoine announced. “I have prepared a light breakfast. I am sure you will enjoy it.”
“I have checked with the pilot, and we should be landing soon and then on to Lone Hill. While we eat, Antoine will pack your belongings so you can relax until we land,” Stone advised Gracey.
"Thank you," Gracey mumbled, not sure what to say.
Stone looked across the table, with a devilish smirk on this face asked, “So how did you sleep last night?”
Gracey looked up in surprise and blushed. “How do you think?” she retorted and threw her napkin at him. Stone laughed. Gracey blushed again.
Antoine arrived with a breakfast of fresh fruit and croissants. Since Stone and Gracey were not breakfast people, they ate a little of the fruit, and each had another cup of coffee.
“Gracey, we will be landing soon, and we need to talk about where we go from here. Finding your mother’s killer could be dangerous. After last night and your nightmare, I am concerned whether you are up for it emotionally. It hurts me to see you in so much pain.” Stone reached across the table and placed his hand on top of hers. “I care about you, Gracey. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Gracey did not pull her hand away. She felt safe with Stone. She knew he would protect her. She turned her hand palm up and took a firm hold of his hand. She looked straight into his eyes, and his heart, and with all the resolve she could muster she told him, “I have to do this Stone. I have to find my mother’s killer. Together we can do it.”
Stone leaned towards Gracey and kissed her for the first time placing a gentle kiss on the top of her hand.