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“Shh,” Chance whispered back. The volume on the TV was set low. “I heard a noise outside of the window.”
Noelle tensed up and sat up straight. She looked around her living room, but all looked calm. Only one small lamp bathed the room with a dim light. Chance stood up and went over to the large living room window. He moved the curtain slightly and peeked out. By the look on his face, he must have seen something. She went to pick up the phone and dial the police. Damn it, I disconnected it.
Filled with fear she stood up. Chance closed the curtain and walked up to her. He grabbed her arms. “I saw a shadow running away.”
She let out a sound of relief. Whoever it was left. Thank God.
“I am still going to call Chase.” Chance pulled out his cell phone and started to dial.
Before he could complete it, a loud crash of glass shattering had her screaming loudly. She covered her head instinctively. Chance cursed and handed her the phone. She realized the noise had been outside and not in the house.
“Call it in,” he yelled out.
“Wait, don’t go out there by yourself.” Chance didn’t listen. She dialed and spoke as soon as Chase answered. She wasn’t sure what he said. She hung it up. She walked slowly to the open front door. She peeked her head out and gasped when she looked at her car. The front windshield had been shattered.
Chance ran up the porch steps and pulled her into his arms. “They’re gone.”
“Why?” she cried. She had just fixed her business window yesterday. Now this. “Was it Carly?”
“All I saw was a shadow, but I’d bet money on it,” he said grimly. Red and blue lights were headed down her street. Chase pulled up in regular clothes.
“What the hell is going on? Noelle sounded hysterical,” he said right away, taking her porch steps two at a time. His light brown hair looked messy, like he had been sleeping.
Noelle let go of Chance and sat on the porch chair while the two men spoke in hushed tones. She wasn’t sure how long they spoke. She sat in a daze until she felt Chance tap her shoulder.
“You okay, angel?” he asked, looking worried. “Chase took the report. I am just glad I was here.”
She nodded in agreement. Her terror would have been so much greater if she had been alone. “My insurance company is going to hate me.”
Then she burst into tears. He took her back inside and held her until she felt calmer.
Chapter 9
“So what’s up with you and Chance? Are you back together or what?” Quinn asked, her curiosity plain to see. Quinn wasn’t one to be subtle. Noelle sighed and thought about the question. She wasn’t sure how to answer it.
The two of them sat on a bench in the park. It was a sunny May afternoon, and the store was closed for the day. Their bikes leaned against a tree behind them. They had just finished riding a one-mile trail at the park.
Chance and Chase were playing basketball. Noelle watched Chance move around the court with a huge grin on his face. He had a streak of competitiveness in him a mile wide.
“I’m not sure what is going on, Quinn,” she said honestly. “I see him more now than I did when we were together. I
see the look of desire in his eyes, but I pretend not to notice. That sounds so cowardly, doesn’t it?”
“He put you through a lot, Noelle. Kissing Carly and leaving town without resolving the issues,” Quinn reminded her. “Losing the baby on top of all that was horrible. He must understand your fears. Maybe he is giving you space.”
“You see how he is when he stops by the store. He brings food and makes sure we both eat. He stopped by my house four times in the last two weeks with food and a movie. I have dinner with him and Polly every Sunday. I now know what Hansel and Gretel felt like being fattened up with food,” Noelle joked. “I wonder why he is trying to fatten me up.” She did feel healthier and more energetic. Also it was touching to know he was respecting her wishes to not be overwhelmed by making decisions. She had always assumed it was only physical with him. He had never mentioned emotions before. He still wasn’t, but he showed her by his actions that he did sincerely care about her well-being. Now she was ready for more. It was still scary, but she couldn’t resist Chance Brooks.
“Maybe he wants to eat you up.” Quinn wiggled her eyebrows up and down playfully. Noelle blushed and swatted her arm. Fighting her desires for Chance was getting harder and harder. Pretending to just feel friendliness around him was becoming difficult. She tried to give him subtle hints, but obviously they were too subtle. He had been her rock through the whole incident with Carly. Carly’s mother gave her an alibi for both occasions, but no one believed Louisa. There was nothing the sheriff could do, Chase told them. Chase was frustrated with the whole thing, too.
“Seriously. It sounds very sweet. He knows how devastated you were physically and emotionally. It is his way of taking care of you.” Quinn sighed dramatically. “My love life sucks. At least warm me up with stories about yours.”
“Seriously. I don’t think we’re dating. He holds my hand and kisses my cheek.” Noelle was burning with desire but didn’t know if just blurting it out was such a good idea. She had been the one to insist they were friends. How did you tell someone you changed your mind, and you wanted to spend the next few hours naked and rolling around his bed?
“The last few weeks since he has been back have been extremely busy for both of us. He has his job in Cole County that he is adjusting to. I’ve been busy organizing that fashion show for the end of this month.”
Noelle had a few models signed up already. She put the ad in the paper. She was excited for this event.
“Let him know you are ready to take it to the next level. Make a romantic dinner at your place. He’ll get the hint,” Quinn suggested. “This is modern times after all.”
