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North of Happenstance: Chapter Twenty-Four
Hefting a heavy box in her arms, Kate shuffled a little to her right. The storage room at the back of the LitLiber was a mess. Organization had gotten away from the staff…sundry merchandise lay scattered around the cramped space, without thought to order or convenience. Kate had volunteered to stay late to help put the room to rights—a little extra time and effort today would save in the long run, when employees no longer had to hunt and gather for needed items. Out of her peripheral vision, Kate saw the door to the room crack open, but she didn’t bother turning to see who’d walked it. The box was…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Twenty-Six
“He said what?” Penny asked incredulously. “And he didn’t know you were there?” M.T. countered, over her mouthful of cheeseburger. Kate shrugged, but her nonchalant guise didn’t fool the other women. They knew better by now. Exchanging surreptitious glances with one another, they waited patiently for Kate to break. She was hurt, but her pride wouldn’t admit to it. Not just yet. The three of them were huddled over the kitchen table at Kate’s house, having yet another of their dinner parties. This time, however, it was Kate who’d brought the heavy conversation; in fact, she was so upset she hardly noted just how well the sisters were getting along,…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Kate, I’m so glad you could stop by,” Penny announced immediately after that woman had pulled aside the curtain marking the entrance to the psychic’s House of Intuition. A droll smile on her face, Kate gestured toward her phone. “I got your text message. It sounded urgent,” she admitted. Penny’s missive had been short but implicit: they needed to talk. Clearly, whatever it was hadn’t been something which could be shared over the phone. “So, what’s up?” Kate asked, moving inside the room to grab up an empty chair around Penny’s table. At the same moment, Penny sprang to her feet, her movements feverish suddenly. Pacing the length of her shop…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Twenty-Nine
Absently, Kate looked around the empty gymnasium floor which, twenty minutes ago, had served as the classroom for the Dog Obedience School she’d attended that evening. The course had ended for the day, the other participants long since gone in the aftermath. All except for Kate. Kate and Ashley Burns. “I’m not sure what happened,” Ashley wept then, her arms crossed over her chest protectively. Her red-rimmed eyes stared questioningly up into Kate’s face. “He just—he just came over last night; he was sorry but he just wasn’t sure he was still in love with me…said he needed some space…!” Another bout of tears followed that last, heart-wrenching…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-One
Reaching for the carafe, Penny poured out two cups of strong, black coffee. Turning carefully around, she handed one of the dainty porcelain saucers in her hand across the cramped oval table to where her sister currently sat. “Thank you,” M.T murmured, accepting the steaming beverage. With a grace of movement, Penny quickly deposited herself in one of the remaining chairs. Thin light streamed into the small room, casting a warm glow, accentuating the fine specks of dust dancing in the air around Penny’s office. A faint chirping of birds just penetrated the walls. For a moment, the sister’s focused on the warm drink in their hands, neither one talking.…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Two
Kate looked around the walls of her living room. The teal-blue accent of the room gave her peace, a welcoming she desperately needed. This was her haven. Her special place. No one could touch her here. She was safe—to think, to breath, to be Kate. She felt bad for the way she’d treated Penny. She’d need to apologize—yes, tomorrow she’d seek her out. Did she but know it, her thoughts aligned perfectly with Maggie’s; she hadn’t meant to get so upset with the psychic—she hadn’t meant to take it out on Penny, all her frustration and sadness. Sure, the thing with the boat had been annoying—really annoying. Typical Penny fashion:…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Six
“M.T. called you too, huh?” Penny asked. Nodding, Kate pulled out the chair opposite Penny, setting her steaming latte down on the table as she did so. Slinging her purse on the back of the chair, she sat down, her eyes skipping across the coffee shop. Bean Tamptations was doing typical Saturday morning business—tired, harassed mothers buzzed through the line, towing impatient, bored kids behind them; college students sat huddled over computers, textbooks spread out before them… A rich aroma of freshly ground coffee invaded the cozy space. “She sent me a text to meet her here,” Kate volunteered. “Yeah. Me too.” “It sounded urgent.” Penny rolled her eyes, taking…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Thirty-Nine
Penny unlocked the back door to her office with more force than necessary, her wrist cranking hard against the metallic key in her hand. Moving inside, she dropped her purse down on the filing cabinet before plopping down in a seat. It was almost four o’clock and she didn’t have any clients set up for the day. In fact, she’d posted a sign on her door earlier this morning, informing any passersby, that the shop was closed that afternoon. Only, after spending all day at Maggie’s, tearing up carpet and carefully avoiding Kate, Penny hadn’t felt up to going back home. Not just yet. She didn’t want to be found,…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Forty
“Okay Janessa, close your eyes,” Penny commanded quietly, her voice in perfect modulated control. Reaching out, she patted down the backs of Janessa hands, in a comforting sort of way. The lights were dimmed in the small room Penny occupied as her office. Two fat candles burned on the table either side of Penny and Janessa, and one small lamp, a mock Victorian-era piece, shown limply, its shade casting a pink hue across the walls. Penny took a deep breath. Be calm. Be confident. You can do this. Don’t sweat. Don’t frown. Don’t show fear. She took another deep breath. “It may help for you to close your eyes. Think…
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North of Happenstance: Chapter Forty-One
Penny tried to keep her facial expression neutral, but it wasn’t easy. Jake was sitting inside her too-cramped office, his body effectively cutting off whatever walkway she maintained—knees brushing up against the edge of the table, back chair legs pressed up tight to the wall. The picture of a somber, nervous man sat opposite her—and he’d come to talk about Kate. Penny just managed not to frown. Kate. The thing was, she and Penny weren’t exactly on speaking terms. Hadn’t spoken, in face since Penny had more-or-less come unglued on the woman, telling her she was no longer interested in…well, in this. So imagine Penny’s feelings on the subject. Conflicted…
