Page 83 of Single Chance

“So no one else knows?”

I checked the time on my phone. Nearly seven p.m. Everly was starting around 7:30, before the big Saturday-night rush of twentysomethings hit the bars. “I’m sure some people do. Her friends and family. It wasn’t advertised though.”

As we reached Main Street, the scene was even more chaotic than I expected. Sheriff Lopez was directing traffic, and people had gathered in front of the bakery.

I let out a howl of laughter.

“What is going on?” Rowan asked in alarm.

“Looks like we got a llama on the loose,” I said. “See that van over there?” I pointed across from the bakery at the older-model van. Emerson had hired Lexie North, another of Holden’s sisters-in-law, to paint a giant portrait of Esmerelda and Betty on the side, as well as the word Llamamobile in a fancy script.

“Llamamobile,” Rowan read. “You have got to be kidding me. This is the oddest town ever.”

“Where else is the second-most-famous resident a furry white llama?”

“Nowhere,” she said, laughing. “Where’s the llama?”

As we got closer to the scene, I spotted Ben coming from the back of the van after shutting the llama hatch.

“It looks like they just got her loaded up.”

“This is my second near miss. I’ve never officially met this llama, only dodged her.”

“Hey, I’ve got connections. Come on.” I took Rowan’s hand and headed into the street that was now deserted of cars except for the sheriff’s and the llama van.

“She’s in the van?” Rowan asked. “I’m not going in that van with her.”

“We’ll say hi from outside.” As we neared the van, I called out to Ben, “When are you going to get that llama under control?”

Standing at his open driver’s door, Ben shook his head. “This fucking llama. I can’t for the life of me figure out how she gets out. I’ve fixed multiple spots in the fence. Every time I think I’ve got it, I get a call that she’s out and about. Hi,” he said to Rowan, holding out his hand. “Ben Holloway.”

“Rowan Andrews. Nice to meet you.”

“She wants to meet the llama,” I explained to my friend. I leaned over to see into the passenger seat. “Hey, Emerson.”

Ben’s wife had just climbed in the other side. She stretched toward the driver’s seat. “Hey, Chance. Would you like tobuya llama?” She grinned, then turned her attention to Rowan. “You must be Rowan.” She leaned even farther, and the women shook hands.

I wondered if Ben had told her about Rowan or if our pregnancy news was filtering through town. On second thought, I was better off not knowing the details. I deliberately hadn’t opened the Tattler app for the past week now that our secret was out.

“I am,” Rowan said. “You’re the llama mama?”

“I’m the wife of the llama softie,” Emerson said, laughing with the rest of us. “I’m adopting Ben’s human kids, but we haven’t started proceedings for any of the furry creatures yet. This one is last on my list.”

“What she means to say is that she loves this high-drama llama,” Ben said. “Meet Esmerelda.”

Rowan angled to better see the white llama, who was enclosed behind a mesh metal partition. The llama checked her out with her big, astute eyes, her ears angling forward in interest. “Hi, Esmerelda. Aren’t you a pretty girl?”

“Or funny-looking, as our six-year-old says,” Emerson said. “She kind of grows on you.”

“The llama,” Ben clarified. “The six-year-old is easier to love. What are you two up to tonight?”

“Heading to the Fly,” I said.

“To see a certain someone who shall remain nameless?” Ben asked.

“Worst-kept secret, huh?”

“Chloe clued me in,” Emerson said.

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