21. It’s Only A Superstition

TWENTY-ONE

IT'S ONLY A SUPERSTITION

Garrett

Earlier this morning, we left the cabin with a plan to meet back in Harbor Highlands to go to Earl's in hopes the penny machine is still there. After the two-hour drive and another thirty minutes to shower and change, I'm desperate to see Dessa again. I'm consumed by her. It's great to have my best friend in my life again, but now that we're taking our friendship to the next level, I'm here for every fucking second of it.

I rap my knuckles on the front door before entering Dessa's townhome. "Hey, I'm here!" Earlier, I texted her I was coming over and she told me to let myself in.

"I'll be down in a couple minutes!" she hollers from the second floor.

"Take your time!" This is the perfect opportunity. "I forgot my phone in my car! I'll be right back! "

"Okay!"

I jog out to my car and grab her notebook from the back seat. Once inside, with quiet ninja skills, I toe off my shoes and hang my coat on the hook. I race through the living room and into the kitchen. I'm an asshole for taking it, but it was for a good reason. One I think she'll forgive me for. I hope.

Frantically, I scan the kitchen for anywhere I could place it while simultaneously listening for her to come down the stairs. I'm constantly jerking my head from the kitchen to the living room, and it's making me dizzy. I need to hide it in plain sight. Maybe she doesn't check these drawers. I rip open the first drawer and the tray of silverware rattles. That one won't work. I try the next drawer. Tupperware lids. I think she uses those too often with her drink garnishes. I slam it closed and try the next one. Kitchen towels. Fuck. I spot a small shelf filled with vegetarian cookbooks sitting in a light coating of dust. While she's amazing at creating cocktails, her culinary skills are subpar.

"What is all that noise?" Dessa yells.

"Oh. Um. Nothing!" I kick the leg of the barstool and flinch. "I just stubbed my toe!" Shit. That hurts. I limp out of the kitchen and throw myself onto the couch just as Dessa descends the stairs.

"I know it's kind of late, but do you think Earl's is still open?"

She sits next to me on the couch and tucks her legs underneath her as she snuggles into the crook of my arm. "If you didn't insist on giving me an orgasm while still in bed and then another because one wasn't enough, we might have left sooner."

"I told you, I have ten years to make up for. Plus, you looked too beautiful with the sun shining in through the large windows, and I knew you'd look even more beautiful with my head buried between your legs. But I won't lie. My favorite was your lips wrapped around my dick."

She laughs. "And that is why we got home so late."

A rush of emotions floods over me as my heart leaps in my chest upon hearing the word "home." She's my home. My comfort. My lifeline. The only thing I need in life. While she was using home as her house, I hope one day she'll think of me as her home.

She taps her chin. "It's been close to twenty years since I've been there. We can go check it out." She grabs her phone from the coffee table in front of us. Her fingers dance over the screen as she types before glancing at me. "It says it's open for thirty more minutes."

"Shit. How long does it take to get there?"

"With the snow, probably close to thirty minutes."

"Let's go!" I jump to my feet from the couch and Dessa topples over, bracing herself with her forearms on the cushion, since her weight was resting against me. "We have to do it now. I'm leaving tomorrow."

She giggles. "Okay. Okay."

I grab her wrist and pull her off the couch. She stumbles to her feet before regaining her balance. In two long strides, I'm at the front door. I throw her coat at her, and she barely catches it before it smacks her in the face.

"Slow down, Turbo." She giggles as she shoves her arms through the sleeves.

"We don't have a second to waste." I jam my feet into my shoes. I toss one boot at Dessa and then the other. She does a juggling act with both boots before they hit the floor with a thud. Shaking her head, but with amusement written on her face, she shoves her feet inside. "Do you have a penny?"

"Shit. No. I need one from you, anyway. You're the one who gave me the first one, so you have to be the one who gives me lucky penny two-point-oh."

"Wait here." She jogs up the stairs with her coat and boots on. The jingling of change as it hits a hard surface echoes down the stairs. "Got one!" With the penny held high, she rushes down the stairs, her breath coming in heavy gasps from the winter coat zipped tight around her. "I'm surprised I had this."

I open the front door and usher her outside and to the car.

"Earl's should be coming up on your left in a quarter of a mile," she says.

At record speed, we raced across the city. Fortunately, the snowplows had cleared the earlier snowfall. I glance from the windshield to the clock—4:56 p.m. We have four minutes. Surely if we arrive before five, they won't kick us out. I step a little harder on the gas pedal hoping to buy us a few extra seconds. The enormous Earl's Logging Camp sign comes into view. Turning left into the empty parking lot, I secure the spot right in front of the door. As I peer into the dark interior, a wave of disappointment washes over me. I leave the car running and step out to read the open hours sign on the door. Four o'clock. Closed. My head falls, along with my shoulders. A deep sigh escapes me. Dammit, according to the online hours, we still have a minute to spare.

The snow crunches next to me as Dessa appears, resting her hand on my arm. "I'm sorry, Garrett."

"Me too," I sigh, my voice heavy with sorrow. As I spin around to go to the car, I notice a house with lights on a hundred yards through the trees. "Do you think the owner lives over there?"

She glances at the dark driveway, then back at me, and shrugs. "We're here, so it's worth a shot."

Both of us get in the car, and I reverse out of the parking spot to drive toward the plowed driveway. The silhouette of the trees casts an eerie shadow over the snow as we approach the house. One thing I hate about winter in Minnesota is that it gets dark by five o'clock. Approaching a stranger's house in the dark, with the closest neighbor miles away, causes my hackles to raise. At this point, the possibility of getting a new lucky penny outweighs the possibility of anything bad happening. I park next to a sidewalk that leads to the house.

My fingers grip the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. This is my only hope. "You stay here. If anything happens to me, jump in the driver's seat and take off."

"And what about you?"

"I'll fend for myself."

She digs into the pocket of her coat. "I'll come with you. I have this." She holds up a can of pepper spray. "After Rylee's scare with her ex-husband and a former Porter's bartender, I got cans for my car, purse, and coat."

A smile twitches on my lips. I love that she's prepared. "Let's do this." We both exit the SUV and walk the shoveled walkway side-by-side. When we reach the stairs, I drop Dessa's hand and continue toward the door. With each step, my hand grows clammy, and the anxiety builds up inside me. I'm not sure if I'm more nervous about whoever lives here being a serial killer or if they'll have the penny machine I'm looking for. I tap my knuckles against the solid wood door. A few seconds pass before the murmuring voices come from the other side. Then the light above my head flickers to life .

The door opens, and an older man with a full head of white hair and deep creases around his eyes greets me. "What can I do for you?" His voice is hoarse and raspy.

"I was wondering if you're the owner of Earl's Logging Camp?"

"Yes. I am. But we're closed for the day. You'll have to come back tomorrow."

He starts to close the door, but I stop him with my hand. "I was really hoping for a huge favor."

He pulls his glasses down the bridge of his nose. "Wait. Are you Dawson? Garrett Dawson?"

A glimmer of hope sparks inside of me. Maybe he's a fan, and I can bribe him with an autograph.

"Tough break, kid. During the championship game, but you secured the win for my team."

Then the little glimmer dies a smoldering death. "Well, at least something good came out of it for someone."

"What can I do for you?"

I'm thankful he's at least willing to hear me out. "Strange as it may sound, when I was in middle school, we came to Earl's for a class trip. Inside the main building, you had a penny machine. If you put a penny in, and turned a knob, it would flatten the penny and imprint it with a mallard."

His eyes light up with recognition. "Oh yes, I remember that. All the kids loved that machine."

"When I was here, I did one and it kind of became my lucky penny. Then I lost it. So, I'm here to make another one, hopefully. I'll be real quick."

Sorrow washes over his face. "I wish I could help you. But I got rid of that machine years ago. It stopped working, and I didn't want to bother getting it fixed."

My heart plummets into my gut. This was my only chance of replacing my lucky penny. I don't know of any other place that would have the same machine. "Thanks for your help. Sorry to bother you." I turn on my heel.

Dessa's waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. When I reach her, she wraps her arms around my waist. "I'm sorry, Garrett. You're more than welcome to take this penny, even though it's just a regular penny. Maybe I can rub it on my boobs for good luck."

A small laugh escapes me. "Thanks." I lean down and press my lips to her forehead. "It's just a penny, right? Losing it doesn't mean I'll be cursed with a lifetime of bad luck, does it?"

"It's only a superstition. Your skills are all you and not because of a penny."

While her words are meant to reassure me, I'm still convinced it's what caused me to lose the game.

"Perhaps I can take your mind off the penny." She drags the tip of her finger down my chest.

"You might have to try really hard." I smirk.

"I'm up for the challenge." A lust-filled glint shimmers in her irises. "Even if it takes all night."