Hiding Behind the Big Blind

Home : Stories by Catw00man : Bittersweet Miracles : Hiding Behind the Big Blind

Summary: Jeff is part of a very special game.

AUTHOR: Catw00man
EMAIL: catw00man@cryptoffic.com
RATING: PG
SERIES: Bittersweet Miracles
CHARACTER: Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Clint Bowyer, Jeff POV
COMPLETED: March 1, 2008
WORD COUNT: 2,558
DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING and am affiliated with NO ONE mentioned here. Not the drivers, not the teams, no one. This is all fiction and fun. In other words...NOT REAL, NOT REAL, NOT REAL. ;-)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It’s not very often I get to do pieces with multiple characters and I hope you all enjoy this. I know I did!
AUTHOR'S NOTE2: Thanks to Zippit for the excellent beta!
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Preseason Testing - Las Vegas, Nevada: January 28, 2008

I’ve played in a lot of poker games since I learned how several years ago.  It became a little obsession of mine and I got into every tournament I could.  I’ve played Dave Navarro, Angie Dickinson and taken more money from Jimmie and Stevie than they’d ever admit.  I’ve even gotten myself into a few “high stakes” games just to see if I could do it but never have I been in a game that was more important than the one tonight.

I really was a little surprised when Dale asked me to hang out tonight, and it’s not because we don’t usually do that.  Dale and I have always enjoyed hanging out anytime we’ve had the opportunity.  But over the years, with our schedules, those times became few and far between.  That’s been one of my favorite perks of having him as a teammate, we really get to be friends again. 

No, the reason I was surprised he asked me to bring my cards and poker chips over was because of the deep look of exhaustion in his eyes.  He hides it well and I know that’s partially due to his new sponsor, but he’s not fooling me.  I’ve known him a long time, but more than that I’ve done it myself, hidden in plain sight.  So when he met my eyes and told me I needed to come, the only thing I asked was what time I should be there.

Shuffle the cards and look over at him as I deal out a new hand.  I know more than he thinks I do, more than he’s let be common knowledge.  Everyone knows he’s helping Kevin out, the journals he started tell us that.  But very few know how deep it really goes.  Glance over to Clint as he picks up his small stack of chips and drops them one at a time into a pile over and over.  I think he knows.  But that’s probably because he’s on the inside.  I’m not.  But I do have my hands into a lot more than people know I do.

I started to get a better idea when Kelley showed up to take his place in the Nationwide series meetings at Hendrick.  Oh, it was no surprise she was there, she’s always been an integral part of JRM.  But when he stopped coming completely, that’s when I knew.  Most people don’t realize how far my “equity” in HMS really goes and that’s exactly how I like it.  Not even Jimmie realizes how much I’m involved in, and I bet no one else has put this all together. 

Junior’s done a really good job of covering his tracks.  He hasn’t slighted his Cup team even the smallest bit and from what I heard he’s done more than his fair share of commercial shoots.  He knows that’s what people see, what they’re looking for.  But I see the rest.  I see how much he’s turned over to his sister, and as hands on as he is with everything else I can think of only one reason.

He’s running KHI.

Look over to Kevin and it’s obvious he’s more interested in the laptop screen beside him than the new cards I’ve dealt him.  From what I’ve gathered his babies have been through an ordeal lately and one look tells me there’s no way he’s been worrying too much about his race team.  But they’ve been testing, trucks and cars, pretty much without a hitch.  Teams don’t run themselves and I can think of no one else who could pull it all together.

I know there was a meeting with Rick and Childress and everyone in the garage heard about Junior’s “speech” at KHI and how he was going to try and keep things running for the time being.  But keeping things running, by most people’s standards, means hiring people to do the job for you.  He’s even played it off that way during testing by telling people he was just “standing in” for Kevin during testing.  His tired eyes and absence from his own team tell a different story.  He’s taken it all on and I just wonder how much Kevin realizes it.

“On you, Gordon, or are you sitting out?”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you Earnhardt?”  Glance over to Clint who’s still playing with his few chips and toss in my ante.  “No, I’m in. I can’t let you hog all Bowyer’s money for yourself.”

“Heeeeeeey,” Clint calls out as he peeks at his cards again and again, obviously debating between throwing in the towel or looking like a wuss.  Someone really needs to let him know that losing all your money really isn’t a symbol of manhood.

“Hey what, Shifty?  Gordon’s already all but cleaned you out.”  Feel a smile tug at my lips in response to Kevin’s teasing and take a drink of my whiskey.  That in itself is an improvement.  When we all invaded his coach I didn’t think he’d ever drag his eyes from that laptop.  He probably would have ended up watching those babies all night.  The fact that he can kid around at all has to be a good sign.  From what it sounds like he never gives himself a break. 

One look at him confirms it.  Lines of exhaustion mar his face and he looks like he hasn’t shaved in days.  His clothes are wrinkled and I wonder if he even packed them himself.  I’m sure he’s unused to it…I know I am.  He needs this, and if I have to steal every cent of Bowyer’s money to make him smile, I’ll do it.  “You don’t watch it you’re gonna have to sit back and watch or tell Athena it’s gonna be a lean Valentine’s day.”

“Don’t worry, Kev,” Junior says with a smile as he elbows Kevin and tosses his chips in, uncaring that it’s not his turn.  “We can always send him on a beer and pizza run.  I bet he makes a good gofer.”

“Awww man, yall suck,” Clint replies as he finally parts with two of his chips to meet Junior’s bid.  “Ain’t my fault I don’t know this Texas poker stuff.  I was always a blackjack man….”

“You’d think growing up so close to Texas you might have picked something up,” I tease and then deal out the flop.  Hide a smile when I see I’ve now got three aces and try to play it cool.  I am getting hungry and with a few well placed words I should be able to have Bowyer out the door in no time.  Toss in a couple more chips, keeping my bid low and shoot him a grin.  “So, how about it?  You in?”

“I’m from Kansas, you know,” he says as he scowls at his cards again.  “Not like they teach it in school or anything.”  Watch as he continues to toy with his chips before finally matching my bet.  “You know if you wanted to play cards we could always play--.”

“No!” we all chime in together and I can’t help but laugh.

“Shifty, how many times do we have to tell you we’re not interested in playing hearts?”  Smile as Kevin pokes him in the shoulder and continues to rib him.  “Is that what they play in Kansas?  Old lady games?”

Junior’s laugh makes me smile even more as he raises his beer and chimes in.  “Hell yeah, no girly stuff tonight.  This is a man’s game.  Right, Gordon?”

He would drag me into this.  Snort to myself and raise my glass in response to Junior and give him a nod.  “Oh yeah, we’re manly men alright.” Watch with amusement as they continue to berate Bowyer and it’s easy to see the alcohol has started to have its affect on us all.  Junior’s accent is twice as strong as usual, Bowyer’s completely flushed and Kevin has finally stopped looking to the laptop every two seconds.  As for me, I can’t seem to stop smiling.  We really should find a way to do this more often.

“What’s up wit’ that hair of yours, Bowyer?  Looks like you ran into a damn wall or somethin,’” Junior teases him and I realize it’s my turn again.  Pick up the cards to deal the turn and laugh as he’s still going.  “I mean, surely you ain’t doin’ that on purpose, right?  Stickin’ it straight up?”

Kevin’s laughing so hard he’s almost in tears and Clint’s actually reached an even darker shade of red than I thought possible.  Junior’s having too much fun.  Someone should knock him down a peg.  Oh wait, I can do that.  Grin broadly as I just can’t help myself, not when he makes it so easy.  “Funny, I seem to remember a certain skinny ass rookie with bleached blond hair that didn’t look much better.  What was up with that platinum look anyway Junebug?  The only thing more priceless than the red goatee with it was when the roots started showing--”

“Aww man, what’d you have to go there for?” 

“Oh hell yeah, I remember that!” Kevin manages to say in the midst of his laughter.  He elbows Clint beside him and nods.  “You should've seen it, Shifty.  He was like a backwards skunk or somethin’.  Isn’t that when the “dew rags” started coming out?”  More laughter as he continues, “Junior the gangster.  That was great.”

“Hey, at least I have hair to bleach out, Harvick.” June snaps back.  But it’s his next words that have me laughing so hard I almost fall out of my chair.  “Maybe Jeff and I should go see if Knaus could get you in that hair club for men thing he’s in.” 

Junior looks over at me and we both lose it as we say together  “He’s also a client.”  It’s stupid, I know, but the first time we saw Chad with those plugs…let’s just say it’s been an inside joke for us from then on.

“I think he’s got you there, Happy,” I tease, laughing as Kevin and Clint look at each other.  “Getting a little thin up there isn’t it?”

“Hey!” he snaps back and then smirks.  “At least we aren’t going grey, right Shifty?”

“Damn right,” Clint chimes in and clinks his glass with Kevin as they both take a drink.

“Yeah, yeah maybe I like the distinguished look” I reply and then look over to Dale when he snorts and laughs at my words.  “Oh can it Earnhardt.  Your time’s coming.  So, you in or you out?”

“Aww hell I’m so out,” he says and tosses in his cards as he leans back in his chair to focus on his beer.  “You ain’t stealin’ all my money, Gordon.  I ain’t that proud.”

Shake my head and laugh at him as I survey the other two.  Both of them are still carrying on as Clint tops off their glasses with his sponsor’s special blend.  Reach for the bottle and add a little more Jack to my own glass before prompting them again.  “Well?  In or out?  Earnhardt’s already pansied out this round.”

“Hey!” he shouts out but I just give him a wink and I think he sees where I’m going.  Bowyer is so going down.

“You ain’t getting off that easy, Jeff” Clint says as he tosses in his chips, leaving himself with only four.  Then he nudges Kevin.  “C’mon Harvick, don’t leave me high and dry.  Man up.”

Kevin just shakes his head as he slides in his chips and nods to me to deal out the river card.  Watch as he continues to banter with Clint and I still haven’t gotten a real read on him.  Look over to Dale get his opinion but he’s just rocking back in his chair with his arms crossed, amused look on his face.  He knows more than he’s telling, or maybe he just thinks he does, I don’t know.  Either way we’re getting our pizza soon.

Eye Clint’s chips and deliberately push out enough of my own to force him to go “all in” if he wants to see this through.  Then grin at him and tease, “Well, have the stones to go all the way, Clint?”  He looks over the cards for only a moment before shoving his small stack forward and I know I’ve got him.

“I’ve got more than you know, Gordon.  Bring it on.” Eyes filled with challenge meet my own and I know he’s over his head.  Either that or he’s putting on the best act I’ve ever seen.  Kev adds his own chips to the pile, but for the time being I’m focused only on Clint.

“You first,” I tell him and smile when he flips over two pair, kings over queens.  This couldn’t get any sweeter.  Turn over my own pocket aces, revealing three of a kind and Dale busts out laughing at the pouting look on Clint’s face.

“Looks like someone’s goin’ on a beer run,” Junior laughs and I join in as I reach for the chips.

“Hold on there, Wonderboy,” Kevin says as he reaches out to stop me from raking in the chips.  Arch an eyebrow at him and it hits me that maybe he wasn’t just staying in the game with his buddy.  Shit, he was playing me all along.  Watch as he shoots me that trademark Harvick smirk and I know I’m screwed.  “Full house.  Queens and tens.”

Dammit.  Hear Junior’s laughter and that’s when I realize he knew all along.  He knew Harvick had me.  Damn, serves me right.  Pull my hand back and let Kevin clear the table, his smile making my loss worth it.  I don’t know how much longer we can manage to distract him, but I’m willing to try as long as he’ll let us.

“Alright, alright you got me.” Reach to take another sip of my Jack and Pepsi then look over to his pouting teammate.  “Supreme for me, with anchovies”

“Heeeeeeeeeell no I ain’t eatin’ those stinky fish things,” Junior calls out  and I can’t help but laugh.

“What do you expect, June?  He’s got all those fancy foo foo New York tastes.”  Kevin looks to Clint and admonishes him, “You get those nasty things, make sure and carry them away from our pizza.”

“What are you talking about, Kev?  They’re not so bad.”

“Ahhhhhhh,” June and Kev both cry out and chips fly Clint’s direction.

“Hey Bowyer, I’ll chip in on the anchovies for us,” I tell him and receive a conspiratorial grin and nod.  Tilt my head towards the other two and tease, “There’s no accounting for bad taste.”  Duck when it’s my turn to be pelted by chips and put my hands up in self defense.  “Heeeey, I hope you know I’m keeping these!”

“Whose do you think they are, Gordon?” June teases and I realize they’ve stolen from my pile.

“Yeah, you know how cheap Earnhardt is,” Kevin chimes in and suddenly the ammunition is headed his way instead of mine.  “Aww June, don’t turn on me now!”

As if he could Kevin, as if he could.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Junior these past few weeks, it’s that.  Whether he knows it or not Harvick has his very own guardian angel.  I’m just glad I got to play a part.

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Catw00man - catw00man@cryptoffic.com