SWNOVELS Chapter Chance: Epilogue
One week later…
“I see you made the right choice.”
Rory spun around to find Colleen sitting at the bar. She’d been restocking some bottles and hadn’t heard the woman come in. It was still early and the Dawg wasn’t busy yet. There were a few people at the tables, eating lunch, but nobody was sitting at the bar.
Until now.
“Oh, hi, Mrs. Wright. What will you have?”
Colleen put her hand over her chest. “I have to keep my mind and soul clear, hon. You never know when the other world is lurking, waiting for a way to breach the chasm.”
“Oh, uh….”
“I’ll have an iced coffee, dear.”
“We don’t fix coffee drinks, I’m sorry.”
“You have coffee?”
“Yes.”
“And ice?”
“Yes.”
“Voila,” Colleen said with a smile. “I’ll have a cup of coffee and a glass of ice.”
Sounded awful, but whatever. “Coming right up.”
Rory poured the coffee, got the glass of ice, and put both in front of Colleen, who poured the hot coffee slowly over the ice. Then she picked up Rory’s left hand with a callused one. “Like I said, you made the right choice.”
“Getting engaged?”
She smiled. “No, dear. Choosing love. You did that before you got engaged, but this is a nice touch.”
“Thank you.”
Rory told herself there was no way the woman knew when she’d chosen love. She was guessing, but she was pretty good at it. Had to be to tell fortunes. Yet another mystical service she offered in her shop.
“You’re welcome.”
Colleen’s phone rang and she pulled it out to flip it open. Then she started talking about an exorcism and a seance and Rory found a reason to busy herself at the other end of the bar.
Emma Grace came in a few minutes later sporting a huge smile.
“What?” Rory said.
“Jimmy Turton has been moved out of ICU. He’s going to survive, Ror!”
“Oh my God, that’s fantastic. His poor mother. She’s been through the wringer.”
“Yes, but he’s doing well. And he’s awake and talking. Mostly about RJ and about you. I’m told he doesn’t remember being shot, which is quite common, or that you’re the one who saved him. But believe me when I tell you he knows.”
“It’s okay if he doesn’t remember. I didn’t do it for praise.”
“No, you didn’t. But his testimony can help keep RJ locked up for a good long time. He did destroy the garden and give the money to Carl, but RJ was the one who broke into Theo’s place and drilled the pipe. RJ also planned to bribe a health inspector, though I guess that didn’t work out.”
“Whoa. Asshole.”
“Exactly.”
“This is worthy of a celebratory drink,” Rory said. “You want some champagne? A glass of wine?”
Emma Grace shook her head. “I’d love a celebratory drink. But first I have a confession to make.”
“What did you do?”
Emma Grace leaned across the bar. “It’s not what I did. It’s what happened. I’m pregnant, Ror.”
Rory felt her eyes bug out. Then she laughed and went around the bar to hug her friend. She had to pitch her voice low so Colleen didn’t hear. But, really, wouldn’t the woman know it anyway?
“Oh my God, you and me, having babies at the same time. Well, almost the same time. They’ll grow up together. Like we did.”
Emma Grace sniffled as they gazed at each other. “Like we did.”
“Wait until your mother finds out,” Rory whispered.
“Oh God, she’s going to flip. Now she’ll get to plan a double shower.”
Which meant Ellen Sutton was going to be happier than a pig in mud.
“It’ll be the event of the century. Until we get married.”
“You realize we’re about to scandalize Sutton’s Creek by having babies before walking down the aisle.”
“Eh, why not?” Emma Grace said. “At least we’ll do it together.”
Like so many other adventures they’d had growing up. Rory poured them both sparkling water and they toasted to the future while laughing and quietly making plans.
Emma Grace left a short while later, the Dawg started hopping, and Rory looked up to see her man stroll in after he was done with work. It wasn’t until the Dawg closed that she could finally be alone with him, though. She hurried outside, knowing he was in the parking lot waiting for her.
He stood beside a big, blue, fancy truck when she’d expected Clyde. “What is that, Chancey Pants?”
“Meet Chuck Norris 2.” He held out a set of keys. “He’s our new truck, but if you don’t like him, he goes back because I haven’t finalized the paperwork yet.”
Rory unlocked Chuck and got inside on the driver’s side. “Oooh, fancy. I like him. Clyde will be jealous.”
“Nah, Clyde’s fine. I want you to drive Chuck to work. I’ll take Clyde.”
She caught his chin in her hand and kissed him. “Adorable man. I think it’s time I went shopping for a new baby mama ride though. Something with traction control and air bags.”
He grinned. “My thoughts exactly, kitten. You planning to drive us home?”
“Yep. Get in, sexy pants.”
Chance went around to the passenger side and she put her foot on the brake and pressed the button to start the engine. It roared to life with a satisfying purr. “Before we go,” she said, reaching for her phone. “Look at the new T-shirts I ordered for the Dawg today.”
Chance peered at the screen. “Oh kitten, you didn’t.”
“Sure did.”
“You think ‘You Won’t Gag’ sends the right message?”
“Theo thought it was hilarious.”
“Of course he did.”
“C’mon, BD, I have some things to show you and tell you when we get home.”
“What kind of things?”
“Things that will make you shiver in delight and things that will make you happy.”
He reached over and put a hand on her leg. “Everything with you makes me happy.”
“Same, Chance. Same.”
Callie staredat the data on her screen. Something wasn’t right, but she didn’t know what. She’d been over the lines of code more than once, and it seemed fine. But there was a heaviness that weighed on her soul, as if she was missing something obvious.
She wasn’t, though. The code was fine. So what else could it be?
There was a sound that startled her. She jerked her head up, gazing around the office. It was dark because she’d stayed late again, but she wasn’t alone in the building. There were others in different labs, diligently doing their work.
Or so she thought. What if she was wrong and everyone was gone?
Silly.Security would still be there, watching over the building. She was not alone.
No, she didn’t like the dark, but she stayed because she needed this to work. She needed the money this job brought. She didn’t want to move again, couldn’t afford to. She had to make a home for her and Nikki. Had to give her sister some stability.
Callie focused on the code again, went over it line by line. It should work, but it wasn’t working. Why wasn’t it working?
She didn’t know how much time passed before she smelled smoke. She jerked her head up, glancing around like a wild animal about to be caught and killed by a predator bigger and stronger than she was.
A moment later the fire alarm sounded. She shot up from her chair, fear squeezing her heart as smoke poured into the lab. There was no time to waste. She slapped her terminal closed and bolted for the door.
But it wouldn’t open. No matter how she tugged, how many times she swiped her card in the reader, the door didn’t budge as the room filled with smoke.
She hadn’t been willing to play the game.
And this was their answer.