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“Oh.” She straightens. “Is that all?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, now, and I’d like to try and set things right, if I could.”
She smiles, dismissing his apology. “Water under the bridge. It was a long time ago, Noble, and I’m not in the habit of holding grudges against kids when they act like kids.”
He pulls a face. “I was old enough to know better.”
He really was.
“Well.” She sizes him up. “I suppose that’s true.”
He reaches into his back pocket. “I thought about sending this to the school, but I’m glad I got the chance to give it to you in person along with my apology.” He hands over what looks like a check, folded in half.
Mrs. McManus opens it, gasps, then tries to hand it back. “What on Earth? This is too much!”
He shakes his head and holds up his hands, rejecting her attempt to give it to him. “I did some research and found out what it would cost to fix that kind of damage now. That’s a fair price. And I should’ve sent it a long time ago.”
“Are you sure?” Her eyes are wide. “The field’s been fixed for years.”
“I’m sure.” He nods. “I just need you to know I’m sorry.”
She looks at me. “Are you hearing this, Hattie?”
I nod, a little stunned myself. I absently wonder if last night was his version of making things right with me and I should expect a check on the kitchen counter the morning he leaves.
Mrs. McManus pulls Noble into a tight hug. “Noble Kane, you sure do beat all. I certainly didn’t expect anything like this. But thank you.” She holds the check up, and then gestures with it. “We’ll make a scholarship! Or better yet, I could see about fixing the seats in the high school auditorium. Those poor theatre kids are always getting passed over.”
“It’s yours. You do whatever you think is best.”
She chuckles. “Well, I think a spa weekend in Sedona would be best, but I promise you I’ll use it for the school.”
He laughs. “Sounds good.”
A woman I recognize as the music teacher at Silverwood High walks out of the coffee shop, and Mrs. McManus starts waving the check in the air. “Liza! You’re never going to believe what this is!” She rushes off, leaving me sitting there, watching as Noble sits back down and takes a drink.
I feel like I just got a chance to see change in action. And like Pop always said, “Actions speak louder.”
I’m finally willing to listen.
He stares out across the road at the face painting booth, then finally glances my way. “What?”
“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” I say.
He inhales a slow breath, then blows it out quickly. “Yes, I did.”
I stare at him, shaking my head, then in my best Stacy McManus, say, “Noble Kane, you sure do beat all.”
“Okay, that’s about enough of that.” He waves me off and stands. “You wanna look around?”
I stand, and we start walking. “Is this what you’re doing? Going around paying everyone hoping they’ll take you back?”
He laughs. “No. With some of them, just writing a check would be the easy way out. Or a shortcut.”
“Yeah, but simply apologizing should be enough after all this time, don’t you think?”
He shakes his head. “No. Damage was done. Things were broken. Things that cost people, maybe even more than money. Words aren’t enough no matter how humbling they are. Not by a long shot.”
“Is that why you spent half an hour talking to Sheriff Rowdy at dinner last night?” I found it strange that Noble had practically cornered Silverwood’s retired lawman, but it’s all starting to make a bit more sense now. “Did you pay him too?”
