Page 70 of Theirs to Treasure

“Jesus, Chance, are you planning on putting out a shingle? I already have a shrink.” Sam took a long pull from his beer and reached for another.

“Nope. I just figure it’s time I said my piece, because this relationship important, and I want it to work. You and Josie fit because you both come from the same fucked-up childhoods. You can really relate to one another and help one another. I fit, because I can lighten the mood. You both need me. Not to mention the fact that neither of us is going to let the other one have her to himself.”

“There is that. You try to take her away from me, and they’ll never find your body,” Sam said in a pretty serious tone that made Chance laugh.

“You could try, brother. You could try,” he said, still laughing.

Sam looked over at him and realized it might not be as easy to take down Chance as he would like to think. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve thought about why I have a glass-half-empty outlook,” Sam admitted.

“No, you don’t have that at all. You always see the good in others. You see the good in a lot of different situations. But when it comes to yourself, you have a broken mirror. You, son, don’t think you are good, nor do you think you deserve anything good.” Chance paused, letting his words sink in. “Do you want Josie?”

“I’ve had Josie,” Sam said with a great deal of satisfaction.

“Do you want Josie for the long haul?” Chance asked. Sam took another swig from his beer, trying to picture his very long life without Josie in it.

“Yeah, I want her. But I don’t know how I can do it.”

“Remember how we were talking one day at a time?” Chance asked.

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Try this. Spend some of the money,” Chance urged. “And you have to spend it on something for yourself, something that you want. Something that really matters to you. Something selfish!”

“You’re sounding a little like my shrink,” Sam warned.

“Jesus,” Chance opened another one of his Belgian ales and took a long pull. He looked out over the water. They were silent a long while, enjoying the peace and quiet. This was a large part of the reason that Chance chose this property to build his house.

“So, what are your thoughts about Becca? It doesn’t sound like we can just woo her like you were thinking,” Sam said.

“The more I hear about those girls, the more I think I’ll love them. It hurts my heart, can you imagine? I’m counting on Sarah. I’m betting she’ll make a difference with Becca,” Chance said thoughtfully.

“I’ve been thinking, too,” Sam said with a slow smile.

“There’s my old drinking buddy. The one I used to get in a fuck-ton of trouble with. Whatcha been thinking about, Mr. Booth?”

“We have one secret weapon and then we have the nuclear option.”

“Oh shit, why didn’t I think of that,” Chance sat up. “Butch and Betty. Hell, with Betty she can smooth out anything.”

“Why didn’t you think of that?”

“Uhhhhhh, Josie was only wearing your t-shirt without a bra?”

Sam burst out laughing. He looked at his beer and saw his was empty.

“I think we need to get back in there and check on her.”

“You’re probably right.” Chance picked up his empty bottles and gave Sam a hand up. They took a last look over the lake and headed back.

Josie was in the kitchen rooting around the refrigerator when they got back to the house.

“You must be feeling better,” Sam grinned.

“Well, my appetite is definitely back.” Josie pulled out some leftover pizza, which Chance promptly put back into the fridge.

“I think we can do a little better than that.”

“Shouldn’t you be wearing your brace?” Sam admonished her.