Page 11 of Reckless Chances
“Thank Josh. He’s the barbecue master.” Megan pointed at her husband and Josh did an elaborate bow.
“You’re welcome,” he said and then opened the door to the patio. “It’s stopped raining, and you all should see the moon.”
“Let’s move this party outside.” Freddie pointed to the door.
“He just wants to have a bonfire.” Charlotte leaned in and whispered, “I swear, that guy is a pyro.”
Emma laughed, “I like a good fire.” She picked up her third beer and followed the crew to the deck. Half the chairs had been protected from the downpour by an awning, and lights twinkled above them, reflecting in the drops on the balcony railing like tiny diamonds had been tossed over everything. Freddie was already down the steps and pouring gasoline onto a pile of branches in the fire pit. Emma moved to watch as the pile of brush whooshed into a blazing inferno. “Get the marshmallows!” Freddie yelled.
Feeling a presence beside her, Emma paused before casting her glance towards the person. “You made it,” Serena smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Serena pulled Emma in for a giant hug.
After she extricated herself from Serena’s spider-like arms, she said, “Your boyfriend is about to burn the place down.”
“Oh, that?” Serena waved her hand. “That’s a matchstick compared to the bonfires we have at our house. “So, how are things going? Freddie told me that he’s done until the drywallers are finished. You must be so excited.” Serena was talking a mile a minute.
“I am excited, and a little nervous.”
“Oh, don’t be nervous.” She tutted like an old lady. “That reminds me.” She took a sip of her white wine. “Charlotte,” she shouted above the music, which had become a little louder, and the voices, which had become a lot louder. There were a few more faces on the deck that Emma didn’t recognize, and more people seemed to be arriving, carrying their folding chairs, and congregating around Freddie’s blazing inferno. “Char!” Serena yelled a little louder and gestured wildly.
Charlotte nodded and wove her way through the crowd. The three of them sat adjacent to each other on the bench seat of the picnic table. “What’s up?” Charlotte asked, her lips were stained purple from red wine. Unlike everyone else at the party who clutched either a beer bottle or a red plastic cup in their hands, both Serena and Charlotte drank from proper wine glasses.
Serena draped her arm around her shoulder and Emma wondered how many glasses of Chardonnay she’d had. The current glass was very full and sloshing precariously with her wild gestures. “Tell Emma about the job.”
“Oh,” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “How could I have forgotten? Jenni!” She turned to look at the crowd. “Where is she?”
“I haven’t seen her yet tonight,” Serena said.
Charlotte studied the faces that glowed orange beside the campfire and then turned back to Emma. “Jenni is the new wedding planner in town. As soon as your deal closed on the flower shop, I...” she drew air in between her teeth. “Shoot. I probably shouldn’t have been talking about you.”
“You what?” Emma asked.
“I told her about your shop and your services.”
Emma smiled. “That’s amazing. Thank you so much.”
“Phew.” Charlotte took a sip of her wine. “We all talk here, it takes some getting used to, and when newcomers move here, it can be a little unnerving that the whole town knows all about them before they buy their first coffee at the café.”
Emma nodded. She made a mental note to be very careful who and what she talked about.
Charlotte continued. “She has a big wedding coming up. A short notice kind of deal. I’ll put you in touch – do you have a card?” Charlotte held out her hand.
“I’m waiting to get them from the printer,” Emma said. She wasn’t. She had ordered the floral cards but had forgotten all about business cards for herself. “You can just give her my number.”
“Will do,” Charlotte said.
“A wedding planner in Chance Rapids, can you believe it?” Serena laughed.
They all jumped backward when a firework screamed and shot into the sky and bright orange and red streaks fell below the stars. “Welcome to Chance Rapids,” Charlotte smiled and squeezed Emma’s arm. Emma, whose heart was pumping a mile a minute from the sudden bang, took a sip of her beer, trying to calm her jangled nerves. Things were looking good, albeit fiery, in her new town. New friends, a potential huge job, a connection with a wedding planner. Could it get any better?
“Do you want to go sit by the fire?” Serena asked.
“Sure, why not?” Emma said and followed her new friend to the ring of logs and Adirondack chairs that sat around the tall fire. Her cheeks burned with its warmth, the heat feeling good after the dampness of the evening. The adrenaline from the explosion was slowly dissipating and she and Serena were talking about Serena’s hiking plans when she felt it. Her skin started to tingle, and then the crowd went quiet as she looked up and saw the man with a beard as he approached the fire, a case of beer on his shoulder.
Charlie.
***
CHARLIE HEARD THE LAUGHTERbefore he was even in the backyard at Josh’s house. With the majority of his regulars at the barbecue, he had been able to shut down the Last Chance Tavern early. Branches cracked in the dark ravine beside him and he trained his gaze into the forest - something big was headed straight for him. He squinted into the darkness and a shadowy figure emerged weighed down with a load of branches taller than its carrier. He couldn’t see the face but knew exactly who was behind the branches.
