Ed blinked, his eyes adjusting to the low lighting. It felt a little weird to walk into a casino at eleven in the morning, especially one that had such a nightclubby vibe. It had six floors, an atrium of what must be about sixty feet and seemingly endless amounts of black, glass and chrome.
Ed walked past a middle-aged man in a mobility scooter who was sitting slack-jawed in front of a slot machine.
The casino was slap bang in the centre of London but normal life felt a million miles away. This place had its own little ecosystem with bars, restaurants and even a medical centre (the mind boggled).
‘Excuse me,’ Ed said to a uniformed woman walking past with a tray of pints. (Ed didn’t know whether he was appalled or impressed by people necking beers at this time of day. Maybe a little of both?). ‘Where are the poker tables?’
‘On the lower ground floor. But poker doesn’t start until midday.’
That was annoying. He should have checked before he left Emily’s. Still, no matter, he’d warm up with something else. He looked around the green baize gaming tables. Maybe roulette? Nah, roulette was a game for losers. Literally. He’d go for blackjack.
Ed sat down at one of the tables, smiling at the other players. There was a group of youngish guys in suits who, by the looks of them, could well have been there all night, an older man who you’d cast as a serial killer in a movie and a solitary woman of about Ed’s age.
The dealer, who didn’t look old enough to be in a casino, let alone work in one, and had fingernails that were bitten to the quick, shuffled the cards and then offered it to serial killer guy to cut the pack.
Ed placed his bet. He’d start small with just £20, ease in.
The dealer placed two cards in each box and dealt one to himself.
Ed looked at his cards. A king and a ten. Pretty goddam good. He should have been braver with his bet.
The dealer looked from player to player to see whether they wanted to stick or twist. Then he drew his cards. ‘Pay seventeen and above.’
Yes!
The woman dropped a couple of her chips and Ed bent to retrieve them from the plush scarlet carpet.
‘Thanks,’ she said, smiling at him. ‘Good start for you.’
‘Yup,’ Ed said, smiling back at her. ‘Long may the luck continue.’