Free Rocky Mountain Mayhem by Joan Rylen Page A

for their three month anniversary
and in honor of Audrey starting school next year as a Libby B.
Staten Bumblebee. Though she didn’t care for costume jewelry, or
really any jewelry other than earrings, she had taken to wearing
the piece often.
    “Y’all about ready?” Lucy asked. “I’m
hungry.” She buckled her red, sling-back FMPs that provided the
perfect accent to her clingy black, scoop-neck dress.
    Wendy and Kate were both wearing jeans. Kate
had ironed a crisp white cotton blouse, and Wendy sported a
sleeveless black silk blouse with hints of deep purple and
teal.
    Vivian heard sirens and walked toward the
window overlooking the main street. Two police cars, a fire truck
and ambulance screeched to a stop in front of the hotel about the
same time.
    “What the hell’s going on?” Lucy asked,
joining Vivian at the window.
    Wendy and Kate walked over too.
    “Dunno. Fire alarm isn’t going off. Probably
some medical emergency.”
    They gathered their purses, Wendy grabbed a
wrap, and off they went.
    The hotel’s front entrance was blocked off,
so they walked to the concierge.
    “What the heck’s going on?” Kate asked.
    “There’s been an accident out front. You’ll
need to exit through the rear, I can show you if you like.”
    As they walked, Lucy asked for dinner
recommendations. He suggested Moose Crossing, modern American
cuisine with Colorado flair, within walking distance and happy hour
for the next 45 minutes. Sold!
    They passed Club Bighorn on the way, and Kate
pointed out the flyer in the window announcing service industry
night. “This is where Viv’ll be committing SIN later tonight. I
can’t wait to watch this!”
    This got a round of woo-hoos.
    A black cat darted across the street in front
of them. Vivian hoped Kate wouldn’t notice.
    She did.
    “We have to turn around and go the other way
around the block.”
    “What? Why?”
    “The black cat crossing is bad luck. We can’t
continue on our current path.”
    “Doesn’t that rule only apply if you’re in a
car?” Lucy asked.
    “Don’t encourage her,” Wendy said.
    “This goes back to way before cars were
invented,” Kate defended. “Remember what happened after you broke
that mirror in Mexico?”
    “Fine, we can work up even more of an
appetite,” Vivian said. “Let’s do it, make her happy.”
    They took the long route around the block,
window shopping along the way.
    When Lucy pulled the door open to Moose
Crossing, the girls entered a timber wonderland of wooden chairs,
tables, walls, lamps. The only things not made of wood were the
taxidermy animals perched here and there, looking ready to
attack.
    The girls were seated next to the large stone
fireplace complete with mounted moose head.
    “I hear y’all have happy hour,” Lucy said to
the waitress.
    “We do. Moosehead Lager pints are on special.
It’s from Canada. I like it because it’s not too heavy.”
    “I dunno, I’m a Dos Equis girl,” Vivian
said.
    “Let’s just get a bottle of wine,” Wendy
said.
    The waitress gave her a wine list, and she
chose a Sequoia Grove cabernet. “One of my favorites.”
    “They serve weird animals here,” Vivian said,
looking over the menu. “Elk, venison, buffalo, rabbit. Poor little
Thumper and Bambi.”
    “It’s not weird, Viv, it’s exotic,” Kate
said. “Branch out.”
    “I’m having a salad.”
    “Let’s get a few different things and share.
Viv, you have to at least try it. Expand your taste buds.”
    The waitress appeared with the wine and
poured Wendy a taste. She approved so the waitress poured each of
them a glass, except Kate who had water.
    Lucy ordered the Rocky Mountain elk loin,
Wendy the rabbit-rattlesnake sausage (Vivian made a gagging sound),
Kate the wild boar ribs and Vivian a Caesar salad.
    As the waitress left to turn in the order,
Kate offered a toast. “To our second girls’ trip and expanding our
taste in food and wine.”
    “And men,” Vivian threw