Page 5 of One Last Chance

Memories of the last night I was in Vixen Falls come to mind.

It had been an amazing night, the end of the school year finished on a high when Domenic invited everyone back to his house to celebrate. Sophia insisted on me going along. Usually, I didn’t attend their stupid parties—where everyone got drunk and did something they regretted by the morning—but seeing as I was leaving for New York the following week, and the fact I may never see Domenic again, it meant I had to go. I needed to tell him how I felt, even if it meant losing my best friend. What did I have to lose? I was leaving and never had to face Domenic again.

Yeah, funny how things ended up—here I am in Vixen Falls once again, sent by my boss to take photographs of the Vixen Rapids football team, and it just so happens Domenic is the quarterback.Fuck my life.

“Excuse me, Miss. Please place your seat in an upright position. We are landing in a few moments.” I turn my head, looking up at the flight attendant, and coming back to the present. She gives me a warm smile, her red lipstick matching her red uniform, and I smile back, doing as she says and setting my seat forward. Taking in a deep breath, I glance out of the window again and listen as the pilot describes the weather in Vixen Falls. As usual, it’s cold with some light showers. At this time of the year, Vixen Falls’ weather is constantly cold, colder, or freezing, and for that reason, I’m wearing jeans, a sweater topped with a jacket, and thick woolen beanie.

The cold air assaults my face as I exit the airport terminal. I have my large suitcase in hand to hold my tripod and my precious Canon camera over my shoulder in its bag. Looking around at my surroundings, I spot a driver holding up a sign saying,Miss Mason.

Smiling, I walk up to him. “I’m Miss Mason.”

He smiles back at me. “Miss Mason, I’m Mr. Cole, your driver. Here, let me take your bag.”

“Please, call me Chloe.” I wheel my suitcase toward his outstretched hand, then I take the camera bag off my shoulder and step in behind Mr. Cole.

Opening the trunk to a black Mercedes Benz, he lifts my suitcase carefully and places it inside. He looks up from what he’s doing and holds out his hand to me again. “Here, I’ll take that.”

Shaking my head, I reply, “No, it’s fine, I’ll keep this with me.” The camera is my pride and joy, my bread and butter, so I can’t afford for anything to happen to it.

Feeling a little dampness hit my face, I look up at the sky and see it’s beginning to snow. “You’d better get in, Miss Mason. The news said it was going to snow this afternoon, and it seems like they were right for once,” Mr. Cole says.

I smile as he opens the back door of the Mercedes, gesturing for me to enter. I take my seat, feeling the warmth from the car’s heater, glad he was kind enough to keep it on for me while he was waiting.

“To Vixen Lodge, Miss Mason?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” It seems Jim has organized everything for me.

The driver heads out onto the main road toward the lodge. We pass the small town of Vixen Falls, noting that everything looks exactly the same. Patty’s Diner still sits on the corner, Mr. Black’s hardware store right next door, and Mrs. Cline has her florist store open and is standing outside, chatting away to Mrs. Wiggins.

Yup, nothing’s changed.

Walking the streets are some boys who look like they’re in high school, wearing the Vixen Rapids’ colors—yellow and blue. They’re passing a football to each other as they run down the street. The team’s colors and signs are everywhere in town, advertising the game this weekend.

“Do you follow football, Miss Mason?”

Do I follow football?I follow it all right. I don’t miss a minute when Domenic is playing.

“Um, yes, I do. You can’t help but follow football when you’ve grown up in this town,” I admit, keeping the reason why to myself.

Mr. Cole glances at me through the rearview mirror, and his eyes crease with a smile. “So, you’re from Vixen Falls, are you?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Are you home to visit your family?”

“I’m here for work,” I reply, not really wanting to discuss my business and why I’m here. Not that I’m being a snob, I’m simply tired, and not sure I want to talk about the football team much longer when it’s reminding me of why I am here.

“We have a great team this year, Miss Mason.”

“Please, call me Chloe.”

“Okay, I’ll call you Chloe if you call me Dan.”

“Deal,” I say, fidgeting with my hands.

“That quarterback, Domenic Reed, will bring us the win this season. I can feel it in my bones.”

The mention of Domenic’s name has me glancing up at Dan in the mirror again.

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