Jake and Holly had agreed to meet at his house after her shift, but he was too tense to even consider waiting for her. Eager to know whether she had a gambling issue or not, he would drive to the Sheriff’s station. In his mind, it wouldn’t be a problem for their relationship, as long as she had quit. Jake was an understanding man; he wouldn’t leave her for something like that, especially if she had managed to put it behind her. The possibility of Holly still gambling scared him, but what troubled him even more was Allison’s words of her borrowing money from a loan shark. If she had done such a thing, he would have to protect her. In spite of his negative thoughts however, Jake had not believed that she could be a gambler. Nothing in her behavior even suggested that.

His car was rolling to a halt, as she climbed down the stairs of the Sheriff’s station. As soon as their eyes met, her beautiful face was lit up with a broad, happy smile.

“Heeeey!” She sang. “What a nice surprise!”

“Hi,” he croaked. “Get in the car, will you?”

“Sure,” Holly chirped.

How am I going to ask her about this? “Hi honey, do you like poker: Blackjack; what about roulette?” Be careful, Jake. You don’t want to insult her.”

By the time he finished his thought, Holly was already leaning over him, seeking his lips. Torn by indecision, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“You call that a kiss?!” She complained, playfully patting him on the shoulder.

“Sorry.” He heaved a long, deep sigh. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?” She asked, leaning back.

“Someone told me you like to gamble. Is that true?” His baritone was filled with tension, as he turned his head to the right to face her. Holly’s smile was wiped off her face. She leaned against her seat, running both hands through her hair. The silence was so thick he could cut it with a Bowie. For a moment, Jake feared the worst. This was not the reaction he expected.

“I was going to tell you about it.” She confessed, her sweet voice lowering to a harsh whisper.

“How bad is it?” He asked with a touch of sadness in his voice.

“It was pretty bad,” Holly clarified, returning her gaze to his face. “I quit, about five years ago.”

“Thank God…” Jake sighed in relief, tilting his head back.

“I’m sorry, baby,” she softly apologized, reaching her hand towards him. “I should have been honest with you.”

“It’s ok,” he assured her, taking her hand into his own. “Tell me more.”

“Oh, God…” Holly took a deep breath. “It started six years ago. My mom gave me two plane tickets to Vegas for my 21^st birthday. I took my friend Cathy with me. I loved that rush. When we came back, I realized I missed it. I used to play for hours online. My folks found out when they saw my credit card bill. It was maxed out. They got desperate. My dad tried to sell his car, but no one would buy his old LeSabre. My cousin introduced me to some Phil Duncan, a loan shark in Boston.”

“Damn it!” Jake yelled, banging his other hand at the steering wheel. “What happened next?”

“I worked double shifts, I worked on my days off, but I was able to pay him off.” She spoke in sighs. “Of course, by the time I did, I had to pay an extra three thousand in interest, but that’s what you get when you borrow money from a loan shark.”

“That’s it?” He inquired with a hint of unease in his voice.

“Yeah; after I paid him off, I made a promise to myself: never to go near a casino or visit a betting webpage,” she emphatically stated. “I’ve been clean ever since then.”

“Good.” Jake gave her an appraising nod. Then, he picked up his cell phone and the hotel card from the dashboard.

“You have reached the ‘Aztec’ Hotel. How may I help you?”

“Hi. I need to talk to Allison Barnes: room 3002.”

“Yes, sir; Let me patch you through.”

“Allison!” Holly exclaimed. “Let me guess. She’s your source.”

“Hello?”

“Allie, it’s me. I’ll be in the lobby in fifteen; alright?”

“Okay. Bye.”

“She is my source,” Jake confirmed, tossing his cell phone up across the dashboard. “She says she has a list of all the people that prick’s lent money to.”

Holly raised her voice and then started questioning. “Hold on just a second. Allison? Really? The woman who lied to you, made you believe she’d been dead for the past three years? That Allison?”

“I didn’t believe her, Holly,” he murmured, while starting the engine. “I didn’t want to. But, she was right. And this has nothing to do with me.”

“On the contrary;” her firm tone forced his gaze away from the road. “This has everything to do with you. Can’t you see it? She’s digging up dirt on me to make herself look good.”

“Maybe,” Jake said with a nod. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you and Jensen borrowed money from the same loan shark,” he added, looking at the road up ahead.

“Maybe?” she cried out in a voice full of frustration. “Is that all you have to say?”

“Stop worrying so much, Holly,” he said evenly in an attempt to calm her down. “I don’t care what she does. I’m not getting back together with her.”

“How long were you guys dating?” Holly asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Ten years, give or take,” Jake responded sharply. “Why?”

“Exactly!” the frustration in her voice returned. “There’s just too much history between you two and she’s doing everything she can to win you over. Now do you understand why I’m so worried?”

“Not really,” Jake said, turning right and into the vast, hotel parking lot.

“I’ve seen it all before,” she sighed like a deflating balloon once more.

“I don’t care what you’ve seen,” he groaned, turning to her. The sad look in her eyes made him regret his tone. Jake leaned over her, a smile on his face, as Holly gazed deep into his eyes. “Look, if I wanted to get back together with her, I would have done it already, okay? I’m with you. Nothing can change that,” he whispered softly to her as he tucked tendrils of her hair behind her ear. The sweet smile that slowly formed on her face gave him the answer he needed. Holly cupped his cheek in her hand, tilting her head up. Running her thumb across his cheekbone, she closed her eyes and locked her lips with his. Her sweet, gentle kiss sent tingling sensations up and down his body. Jake reached down and found her free hand. He picked it slightly up and interlocked his fingers with hers, drowning in her intoxicating scent.

“I’m sorry, baby,” she whispered, planting a quick kiss on his chin. “Go.”

“I won’t be long.” He uttered, kissing her on the cheek. As much as he was annoyed by her insecurity, Jake couldn’t deny that part of him was enjoying it. It proved that Holly was scared of losing him.

“Women,” he thought to himself. “You tell them one thing and they choose to believe something different, just because someone else hurt them in the past. I’m not like your ex-boyfriends, Holly. It might take you a while, but you will see it in the end.”