For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,182
that we're being hit again."
But Chance didn't reply. The silence stretched on for a long moment before he walked through the archway with a solemn look on his face. "Guys, we have a bigger problem. There's a bus out front."
Rhaven couldn't help herself. Pushing out of her chair, she headed that way to see, because a bus didn't sound like school kids. Not out here. It sounded like something a lot worse, and this was all her fault. Sure enough, when she stepped into the lobby, she saw it. This thing looked like the Greyhound kind, not the school sort of bus. Across the side, the paintjob proclaimed that it belonged to the Christian Church Services.
"Isn't the CCS one of those extremist churches?" Jeff asked, making it clear he'd followed her.
"Right up there with Westboro," Chance said. "Guys, we have to be careful with this. I know it's frustrating, but these people? They aren't representative of all Christians. We have to make sure we remember that or someone's going to make a comment or publish a post that sounds like we're anti religion, and that's just as bad as what they're doing."
"That," Flynn said, "is nothing like my church." Then he paused. "Crap. I need to call my pastor and see if we can get some counter-protestors down here. Have a little love and peace stuff."
"Do it," Chance said. "Jeff, send messages to everyone who's coming in today that they need to use the back entrance, because it looks like the front gates are going to be hell." Then he turned to look at her. "Rhaven, I don't want you and Braden trying to drive through that. If you'd like, you two can crash in our guest room."
"Gotta take care of my cat," Braden reminded him. "Chance, we'll be fine. I'm parked in your spot right outside the doors, and - "
"No, pull around to the back and pick Rhaven up there," Chance said. "I don't want to risk someone having a gun."
"No," Rhaven said. "Braden, go take care of Dammit and get me a change of clothes. I'm not going to sleep well anyway, so I might as well nap here."
"You sure?" Braden asked.
Rhaven nodded. "This is my fight, Brae. It's always been mine, but this time, I can do something about it. When they came to the GasNGo, I had to lock the doors because I was there alone and wasn't sure if they were going to beat the shit out of me. Now? I know they won't be able to, and I want to fight back."
He nodded. "Ok. Let me know what you want. Make a list, because I'll forget something."
He left an hour later, and Rhaven kept working. The day shift began showing up, relieving the devs who'd stayed all night, but Rhaven couldn't stop. She made herself another coffee, and checked some more logs, moderated posts, and the general forums. It was boring and tedious work, but she wasn't going to let them win.
Then a sucker dropped down onto the desk beside her mouse. "Take a break with me," Dez said.
Rhaven grabbed the cardboard stick, pulled off the wrapper, and shoved the candy into her mouth before getting up. "I'm still good," she promised.
Rhaven laughed. "Um, drink. Whiskey if I can, beer if not."
"Whiskey, I've got," Dez promised. "And since it's the end of our day, it doesn't count as 'day drinking.'"
Rhaven followed Dez back to her desk where the woman grabbed a bottle, a pack of smokes, and a lighter. With that in hand, they headed out onto the loading dock. Dez aimed for the one bench to the left of the door and dropped into the corner, gesturing for Rhaven to take the other side.
"You sure?" Rhaven asked. "That's kinda close."
"It's my good side," Dez promised.
Rhaven accepted the offer and sat down. Dez lit a cigarette, opened the bottle and took a pull straight from the top before passing it over. Rhaven did the same, staring out at the open section of grass between the warehouse and Dez's home. For a moment, the silence stretched comfortably between them.
"It gets better, you know," Dez finally said. "I've seen the marks on your arms, and I don't know where you are in that fight, but I just want to say that. I actually like living now."
"Me too," Rhaven promised. "I did that when I was in middle school. I haven't tried to hurt myself