Any Luck at All: Asheville Brewing #1

by Denise Grover Swank

  Neither did he. He had too much to live for.

  Aunt Dottie picked up a bell she’d set beside the computer and rang it, and all conversation in the room trickled to a stop.

  “It’s time for us to begin. I know you’re all as excited as I am to reach across the curtain and commune with our dear Beau. Please help yourself to the refreshments, if you haven’t done so already,” she said, gesturing to the table. The people closest to it flinched, as if worried her gesture might startle Jezebel, who’d moved on to what looked like a black dip.

  “To start, we’ll each choose a crystal to put us in tune with Beau’s psychic energy.”

  Aunt Dottie left her spot at the front of the room and walked up to the statue. Georgie let out a gasp as she reached for the crystal shaped like Beau’s dick. At that exact moment, River heard a chime, indicating someone else had joined the video conference. Lee stared in openmouthed disbelief as Aunt Dottie removed the crystal from the statue. “We’ll use Beau’s crystal as a tuning rod to lead us to the crystals that will best allow us to communicate with him.”

  Oh shit. He’d volunteered Georgie to go first.

  “Georgie,” Aunt Dottie said with an expectant grin as she turned and held the crystal out to her. “Would you do the honors?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Uh…” Georgie stared at the phallic crystal Dottie was offering, then took an involuntary step back. Could this night get any worse?

  A third box had popped up on the screen and Jack stared out into the room with a look of horror, obviously regretting his decision to call in.

  “What are you waiting for?” Adalia’s voice crackled from the computer speakers. “Go get yourself a crystal.”

  “Is that what I think it is?” Lee asked with a shocked look on his face.

  “If you’re thinking it’s a pink crystal replica of our grandfather’s penis, then yes,” Jack said in a dry tone, “I believe it is.”

  Georgie Buchanan was a put-together woman who had handled herself with integrity and professionalism in a wide variety of situations, but this…she had the urge to run home and hide under the covers, only this was her house now and she was stuck.

  Oh, mercy. Dottie might be hosting this séance, but Georgie was the location host, which meant she was stuck here with Dottie and Lurch and Josie and all the craziness that seemed to accompany her grandfather and his business and the people associated with him.

  Well, everything but River. He seemed relatively normal. She took it as a good sign that he hadn’t treated her any differently tonight than he had in their previous encounters. The kiss—kisses, she mentally corrected—hadn’t made things awkward or rendered him standoffish. As long as he was here, she wouldn’t be alone. She could handle anything.

  Well, anything besides touching her grandfather’s crystal penis. That was a step too far.

  She gave Dottie a forced smile as she moved toward the box containing multiple small crystals. “You know, I can already feel Beau’s energy with us.” She held her hands up and waggled her fingers, then lowered them as though mimicking rain. “And it’s telling me to choose this one.”

  She hastily picked another pink crystal and held it up in triumph.

  The frown on Dottie’s face suggested she wasn’t particularly happy with the way Georgie had chosen, but she didn’t put up a fight. “Now the other Buchanan grandchildren need to pick a proxy to select their crystals. Children, who do you choose as your proxy?”

  “Oh! Oh!” Adalia shouted, raising her hand in the air and bouncing around like she was a kid in class desperately trying to gain the attention of their teacher. “Let me go first! I choose Georgie!”

  Georgie shot her sister a glare, but it was obvious Adalia was having too much fun with this to back down. She looked to be losing a fight to keep a straight face. “And I’m going to need you to use Grandpa Beau’s tuning rod to pick mine.”

  Lee’s face turned beet red, and Jack stared at them with wide eyes from the screen, looking like he was having major misgivings about not only attending the séance but having anything to do with the Buchanans period.

  Which was fair, considering Georgie was having major misgivings herself.

  “I really don’t think that’s necessary, Adalia,” Georgie said through gritted teeth. “I assure you that I’m already in tune with Beau’s energy.”

  Adalia tilted her head, still trying to look serious, but the evil glint in her eyes gave her away. “See…you’re in tune with Grandpa Beau’s energy, but me? Not so much. I’m worried your connection will cross over to my rock choosing.”

  “She has a point,” Dottie said earnestly.

  “See?” Adalia gave Georgie puppy dog eyes. “I’m going to need you to use the tuning rod to make sure you pick the right one.”

  “Really, Adalia?” Lee protested in disgust. “Is this séance not bad enough? You have to stoop to juvenile games?”

  “Juvenile games?” Adalia countered, quick to anger as always. “This was Dottie’s idea, and she’s well into her seventies.”

  “Eighties,” Dottie corrected, her head bobbing.

  “Well, there you have it,” Adalia snapped. “She’s much older than me.”

  “Well, I’m not sure about much older,” Dottie muttered to River. “I’d like to think I’m young at heart.”

  “Of course you are, Aunt Dottie.” River was speaking to the elderly woman, but his gaze was fully on Georgie and everything about him screamed, I’m so, so sorry.

  “I think I should go first,” Jack said with a bit of a glare, but it was hard to know who it was directed toward since he wasn’t there in person. “I choose River to be my proxy, and I’m gonna need him to use the tuning rod too.” He held up a fist in front of his scrunched-up face and twisted it. “Like really grasp it tightly to feel the energy. Since you were so close to him and all.”

  Dottie perked up. “Oh, that’s a good idea. Especially since Jack didn’t know Beau at all, and you did.”

  River’s face froze and his eyes flicked from Georgie to the large crystal in Dottie’s hand.

  Georgie moved next to the monitor, banking on the hope that Dottie was electronically clueless. “Maybe River and I should flip for it,” she said. “Does anyone have a coin? Dottie?”

  Dottie glanced down at her hips, as though looking for pockets in a dress that obviously lacked them. Georgie took advantage of the moment and blindly reached behind the monitor, ripping a cord out of the back at random.

  The screen went black. Maybe her luck had changed.

  “Adalia?” Georgie called out in mock concern. “Jack? Lee?” She turned to Dottie wide-eyed. “I think Beau disconnected them.”

  Dottie frowned, her lips thinning as she studied the screen for a moment.

  “She’s right,” River added. “One minute they were there and the next they were gone. This must be Beau’s doing. I don’t think he wanted them here for the séance.”

  “Hmm…” Dottie said, deep in thought.

  Josie’s brows knitted together. “But didn’t Georgie—”

  “I think it’s obvious that Beau’s spirit is already here,” River said, picking up the basket and grabbing a black rock. “I say we just pass this around.” He shoved it at Lurch. “Pick the one that speaks to you and hand it to the next person.” When no one was looking, he snuck a glance at Georgie and winked.

  An odd mixture of emotions pooled in Georgie’s chest. Gratitude. Comradery. Appreciation. None of the other men in her life, past or present, would have handled this situation like River just had. Her father and Lee would have made withering comments and then started bossing people around (which Lee would have gotten around to if Georgie hadn’t pulled the plug), and her previous boyfriends would have stomped off or acted disgusted. Granted, Dottie was River’s aunt, but Georgie knew the respect and concern he’d shown for her feelings wasn’t limited to her. He’d shown it to Josie and to Lurch. He didn’t jump to conclusions or shoot off his tem
per. His kindness and empathy made him even more appealing.

  No. No. No. You’re supposed to be thinking about him less. Not more!

  He still hadn’t looked away, and the warmth in her chest shifted, now igniting her body, and she released an involuntary laugh. She must have it really bad for him if she was getting turned on in the middle of all of this.

  Jezebel let out a loud screech as if to concur.

  Several people scampered out of the way as the cat jumped off the table and shot into the kitchen, but the basket of crystals continued to make its way around the room until it reached Josie. She dumped them all onto her lap and began to sort through them.

  Georgie was starving and there was no way she was eating anything on that table after Jezebel had wandered through it. She half-considered running into the kitchen to see if Dottie had any comfort food in the fridge, but she worried it would be rude. Plus, while she didn’t like admitting she was afraid of a cat, she was pretty sure anyone with half a brain was afraid of that cat. How much longer was this thing going to take?

  “Dottie,” Georgie said. “What’s next?”

  “Well, after everyone has their crystals, we’re going to communicate with Beau.”

  Oh dear. Was Dottie going to use the Ouija board? Georgie wasn’t particularly superstitious, but after everything else that had happened, the last thing she needed was to open a demon portal in Asheville, North Carolina.

  Dottie asked everyone to gather in a circle. River slid next to Georgie, his arm inches from hers. She felt the heat of his body seeping into hers, and found herself edging slightly closer.

  “Okay, now,” Dottie said. “Holding the crystal in your right hand, take the hand of the person next to you.”

  River glanced down at Georgie as his hand tentatively sought hers, as though he feared she might pull away.

  She stared up at him, telling herself that holding his hand was a bad idea—the worst idea—yet she found herself linking her fingers with his, the smooth rock in his hand pressing into her palm.

  This felt too right, too natural. Other than the rock, of course, and the absolutely insane scene around them.

  He squeezed, holding her gaze, and she knew he felt it too.

  She’d lost herself in the moment, so she wasn’t prepared when someone snatched her right hand. A quick glance revealed it was Josie. She swung Georgie’s hand back and forth as if they were schoolkids on a playground.

  “I can’t wait to talk to Beau.” Then she sobered, letting their arms hang. “I know he wasn’t my grandfather or anything, but I really miss him.”

  Georgie squeezed Josie’s hand and offered a reassuring smile. Josie was infuriating, but as far as Georgie could tell, her intentions were good. “I hope you get a message from him.”

  “I am sorry if this doesn’t go well for you,” Josie said. “You’re not sarcastic like your brother is, and you have really nice underwear.”

  Georgie heard a muffled sound from her left—River stifling a laugh, if she had to bet. Although she had no idea what Josie was talking about, she figured it would be best not to ask.

  Her gaze shifted to Dottie, who was edging her way behind the sofa.

  “Aunt Dottie,” River said. “Do you need help with that?”

  “Don’t worry,” she said with a grunt, holding the plug at the end of the lights she’d strung up around the hand-painted letters on the cardboard taped to the walls. Thank God she hadn’t painted directly on the plaster. “I just need to get the lights hooked up so Beau can communicate with us.” Still holding the end of the lights, she bent over, feeling for something on the floor.

  “Maybe I should help,” River said with a slight edge of concern.

  “Don’t be silly,” Dottie said, still bent at the waist and fumbling around on the floor. “It’s here somewhere. I put it here myself this morning.”

  “What are you looking for?” River asked, his hand loosening its hold on Georgie’s.

  “That extension cord. I found it in Beau’s basement on a shelf… There it is!” Beaming, she stood upright and produced the end of a fat electrical cord that looked like it had come straight from the 1940s.

  “Um… Aunt Dottie…” River released Georgie’s hand and took a step forward. “Maybe you shouldn’t use—”

  But Dottie wasn’t paying attention as she shoved the plug from the light string into the extension cord.

  The smell of ozone hit Georgie’s nose and an electrical buzzing noise filled the room. Light burst from the bulbs on the wall, far brighter than it should have been, and multiple bulbs shattered, sending flying glass into the air.

  Which was when several of the light sockets caught fire, along with the connection between the light plug and the extension cord.

  Georgie let out a cry of shock, then covered her head to protect herself from flying debris, while several of the other attendees shrieked and ran out of the house.

  A smoke alarm began to blare.

  The rest of the lights went dim—or rather dimmer—and the light in the kitchen went out. The only thing lighting the room was the burning light cord, the cardboard underneath, and a curtain next to the sofa.

  Jezebel let everyone know she didn’t approve of this nonsense by releasing several loud shrieks of protest from the kitchen.

  “It’s so pretty!” Josie exclaimed in awe. “Beau’s really putting on a show!”

  “Everybody out!” River shouted, grabbing his aunt by the shoulders and escorting her halfway across the living room. “Georgie, can you get Dottie and Josie out of here?”

  She didn’t answer, just snagged both women’s arms and started dragging them to the door, but she turned back to see River running into the kitchen. As she pushed the women out onto the front porch, he was hurrying back to the living room with a small fire extinguisher.

  Georgie followed the women outside to take a quick head count. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she called 911, letting the dispatcher know there was a house fire and to send a fire truck.

  The front windows opened while she was on the call, and gray, then black, smoke billowed out.

  When she hung up, she was already running through the front door, searching the living room for River, but most of the fire was out and the darkened room was filled with smoke. She heard the sputtering of the fire extinguisher, which sounded nearly empty.

  “River!”

  “Georgie! Go back outside!” he shouted, something like panic in his voice.

  She wasn’t about to leave him to fight this alone.

  She nudged a large crystal someone had dropped on the floor over to the door to prop it open, then ran to the back door, nudging a kitchen chair into the opening before she headed back to River. As she ran back into the smoke-filled room, she could hear River coughing, but the haze kept her from seeing him.

  “River!” she shouted. “Come on! The fire department’s on the way!” The faint sound of sirens punctuated her statement.

  “It’s almost out!” he shouted, stomping flames on the floor.

  The punch bowl caught the corner of Georgie’s eye, so she scooped it into her arms, surprised at how heavy it was, then rushed over to River. The sloshing punch soaked her shirt, but she managed to toss most of its contents toward the flames.

  River shifted to the side as she dumped the liquid, but the weight of the bowl threw off her aim and most of it ended up on him, drenching his chest and legs. What liquid did hit the flames made the fire flare even higher.

  Well, crap. She forgot there was alcohol in the punch.

  The sirens got louder. Help was on the way, but Georgie had just made River a human torch.

  “River! I’m sorry! Leave it!”

  But then she was hit with a spray of cold water from behind. She turned to see Dottie standing behind her holding a garden hose and wearing the fierce expression of a warrior headed into battle.

  The flames sputtered out, and River rushed over and wrapped his arms around both of them, swee
ping them toward the front door despite Dottie’s protests that she still needed to talk to Beau.

  A fire truck pulled up as they went outside, and the firefighters rushed in to assess the damage. The first responders called an ambulance to check River for smoke inhalation. They arrived quickly, and they told him his oxygen levels were good, thank God. Their official advice was that he should go to the hospital to be fully examined, but he’d assured them he felt fine. Thankfully, he had gym clothes in the car, so he’d been able to at least switch out his T-shirt for a clean one.

  Georgie felt grimy and her clothes stank of smoke, but the house hadn’t been officially cleared yet, and she didn’t want to swap her shirt in front of everyone.

  While River talked to a firefighter, Dottie stood in the front yard, staring up at the house in dismay. Several people had gathered around the house, although they hung back at a slight distance. A small group of them surrounded Josie, who was talking with a lot of hand gestures. Sighing, Georgie went over to check on Dottie. “Are you okay? Are you sure we shouldn’t have the ambulance crew check you over too?”

  “I’m fine,” the older woman said, more subdued than Georgie had ever heard her. “But now I’ll never get to talk to Beau.”

  Shame washed through Georgie. While she had seen the séance as a joke and an inconvenience, she realized this whole thing had been orchestrated by a woman who had lost the love of her life. If she’d had a marriage license or wedding ring, she would have been seen as Beau’s widow, and as such, granted more respect and sympathy. But from what she’d gathered, Dottie and Beau had been together for decades. She might not have the legal status of widow, but Dottie’s pain ran just as deep as if they’d been married.

  “That’s not true,” Georgie said softly as she slipped her hand into the older woman’s. “You can talk to Beau any time you like.”

  “But he won’t talk back.” Her voice quavered with tears.

  Georgie turned to face her. “Oh, Dottie. From what I can see, Beau’s voice is everywhere. It’s in the brewery. In his house. It’s in River. And it’s in you. He’s here. You just have to search a little bit for him.”