by Kris Bryant
“I want to go with you. Make sure you don’t rescue them all,” Chloe said.
“Hey, now I can afford it.” She repeated it and pressed her fingers against her mouth as if the words weren’t true and she had to hold them there until one of them confirmed.
“Yes, you can. Anything you want. For the rest of your life. It’s karma. You winning the lottery after your mom tells you she’s moving is like the universe’s way of high-fiving you.” Chloe hugged Serena again until they both started crying.
“I just can’t believe this. I bought the ticket on a whim. Everybody’s been talking about it and I forgot I even bought it. My mouth just told Dougie to give me a ticket instead of a Diet Coke.” Serena relived that scene over and over, still cringing at scraping her change for that day and how Dougie kept his eye on her like she was going to steal something.
“Dougie at the Quik Stop? Oh, shit. I think the store gets cash for you purchasing the ticket there. It’s like one hundred grand or something,” Jackie said.
“I’m sure he’ll get some money for being the one on duty. Let’s watch how fast he burns through his and learn what not to do with money,” Chloe said.
“I’m sure I’m going to make a ton of bad decisions.”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve never seen anyone know the value of a dollar more than you. And I mean that in a nice way. You’ve done an amazing job and got back up every time you got knocked down. I couldn’t be prouder of you,” Chloe said.
When Serena met Chloe ten years ago, she was juggling several jobs trying to pay rent and survive on her own in Vail. The cost of living was outrageous, but Serena was determined to stay for Faith’s sake. Chloe was a customer who frequented the little diner Serena worked swing shift at. She always tipped well even though they kept their relationship professional for the first year. They were both polite with one another and spoke of the weather and daily specials. When Chloe brought Jackie into the diner, the three of them hit it off immediately and their friendship grew into something Serena had never experienced before. A trusting relationship. She was hesitant to open up, but after ten years, Chloe and Jackie had proven themselves as true friends.
“You know I’m going to buy you anything you want, right?” Serena said.
“You save your money. We don’t need a thing,” Chloe said.
Jackie rolled her eyes. “I really want a vacation to Jamaica or somewhere super warm. This winter lasted forever.” Chloe nudged her. “What? That’s a shit ton of money. You seriously think she won’t do something for us? Come on.”
“I’m with Jackie. You can either come up with something massive and frivolous, or I will surprise you. I don’t think you want that,” Serena said.
“Let’s just wait until you have the money in your hand. Then we can plan our getaway or whatever you two decide,” Chloe said. She squeezed Serena until she grunted. “I can’t fucking tell you how awesome this is. Seriously, the best thing ever. Call it karma, hard work, luck. You deserve this break.”
Serena brushed the tears off her cheeks. “I can’t believe this. I really can’t. Who knew that one spontaneous decision, and one I instantly regretted, could change everything about my life?”
“Pack a bag. You’re coming with us. Take a good look around. This life? The one you were drowning in? Yeah, that one’s over. As a matter of fact, leave all the keys on the counter. On to the bigger and way better things.” Chloe pulled Serena up from the couch and pointed to the bedroom. “You have two minutes to pack. Go.”
Chapter Six
“What’s up, boss?” Gabrielle looked up to find Christopher leaning on the doorframe of her office with a huge grin. She instantly touched her face to check if she had lunch crumbs stuck to her cheek or a smudge of ink on her chin from when she’d replaced the toner in her printer just a few short minutes ago. She leaned back in her chair and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“We have the perfect job for you.”
Gabrielle sat up straight in her chair and almost stood out of sheer excitement. “Tell me all about it.”
Christopher sat across from her and leaned forward. “We got something. Something that you’re going to like. And it’s all yours.”
“Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me about it.”
“Tomorrow Brad has a meeting in Vail, and I want you to go with him. He’s meeting with someone who wants a daycare or some type of center built. Lots of potential, and it’s all yours,” he said.
Gabrielle nodded and chewed the end of her pen. “Is that all you know about it?”
“Brad had initial contact with the client. I’m going to tell him that you’ll be point architect on this project and you’re going with him. I wanted to clear it with you first.”
Gabrielle looked at her calendar and nodded. “I can free up some time. I’ll talk with him and get more information.”
“He said money was no object, so this is perfect for you to show the client and us what you can do.”
“Thank God because I was getting really worried the last month when nothing major came in. Tom already has a head start on his project,” Gabrielle said.
Neither of them said anything about Tom’s project and how behind he already was. The customer made a few changes, but it was a massive job and even with help, it was proving to be a bigger bite than he could chew. Gabrielle almost felt sorry for him. Almost. She knew the firm would grant him more help because they couldn’t afford to lose the client.
“I told you the next big thing was yours.” Christopher stood, suggesting this little office visit was over. “On Friday, tell me how it went. I’m out tomorrow and Thursday.” He rapped his knuckles twice on her desk. “Good luck. Let’s hope this is your lucky break.”
“I won’t let you or the company down.” Gabrielle nodded at him as he left her office. She called Brad’s cell phone, but it went straight to voice mail. “Brad, I’m going to head to Vail tonight. I have a friend there, but call me later and give me the details of the meeting. I’m excited to meet with the client and get started.” She hung up and called Rosie’s younger sister who lived in Vail to see if she was free for dinner.
“What a nice surprise.” Elizabeth never said hello when she answered the phone. She’d told Gabrielle a long time ago that it was wasted effort. Gabrielle didn’t disagree.
“Hey, baby sis. I am going to be in your neck of the woods tonight and wanted to see if you had time for dinner.” Even though they weren’t really related, Elizabeth always seemed like the little sister Gabrielle never had. She followed them around during high school and tagged along at college parties. Gabrielle was the person she turned to for guidance even though she had Rosie.
“That sounds great. Dinner, then zip-lining. I’m in,” Elizabeth said.
“Hold up. I didn’t agree to doing anything athletic.”
Elizabeth snorted. “Oh, please. They strap you in and you glide through the air and you just have to sit there and let gravity happen.”
“And you want me to do this after dinner? On a full stomach? Sounds disastrous.” It’s not that she was against the idea. Zip lining was fun. The two times she’d gone before were exhilarating. It just wasn’t a good idea after dinner and alcohol.
“Weird. I thought you were only three years older, not twenty years older,” Elizabeth teased.
“Okay, okay. Where should we meet and at what time? I’ll hit the road in a bit and we can meet for happy hour. How about Franklin’s?”
“Five thirty. I’ll see you there.”
Gabrielle hung up and immediately texted Rosie.
Two things. I finally got my big project AND I’m having dinner with Elizabeth tonight.
Have a drink for me and call me on the way there. I want to hear all about it.
Gabrielle put her phone down and finished everything on her desk. She uploaded her billable hours, signed off on design changes, and marked herself out of office until Friday. An afternoon off sounded like a great idea. She would pack
a bag and stay at least tonight in Vail. Maybe more to get a feel for the town if she was going to be designing something to fit in. Vail was quaint, and she was sure the town had design requirements. She hoped the clients would be open to any suggestions. She knew she would have to learn about safe playground equipment and the right number of bathrooms per children. She wasn’t going to dwell on it now. She would have the meeting and then start designing. But really, how hard could it be to design a daycare?
* * *
“Excuse me, but does anyone work here?”
Gabrielle tapped her fingers on the counter, her irritation at the lack of staff at the lodge apparent by the continuous clicking of her nails in rapid rhythm. When nobody responded immediately, she rang the tiny bell incessantly until feminine hands gently pulled the bell away from her.
“Hi. Can I help you?”
“Well, I’ve been standing here for a good five minutes waiting for somebody to help me.” Gabrielle snapped at the clerk and then took a deep breath. “I need a room. Is there anything available?”
“I’m sorry nobody was here when you arrived. We are unfortunately short-staffed today.”
“That’s not my problem. You should always have somebody at the front desk because you never know who’s going to walk through those doors. That’s just good customer service.” Gabrielle knew she was being a jerk, but she was on her last nerve and had never had to wait this long for service before.
“Duly noted. Hello, I’m Serena, and yes, we do have rooms available. How many nights would you like to stay?”
Gabrielle studied the woman in front of her. She was surprisingly calm for somebody who was the recipient of her rudeness. She was attractive with long light brown hair and blue-green eyes. Gabrielle guessed her to be in her mid-twenties. She had that quiet controlled personality that wasn’t exactly confidence, but just an acceptance of life. If Gabrielle wasn’t so irritated at her long drive and the ridiculous traffic, she would have tried a little harder to be her normal charming self. “Just one night. And can I schedule a zip-line excursion for tonight?”
Serena quirked her eyebrow at Gabrielle. “Are you sure you’re in the right frame of mind for outdoor fun?”
Gabrielle should’ve been offended by Serena’s judgement, but instead of getting upset, she laughed. “Okay, you’re right. I’m meeting a friend for dinner and it’s entirely her idea to go zip-lining. She’s obviously more adventurous than I am. Personally, I could go for a long hot bath, a glass of wine, and my laptop for the rest of the night.” It didn’t feel weird to share this information. There was something calming about Serena that made Gabrielle take another deep breath and relax.
“Your idea of a good night is my idea of a good night. Not to sell the lodge’s excellent zip-lining experience short. It really is fun and exciting.”
“I think I might need both. There was a bad wreck on the highway that backed up traffic for miles. I was supposed to arrive two hours ago and now I’m pressed for time.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Here, let’s get you a room,” Serena said. She quickly toggled over to the reservations screen on the computer and asked for Gabrielle’s information. “Looks like we have a nice suite far away from the elevator.”
“I just want a regular room,” Gabrielle said. She patted her hair and tucked her shirt tighter to reduce the disheveled look. She handed Serena her credit card but delivered it with a smile this time.
“One key or two?” Serena asked. She swiped one and handed it to Gabrielle, who shook her head to a second key. “Just head for the elevators. Your room is on the third floor.”
“Ah, the penthouse.” Gabrielle smiled so Serena would know she was joking.
“Nothing but the best. Enjoy your stay. And if you want to sign up for activities the lodge offers, please check with Katie over in customer service over there in the corner and she’ll hook you up.”
Gabrielle picked up the key card, looked at the map of where her room was, and thanked the woman who not only helped her get a room quickly, but who had lightened her mood. An overturned truck had spilled corn all over the highway and she’d grumbled and huffed while it took the crews over an hour to clear a path for cars to get through. Her nerves were at a critical point when she pushed through the lodge’s doors. It was an impressive lodge with hundreds of windows and fireplaces in all the rooms. When Gabrielle opened the door to room 318, she gasped. Serena still gave her a suite, even though she specifically said she only wanted a basic room. Before unpacking, she picked up the phone to call the front desk.
“This is Serena. May I help you?”
“Hi, Serena. This is Gabrielle. I just checked in. It appears you put me up in a suite and I requested a regular room.” She worked to keep the irritation out of her voice.
“It was a rough day for you. I gave you an upgrade. That way you can still have your bubble bath after zip-lining and we can even send up a bottle of wine.”
Gabrielle was taken aback by Serena’s kindness. After being rude even by her own standards, why would anybody be nice to her? “Thank you very much. It was unnecessary, but appreciated. I’ll be sure to tell your manager how helpful you’ve been. Unless you’re going to get into trouble for the upgrade?”
Serena laughed. “Oh, no. The boss won’t care at all. Thank you, though. Please enjoy your stay.”
Gabrielle hung up and checked the time. Elizabeth was meeting her downstairs at Franklin’s in ten minutes. Hell, she was probably already there. She quickly slipped into jeans and a fresh shirt, and brushed her hair. She grabbed her warm fleece jacket because it got cold at night. If they were zip-lining after dinner, she was going to be out in the elements, and she hated being cold.
“Sorry I’m late. I got caught up in that snafu on the highway. How are you?” Gabrielle leaned down for a hug and a kiss from Elizabeth.
“You’re not too late.” Elizabeth handed her a cocktail as she sat down. “And I didn’t want you to miss happy hour, so I took the liberty and ordered you a mojito.”
Gabrielle nodded her approval and took a sip. “Good choice. What’s good here to eat? I skipped lunch, so I’m famished. And before I stuff myself, are we really going zip-lining? I can’t feel sick or break any bones because I’m meeting a new client tomorrow, and this one is a make or break deal.”
“Oh, fun. You’ll have to tell me all about it.”
“I really don’t know much about the project other than it’s a daycare for rich babies.”
“Well, that sounds boring.”
“That’s because you’re young and you hate kids. I see it as a challenge. Hopefully they’ll be open to my suggestions. I’m anxious to find out the class size and what the clients are thinking design-wise.” Gabrielle thought about all the fun and educational things she could recommend during the meeting tomorrow. With her experience with Rosie and Anne’s three children and their obsession with the best educational toys, Gabrielle truly believed she was going to knock this one out of the park.
* * *
“Where’s the meeting?” Gabrielle asked Brad as she slipped into the company car. He waited until she got situated before driving off.
“It’s on location. The customer purchased two acres just on the edge of town. GPS says it’s only a six-minute drive from here. Cheaper and free of all the zoning restrictions,” he said.
Gabrielle thought it was strange that a daycare wasn’t right in the heart of town where parents could visit children on their lunch hours if they wanted, but six minutes wasn’t a long drive at all.
“So, what do we know about the client?”
“Not a whole lot. She came recommended to us from a previous client, one of Lawrence’s from way back when. He designed the Waterfall Lodge in 1996. Did you know that? He was a badass a long time ago.”
“He’s not doing too shabby now either.”
“Now he just collects his money. He does very little legwork. He attends the big meetings, but for the most part, he just collects
fat checks,” Brad said. He leaned over toward Gabrielle and pointed. “What does that sign say?”
She squinted until the letters came into view. “Bear Camp Road. Who would name a road Bear Camp?”
Brad turned and took an immediate right onto a partially hidden gravel road.
“You’re not taking me out here to kill me, are you?” Gabrielle asked.
“Nah. Not this close to the road.” He wagged his eyebrows at her. “Oh, look. There’s our client.”
Another squint. Gabrielle saw a woman standing outside a dark Grand Cherokee. “Hold up. Is that a dog? Does she have a dog with her?”
She and Brad watched as the woman called the dog over and secured it to a leash.
“Looks that way.” He put the car in park and hopped out. “You coming or are you going to work from there?” He pointed at the passenger seat.
“I’m coming. Let me grab my stuff.” A chill shook Gabrielle’s shoulders while sweat gathered at her lower back and on her palms. She wiped her hands on her skirt and took a deep breath. She had to do this. This was everything right now. She opened the door and followed Brad to where the woman and her dog, now on a leash, were standing. No. It couldn’t be. She knew two people in Vail, and one of them was standing in front of her.
“Serena. Hi. You’re our client?” Gabrielle couldn’t keep the surprise or confusion out of her voice. “I just saw you at the lodge last night.”
“I was only helping a friend out. Three people called in sick yesterday, and I didn’t have anything else to do so I stood in.”
Gabrielle was in shock. She instantly cringed recalling the way she had initially treated Serena. She wasn’t a total jerk, but she wasn’t on her best behavior last night either, something she regretted at this moment. “Okay. So, you want to put a daycare here?” Gabrielle stood to the left of Brad and stepped back when Serena’s dog moved her way to say hello.