Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 44899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“Look,” she said, leaning in closer to the big, bearded guy. “I’m just gonna give it to you straight. I’m broke.” She shrugged. “Flat busted. I want alcohol and a motel room, and since I don’t believe in earning my keep on my back or my knees, it’s gonna have to be darts. I’m not very good at anything else.”
“Tell you what,” Big Beard said, crossing big, beefy arms over his chest. “I’ll give you twenty bucks if you can get a dart in the inner single ring.”
“Which one is that?” She didn’t bat an eyelash as she asked her question. I held my breath, watching in rapt fascination as the girl led the three men by the balls straight into a trap I was sure they didn’t see coming. The bartender snorted as he polished a glass before turning his back to the corner.
“See the two thick circles that separate the outer part of the board and the inner part?”
“Uh-huh.” She stuck a finger in her mouth to nibble on the nail nervously.
“Well, if you can stand over there” -- he pointed to where there was a bright yellow line on the floor -- “and throw a dart that sticks in the big circle closest to the center, I’ll give you twenty bucks.”
The girl grinned. “Okay. How many shots do I get?”
The guys looked at each other before one of the others spoke. “We’ll give you three shots this time. But if you win, the next time you only get two.”
“Okay. That sounds fair.” She reached out her hand for the darts.
“Don’t you want to know what you have to give us if you lose?” The big guy spoke again. The lascivious grin on his face left no doubt what he’d demand as her payment.
“Why?” She tilted her head, looking for all the world like she truly didn’t understand his question.
“Well, we figured you’d want to know our prize if you lose. You don’t want to make a bed and not know what you’re giving up. What if I demand your house?”
She shrugged. “That’d be your bad since I don’t have a house.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Besides, I’m not going to lose.”
They all three chuckled again, and Big Beard handed her a dart. “Behind the line, darlin’,” he drawled. Big Beard tossed his dart first and it landed at two o’clock in the middle of the first single ring on the board. His buddies grunted in approval. “Your turn, darlin’.”
The girl complied, then shook out her arm in a big show. She took a couple practice movements, then tossed her dart. It hit inside the circle she was supposed to hit and her dart was closer to the center than Big Beard’s. A wide grin split her face. “I did it! That’s twenty dollars you owe me!” She looked so happy I found myself smiling. Until I caught Big Beard’s expression. He was going to push her.
“Now, wait a minute,” he said with a grin. “Give me a chance to win my money back. It’s only polite.”
“Since when do men like you worry about being polite?”
“She’s got you there.” The second guy chuckled.
“I still want another chance. How about best two outta three?”
“So, I’d have to hit the target one more time without missing?”
“Yep, only this time we’re gonna move it in just a little bit. Now you need to hit the ring just around the bull’s-eye.”
“That’s a whole lot smaller target,” she said, curling a finger in front of her bottom lip in contemplation. “I’ll have to win more when I hit that. So, instead of twenty dollars, I want an extra hundred. You’ll owe me a hundred twenty dollars.”
“Well, at least the bitch can add.” The third guy, who’d been silent until now, rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of a nearby table.
The girl gave him the side-eye before turning back to Big Beard. “Well?”
“Sure, little darlin’. You won last toss, so you go first.” He winked at her, like it was a big joke. I got an itch between my shoulder blades. I knew the guys would try to take something the girl probably wasn’t prepared to give, but I couldn’t make myself move. Because I had the distinct feeling things were about to get interesting.
She turned her head back to the dart board. This time, she didn’t take a practice aim. Instead, she raised her arm and tossed the dart in one smooth move. It landed in the outer bull’s-eye, just like it was supposed to. If she’d been any closer to the inner bull’s-eye, she’d have been inside it.
Big Beard raised his eyebrows. “Nice one.” He grinned then. “But I’m better.” He concentrated on the board and with careful movements, tossed his dart. It landed just barely inside the inner bull’s-eye. “Looks like I got one more chance. You ready, little darlin’?”