Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
When Vienna first started, she’d had to borrow money to buy into her first online game. She’d won. She’d been able to borrow the money because those who knew her were aware of her uncanny ability to win at cards. It wasn’t that Vienna counted cards or anything like that, she just “knew” things. She had a gift, and over the years she’d come to believe in it and knew she could trust it. Because she saw her talent as a gift, she didn’t overuse it, and she made it a point to give back in some way.
She knew that when she entered the room with the other players at the semifinal table, they would all be looking for anything they could to help them get an advantage over her. Vienna had been in charge of others as a surgical nurse and also as head of Search and Rescue for Inyo County. Sometimes that would spill over to Mono County as well.
She was experienced in all-weather rescues, and could do avalanche control when needed. She’d climbed Mount Whitney several times and rescued more than one person as well as retrieved bodies when weekend climbers thought they knew more than the experts who warned them of the various hazards.
She had to make split-second decisions that could be life or death for others as well as for herself under extreme conditions. She didn’t give much away unless she wanted to. She wasn’t worried about the tournament. She had made it through to the semifinal table and had every confidence that she would make the final table.
Once, because she’d needed the money for her mother’s cancer treatment, Vienna had made the mistake of playing in person at some of the tables in Vegas, and someone had tried to rob her on her way home. As if she’d carry cash in her pockets. What idiot would do that? She’d arrived home shaken beyond belief, needing comfort from her mother, only to end up in a huge fight with her. Her mother had been her best friend all of her life. That night had changed her life forever. Vienna had moved out, and she’d never played poker at a table in Vegas again.
Vienna gambled online as luckypersiancat, a totally anonymous way to gamble. No one knew who she was or how much money she made. She no longer had to borrow money to get into the ten-thousand-dollar buy-ins with the five-hundred-thousand or million-dollar rewards at the end. She could manage that all on her own now.
Vienna decided to go running, one of the few things that could clear her mind completely. She drove out to Red Rock and parked, choosing one of the many trails that looped around. It was still fairly hot, although the sun would be setting soon enough. She made certain she was carrying enough water and had a filtration system with her just in case. She was a hiker, not a dedicated runner, and knew any injury could suddenly change everything. If she was caught out in the blazing sun without the ability to call for help with no water, she could easily lose her life. She’d seen that happen too many times not to prepare for an emergency.
Vienna had long legs, and within minutes she had hit her stride, covering ground with a steady rhythm. The sights were breathtaking. She wasn’t going for speed so much as just wanting to be grounded by the beauty and peace of the outdoors. Red Rock had natural formations of rock, with various colors and unusual concretions. Red dots were scattered throughout some of the rock, while brown rock balls were dense in others. Erosion caused many different shapes, from fins and spirals to caves and arches. It was difficult not to want to stop and explore them.
Shadows fell across the rocks towering above her at times, lending them different appearances, coloring them with darker varnishes, but she kept her pace even though, again, she wanted to examine them closer. Her friends would be joining her in a week or so for Stella’s bridal shower. Stella’s event wasn’t a traditional one. They would be bouldering first and then exploring the various scenic trails Red Rock had to offer. They would also do some trad climbing there as well.
Next—and all of them were excited about it—they would spend a day on the river kayaking, starting at Hoover Dam. They planned to find out-of-the-way coffee shops, something they all loved. It definitely wasn’t the traditional bridal shower, but for Stella it was perfect. They planned to follow it up with hiking and camping the Tuolumne trail in Yosemite along the river for an additional adventure before the wedding.
Vienna felt lucky to have five such close friends as the ones she’d met in Knightly. They had been unexpected—and wonderful. Five powerful women, women who made each day count. They shared the same interests and loved the outdoors. They loved to dance and often met at the Grill, a bar where they danced, drank their favorite drinks and ate the owner’s famous offerings surrounded by other locals. Had she not fought with her mother, she never would have moved and found a new life filled with friends and adventure. She detested that she’d never gotten back her friendship with her mother, but she truly loved her life.