Page 151 of No Such Thing as Serendipity

I paced to thefront door of the lodge for what must have been the fifth time. Robyn was late. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. Had she decided not to come?

I’d texted her earlier but had resisted calling her. I didn’t want another awkward conversation like yesterday, nor did I want to hear the confusion and hurt in her voice. Doubt gripped me. Maybe I’d made the wrong decision.

The parking lot was fuller than I’d ever seen. Tonight’s party included not only retreat participants, but also anyone who had attended a workshop. But still no sign of Robyn’s familiar van.

It was already twenty minutes after the hour, and Vera planned on making her opening remarks soon. She’d claimed she was allowing time for the stragglers to arrive, but we both knew she was waiting on Robyn.

I sighed and turned away from the door. As I trudged back to the party, the upbeat music and buzz of voices did nothing toimprove my mood. I considered slipping into the bathroom for a spell, but I couldn’t hide forever.

As soon as I entered, Dana waved me to the stage. She stood behind one of the large speakers with a scowl on her face. I climbed the stairs to the stage, remembering the last time I’d done the same.

It had been horrible yet cathartic. I climbed the steps, willing my knees not to buckle.

“What are you doing?” I asked Dana once I’d walked across the stage to her.

“The damned thing keeps cutting in and out.” She pounded the top of the speaker several times.

“That rarely works, you know?”

Dana held up one finger. “The key word there is rarely.”

I wiggled the wires in the back, pretending I knew what I was doing. Nothing happened.

Dana pointed at the wire coming from the bottom of the raised speaker. “Crawl under there and check for loose wires.”

“Are you kidding me?” I ran my hand down the front of me. “This suit isn’t made for crawling around on a dusty floor.” I’d pulled out all the stops tonight and brought a pinstriped charcoal gray suit back with me from New York. It was tailored to hug my body. I hoped Robyn liked it.If she showed up.

“Fine, I’ll do it, you prissy thing.” Dana shook her head and smiled. “Women in love are so annoying.”

“Whatever, just check the wires.”

While she climbed under the speaker, I examined the cables plugged into the back panel.

“I’m not seeing anything,” she said.

I noticed the yellow cable seemed higher than the rest, so I pushed it and felt it slide a few centimeters. The static disappeared.

“What the hell did you just do?” Dana said, getting to her feet and brushing off her pants.

“I’m a genius. What can I say?”

She stepped up beside me and studied the back. “Seriously, what did you do?”

I pointed at the cable. “Pushed it all the way in.”

Dana groaned. “Fuck me.” She craned her neck and slapped at the back of her pants. “Do I have anything on my ass?”

I stepped back and looked. “You shouldn’t crawl around the floor in black pants.”

“What the hell do I have on them?”

“Looks like cobwebs.”

“Well, get them off.” Dana continued to brush at them.

I slapped her hand away and grabbed the silky string hanging from her pants. “Got it.”

She bumped me with her hip and laughed. “I finally got you to touch my ass.”