What Are The Chances?. D. Graham R.

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СКАЧАТЬ leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. “Don’t tell Trevor. He’ll be mad.”

      “He won’t be mad. He just doesn’t want you to get lost. Your dad and Trevor were really scared that time you got lost in the forest.”

      “I won’t get lost again. I promise.”

      “Okay. Good.” A man I didn’t recognize entered the Inn, and Granddad was showing Paula and Alan something in the basement, so I got up and rushed over to scoot behind the front desk and help the man. He had reddish-blond hair that was thin on top. His small eyes flicked around, searching for something. His gaze never rested on me even when I asked, “May I help you?”

      “I need a room until next Wednesday.”

      “Okay. We only have one small one left and it’s on the highway side.”

      “That’s fine.” He nodded. “I’ll take whatever you have. Everything in Squamish is full.”

      “Oh yeah, there is a big baseball tournament going on. They’re usually booked a year in advance for that. I’m going to need a credit card and a piece of picture ID,” I said.

      He frowned and sighed in a tense, irritated way. “I don’t have a credit card. I’ll pay cash up front.”

      “There’s a damage deposit of two hundred dollars. You’ll get it back when you check out if the room is in the same condition you found it in.”

      “Fine,” he said and opened his wallet. A credit card was perfectly visible in the first slot. When he realized I had noticed it, he tipped his wallet until I couldn’t see the card.

      I told him how much he owed and he counted out the entire amount in one-hundred-dollar bills. While I was getting the key, I caught him staring at Kailyn through the archway to the dining room. He was already creeping me out, but when he focused on Kailyn like that I felt extremely uncomfortable. “I’m going to need a copy of your driver’s licence in case you leave anything behind in the room.” I totally lied, but I wanted to have a record of him just in case.

      “It’s in my suitcase,” he said, even though he didn’t have a suitcase with him. “I’ll bring it down later this evening.”

      He was a quick liar, which made me more wary. “Your room is up the stairs and on the right. A buffet breakfast is available in the dining room between six and nine,” I said as he walked away. He didn’t say thanks.

      Kailyn had kept playing while I was gone, so I had almost no checkers left. “Did you see that man?” I whispered.

      “Yes. Is he a bad man?”

      “I don’t know for sure. It would be better if you didn’t talk to him or go anywhere with him just in case. Okay?”

      “Okay.” She cleared the board and set it up to play again. “Do you think I’ll ever meet Riley Rivers?”

      “Sure,” I said, but I was distracted because Murphy’s light-green GMC pulled into the parking lot with Trevor in the passenger seat. He looked as if he was still in one piece. It was a relief, but it meant something bad was still going to happen to someone at some point. Trevor transferred his climbing gear back into his own truck. Murphy waved one of his massive arms out the window, then drove away. Kailyn noticed me staring, so she followed my gaze.

      “Trevor’s home.” She got up, grabbed her half of the cinnamon bun to take with her, and walked out without saying goodbye to me.

      I cleaned up the game and returned it to the library, then loitered around the lobby, waiting to see if Trevor was going to come by and tell me about his trip. He didn’t call or come over, so I decided to focus on getting ready for my date with Mason instead.

      Sophie’s instructions were extremely helpful, and although I didn’t come close to resembling the girls who used to hang out with Mason in high school, I looked pretty good for me. Sophie’s heels made my legs look even longer, which I liked, because my legs were my best feature. And thanks to the conditioner I had brought back from Italy, my hair turned out extra shiny and smooth. A cardigan would have been my first choice, since it was still raining torrentially, but Sophie was right, it made the whole outfit look dumpy. For the sake of fashion I committed to braving the weather with bare arms.

      When I was finally as presentable as possible without professional help, I headed to the lobby. Trevor was leaning his elbows on the front desk and laughing with my granddad. He had on a white dress shirt, dark jeans, and motorcycle boots. He smelled really good. They both saw me at the same time. My granddad whistled, which made me feel suddenly very self-conscious. Trevor stood up straight and stared at me without saying anything. His expression was weird. I looked down at myself to see if I had screwed something up. The clothes seemed to look okay, so I smoothed my hair with my hands to check if it had gone awry. It seemed okay too. I stared back at Trevor and tried to figure out why he wasn’t smiling.

      Granddad excused himself, smiling and mumbling something I couldn’t quite hear as he disappeared through the archway into the dining room.

      “Welcome home.” Trevor finally said as he stepped closer to give me a quick, friendly hug. “You look really pretty, Deri.”

      “Thanks.” I tucked my hair behind my ears and glanced down at the floor. “I did the best I could without Sophie’s help. You look nice, too. Are you going on a date?”

      “Uh, no. I’m just meeting up with Murphy and the guys later. Do you want me to give you a ride somewhere?”

      “Oh, no thanks. Mason is picking me up.”

      “Mason,” Trevor said and frowned as he glanced out the window.

      “Do you remember him?”

      “Yeah.” He looked at me briefly and then focused somewhere off in the distance, thinking. “I thought he moved away.”

      “Sort of. Not really. He was just travelling abroad for work.”

      “Oh.”

      An unusually sleek silver sports car pulled up in front of the Inn. Mason got out of the car and Granddad came back into the lobby as if he’d been waiting around the corner, listening. Mason opened the front door and said hello to me, then shook hands with Granddad as he introduced himself. He made eye contact with Trevor, who was standing beside me. He lifted his chin in a guy nod, and said, “Maverty.”

      “Cartwright.” Trevor did the guy nod back.

      There was a bit of an awkward silence before Granddad told us to have a good time and excused himself. It was pouring out, so I moved next to the door and waited for Mason.

      “Keep that McLaren close to the speed limit,” Trevor told Mason. “She gets uncomfortable driving on the highway.”

      Mason nodded, then ran out into the rain to open the passenger door for me. Trevor didn’t look impressed that Mason was my date, but he really had no right to have an opinion. “I don’t need you to tell him how to drive. You’re not my dad.”

      “Be safe.” His voice was genuine, and it made me feel guilty for snapping at him.

      I pushed my palm against the front door, then hesitated. СКАЧАТЬ