He’s only fooling himself that he would come out of a brokered convention as the winner. But of course hooking up with a Bushie increases his chances.
Au contraire: hooking up with a Bushie ensures that he’ll meet Mack the Knife at the appropriate moment and the GOPe will slide in their guy.
I don’t know what else Cruz can do realistically, but he has to know he’s being played. The fact that the thinks he’s smart enough to outwit all these people is itself a little scary.