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"I declared a moratorium on dating for a week," I told Krista.
"Really? A whole week? Do you think you'll be able to hold out?"
"I need to get my head on straight about some other things. These three men are too distracting. If I'm meant to be with any of them, they'll still be available when I’m ready."
My plan was going well. I called Chance every couple of days just to see how his therapy was going. Jim and Tom both came into the cafe. I refused their dinner invitations but encouraged them to ask again later. Laurie was supportive though she was campaigning to make sure Tom was the first one I went out with when my moratorium was over.
Laurie and I made a girl's night out of homemade pizza and cleaning my kitchen. "I have some questions for you," Laurie said as we started on the last wall. "You've spent more time with Chance Monroe than any woman in Wilkins’ Gap except maybe his mother. The rest of us only get to admire him from afar. How was it to spend time with him?"
"We had our moments," I said.
"You had moments? Care to elaborate? Remember, I'm living vicariously through you at this point. Well, except where my brother's concerned."
"Chance is a good guy, but sometimes he's an ass. My biggest issue with him is just the roller coaster personality. Sometimes he's flirty and nice, other times he's snarky."
"Chance flirted with you?"
"We did share a tent."
"How did you not mention that before? You slept with Chance Munroe?"
"Yes, but we actually slept. And don't get too excited, I also shared a tent with your brother for a couple of nights."
"My goodness girl, you should write a book. I had no idea your life was this interesting."
I decided to turn the tables a bit. "You and Chance have lived in Wilkins’ Gap your whole lives. He's good friends with your brother. How is it the two of you never hooked up?"
"Who says we didn't?"
My eyes went wide. "You almost had me going there, but if you dated Chance you wouldn't have so many questions about him."
"A girl can dream."
My matchmaker radar picked up on that. Maybe I should figure out a way to get Laurie and Chance together. I liked the idea, but part of me balked. I wasn't sure I was ready to give up my guyumvirate just yet.
I was washing out the last cabinet when my phone rang.
"Must be one of your men," Laurie said.
"Can you get it? My hands are wet. It's on the table."
"Hi. Everly Mason's phone."
"Oh, Hi, Chance. This is Laurie. I'm helping Everly clean. She's drying her hands now." She handed the phone to me with a giggle.
"Hi, Chance. What's up?"
"We need to regroup with Jim and figure out our next steps."
"OK. I'll set something up. Do you want to come to his office or should we do it at your house again?"
Laurie raised her eyebrows.
"Let's do it here. More privacy that way. I heard back from my friend at the university. The DNA from the hair samples didn't match anything in the database."
"Sorry. I was hoping it would be helpful."
"It is. That means it didn't come from a bear or a wolf or any animal that's been identified."
"So, it could be from a bigfoot?"
"Yeah and there's more. The sample we took close to the print is different than the one from my clothes after the accident, but they have a familial link."
"Chance, I'm sorry. Science was never my thing. What are you trying to tell me?"
"The creature that left the hair by the print is a family member of the creature that carried me out of the stream."
"OK. Thanks for letting me know. We can discuss it more when we get together with Jim again. I'll try to set something up for tomorrow."
I was still trying to wrap my brain around the information, as I ended the call and laid my phone on the table.
"You OK?" Laurie asked.
"What? Oh. Yeah. Sorry."
I didn't know if I should share the information or not, so I choose not to. I didn't really understand how this whole cryptid thing worked. As soon as Laurie headed home, I called Jim and set up a meeting for the following afternoon at Chance's. I called Chance back and asked if he wanted me to come early and bring lunch.
"I'd appreciate it. I'm getting around OK, but I do get tired of my own cooking."
I offered to pick up anything Chance needed from town, but he said he was doing good now that he could drive where he needed to go. I was still surprised at how well he seemed to be dealing with not being able to run his business like he normally would.