Taking Chances

Chapter 21

Bec arrived home at four-forty in the afternoon, lay her work laptop and cameras on the table, then turned the heating on. She shivered as the air conditioning unit coughed cold air before the warm air came. Next, she turned on the gas heater and got instantly warm. Satisfied, she went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of red, and sat down to work.

She had intended to transfer the photos from the cameras to the computer at the studio, but she was tired. She needed a drink and the apartment was empty; Jen was probably still at school.

Bec plugged the camera into the computer and started copying the photos. A little bar appeared on her screen indicating that the image transfer was in process. She leaned back in her chair and raised the glass to her lips. What a day! She thought back to Ryan's awkward attempt to ask her out. He seemed like the kind of guy a girl settled down with in a small country town: two kids, a dog, and a white-picket fence. She wasn't sure if she wanted that. She had just gotten out of a hole, and Ryan could well be another trap. A good trap, but a trap nonetheless.

There was a knock at the door. Bec put the glass down gently.

She could just pretend that no one was home. Another knock. This time more forceful and followed by a voice, "Hello? I'm from Smith, Hall, and Townsend Realtor's. Can I come in?" Bec recognized the name. Smith, Hall, and Townsend had a shop front on Main Street not far from Louis' Liquor.

Bec called out, "Just a moment!"

She went to the door and hooked the security chain on, unlocked the bolt, and opened the door a fraction. A well-built, middle-aged man in a grey suit and a man-bag slung over his shoulder stood outside. His hair was greying at the edges and was cut short, military style. He smiled at Bec. He had a look about him that bespoke professionalism. It reassured Bec.

"Hello," he said. "Peter Watson. Property Manager with Smith, Hall, and Townsend. May I come in?" He passed Bec his business card through the door opening. Bec inspected the card then unhooked the chain, and swung the door open. "What can I do for you, Mr. Watson?"

"Oh, just a routine inspection," said Mr. Watson and he walked through without waiting for a verbal invitation. "Mind if I take some pictures for the owner?"

Again, he didn't wait for permission. Out of his man bag, he pulled a Canon EOS 70D.

Bec smiled awkwardly and said, "You take your job seriously."

Mr. Watson snapped of a few shots of the living room and replied, "Yes, of course. What could be more important than people's homes?"

The man moved through the apartment with precision. Bec stood with her arms folded as Peter Watson took photos of nearly every surface. He saw the glass of wine and said, "Happy hour?"

"Yeah. It was a tough day."

"I know what you mean. Do you have guests over regularly? Parties? That sort of thing?"

Bec wasn't expecting that sort of question. Its suddenness took her by surprise, but Peter Watson's confidence assured her and she replied, "No. I'm really just staying with my sister, Jennifer."

"Staying long?"

"Just a few weeks while I help my sister with a few things."

When he finished, Watson shook Bec's hand with a firm grip, thanked her for her time, and left.

Bec peered through the curtains, which gave her a view of the street below. She saw Mr. Watson trot across the street and get into a black Hyundai. She put his card down on the corner of the table and checked her computer. The file transfer was complete, so she took a long drink from her wine glass.

Jen came home fifteen-minutes later to find Bec in the kitchen, knife in one hand, wine glass in the other.

"What's all this?" Jen asked as she hung up her coat.

"Pan-fried chicken and couscous."

"Fancy! What's the occasion?"

"Oh, you know. Just had a good day."

Jen sat down at the table and cast an eye over the mess of cameras, computer, and cables on the table. She started to tidy up.

Bec noticed, rushed out to the table and started packing away. "Careful, careful. That's work stuff. Can you keep an eye on the chicken instead?"

Jen stepped back, hands in the air. "Okay, Okay."

Bec packed her gear away and inadvertently knocked Peter Watson's card onto the floor, under the table. She sat the laptop and cameras on the floor next to the sofa and went back to the kitchen.

"Here, have a glass of wine," said Bec and she poured a glass for Jen.

"Just a small one. I'm grading papers tonight."

"You can grade papers any time. Tonight, let's have a girl's night in!"

Jen handed the spatula to Bec, who resumed her position as cook. Jen said, "It's a bit early in the week, for me. I'll have one with dinner."

"Oh, come on, Jen. Live a little."

Jen pulled out a folder of papers and sat them on the table. She said, "Did something happen today?"

Bec cleared her throat, put a serious look on her face and said, "Ryan asked me out today. Well, he tried to."

"Ryan? Ryan Anderson?" Jen went back into to the kitchen and gave Bec a hug. "Tell me EVERYTHING," Jen squealed.

The girls sat down at the table to eat their dinner. "Mmm!" Jen exclaimed, "This chicken is good."

That put a smile on Bec's face. She ate the couscous and took a mouthful of wine to wash it down.

Bec recounted the details of the day. Jen grinned wide-eyed and interjected with, "No!" or, "He didn't?", and "Poor man."

A twinkle of mischief lit up Jen's eyes. "You should ask him out on a date."

"What!" Bec put her glass down and leaned forward. "If he wants me, he'll have to man-up and ask me." Bec thumped her fist on the table in mock anger. "Besides, I'm just not sure I'm ready to commit to anything. I'm hardly independent at the moment, and I don't even know if I want to settle in Brooksdale."

"It's a bit premature to be talking about settling down, isn't it? Ryan might not be looking for anything serious either."

"Do you think he's just after a fling? Is that what people think of me?"

Jen leaned back in her chair. "No. But as far as I know, you're the first woman he's shown interest in since his divorce."

Bec got up "You want ice cream?"

She scooped out ice-cream into two bowls and thought over what Jen had said. It had been so long since she was with a caring guy.

Bec placed the ice-creams on the table. "You're right. I'll message him. But if he screws up the date, he's canned!"

Bec: Hey, want 2 do dinner 2morow night?

Ryan: Hi. Can't. BJJ.

...

Ryan: Thursday night?

Bec: Can make time. Pick me up at 6.

Ryan: OK. Dress warm and bring your camera.