Read Online Class of '59 (American Journey Book 4) by John A. Heldt - Free Book Online
Authors: John A. Heldt
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According to Mary Beth and her impeccable source, Old Las Vegas , early casino operators had not vigorously enforced the age limit of twenty-one. They had not done so because they had not needed to. State regulators had not regularly punished violators with fines or suspensions.
Piper put another nickel in the hungry machine, indulged it again, and smiled when twenty coins dropped into a metal bin. She looked around for authority types, saw none, and exhaled. She knew from Old Las Vegas that casino employees checked for identification only when minors created a stir or won a jackpot. So far she had done nothing to invite unwanted attention.
Then she looked at the cocky boy five slots down and decided that was not entirely true. She had invited unwanted attention from Ben Ryan the moment she had arrived at the buffet in a red silk dress and matching pumps.
Piper liked dressing the part of a fashionable fifties woman. She liked immersing herself in a time and a place that offered more possibilities than a twenty-first-century theme park.
She did not know whether she wanted to make a favorable impression on an obnoxious young man who had annoyed her from the moment the time travelers had left Los Angeles. She did her best to ignore the fact he was disturbingly handsome.
Piper fed the machine again, pulled its arm, and frowned when she saw a bell, a bar, and two cherries. She started to curse when she heard a familiar voice, looked to her left, and saw a stylish couple approach. The man in the pressed gray suit and the woman in the pink dress had disappeared an hour earlier to try their luck at poker, blackjack, and craps.
"I see you found a friend," Mary Beth said. She smiled. "Are you breaking the bank?"
"I'm breaking my arm," Piper said.
Mary Beth laughed.
"Where's Ben?"
Piper pointed with her head.
"He's over there."
"Are you two getting along?" Mary Beth asked.
"No," Piper said.
Mark glanced at Ben and then at Piper.
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
Piper shook her head.
"He's having a good time. Leave him alone."
"Are you sure?" Mark asked.
"I'm positive," Piper said. "If you remind him how obnoxious and antisocial he is, then he'll just get mad and sulk the rest of the trip. I don't want that."
Mary Beth shot her sister a pointed glance.
"You haven't exactly been Miss Congeniality."
Piper sighed.
"I know."
Piper fed the bandit again and pulled his arm. She scowled when he rang his bells, spun his wheels, and absconded with her nickel.
"You should try another machine," Mark said. "That's what I do after a few unlucky pulls. I just move around until I find a slot that pays."
"I might if this continues," Piper said. "I picked this machine because I saw an old lady hit a jackpot twenty minutes ago. I think she won thirty dollars."
Mark smiled.
"That's a lot for a nickel slot."
"It is," Piper said. She looked at Mark and returned his smile. "By the way, thanks for funding my fun tonight. I'm not sure what I would have done without spending money. There is only so much a minor can do in this town without cash."
"Don't mention it," Mark said.
Mark and Mary Beth had agreed to underwrite the trip even before leaving Los Angeles. He had paid for gas, two hotel rooms, meals, souvenirs, and entertainment expenses by writing checks on his college account. She had promised to reimburse at least half of the expenses after the Boys from Berkeley delivered on a bet.
Piper looked at Mary Beth.
"Did the Bears come through for you?"
"They did!" Mary Beth said. She laughed. "Imagine that."
"That's two thousand dollars," Piper said. "That's a lot of money, Mary Beth."
"It is."
"What are we going to do with it?"
"I don't know," Mary Beth said. "I just know we have options we didn't have a few hours ago."
"What do you mean?" Piper asked.
"I mean we have options . I want to take a day or two to think about them and then discuss them with you, Mark, and Ben at dinner Monday."
"You're not thinking about
According to Mary Beth and her impeccable source, Old Las Vegas , early casino operators had not vigorously enforced the age limit of twenty-one. They had not done so because they had not needed to. State regulators had not regularly punished violators with fines or suspensions.
Piper put another nickel in the hungry machine, indulged it again, and smiled when twenty coins dropped into a metal bin. She looked around for authority types, saw none, and exhaled. She knew from Old Las Vegas that casino employees checked for identification only when minors created a stir or won a jackpot. So far she had done nothing to invite unwanted attention.
Then she looked at the cocky boy five slots down and decided that was not entirely true. She had invited unwanted attention from Ben Ryan the moment she had arrived at the buffet in a red silk dress and matching pumps.
Piper liked dressing the part of a fashionable fifties woman. She liked immersing herself in a time and a place that offered more possibilities than a twenty-first-century theme park.
She did not know whether she wanted to make a favorable impression on an obnoxious young man who had annoyed her from the moment the time travelers had left Los Angeles. She did her best to ignore the fact he was disturbingly handsome.
Piper fed the machine again, pulled its arm, and frowned when she saw a bell, a bar, and two cherries. She started to curse when she heard a familiar voice, looked to her left, and saw a stylish couple approach. The man in the pressed gray suit and the woman in the pink dress had disappeared an hour earlier to try their luck at poker, blackjack, and craps.
"I see you found a friend," Mary Beth said. She smiled. "Are you breaking the bank?"
"I'm breaking my arm," Piper said.
Mary Beth laughed.
"Where's Ben?"
Piper pointed with her head.
"He's over there."
"Are you two getting along?" Mary Beth asked.
"No," Piper said.
Mark glanced at Ben and then at Piper.
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
Piper shook her head.
"He's having a good time. Leave him alone."
"Are you sure?" Mark asked.
"I'm positive," Piper said. "If you remind him how obnoxious and antisocial he is, then he'll just get mad and sulk the rest of the trip. I don't want that."
Mary Beth shot her sister a pointed glance.
"You haven't exactly been Miss Congeniality."
Piper sighed.
"I know."
Piper fed the bandit again and pulled his arm. She scowled when he rang his bells, spun his wheels, and absconded with her nickel.
"You should try another machine," Mark said. "That's what I do after a few unlucky pulls. I just move around until I find a slot that pays."
"I might if this continues," Piper said. "I picked this machine because I saw an old lady hit a jackpot twenty minutes ago. I think she won thirty dollars."
Mark smiled.
"That's a lot for a nickel slot."
"It is," Piper said. She looked at Mark and returned his smile. "By the way, thanks for funding my fun tonight. I'm not sure what I would have done without spending money. There is only so much a minor can do in this town without cash."
"Don't mention it," Mark said.
Mark and Mary Beth had agreed to underwrite the trip even before leaving Los Angeles. He had paid for gas, two hotel rooms, meals, souvenirs, and entertainment expenses by writing checks on his college account. She had promised to reimburse at least half of the expenses after the Boys from Berkeley delivered on a bet.
Piper looked at Mary Beth.
"Did the Bears come through for you?"
"They did!" Mary Beth said. She laughed. "Imagine that."
"That's two thousand dollars," Piper said. "That's a lot of money, Mary Beth."
"It is."
"What are we going to do with it?"
"I don't know," Mary Beth said. "I just know we have options we didn't have a few hours ago."
"What do you mean?" Piper asked.
"I mean we have options . I want to take a day or two to think about them and then discuss them with you, Mark, and Ben at dinner Monday."
"You're not thinking about
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