AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Noelle nodded. “We both know third chances are rare, so it’s like we’re both trying to compromise and make it work. So far, so good.”
Quinn smiled. Noelle and Quinn watched Chase cheer when he won a huge bear. Chance looked annoyed and paid for another round. By the time Chase had to get back to making his rounds, both Quinn and Noelle had giant bears to lug around.
“Why don’t you two take your new friends to a picnic table and I’ll get us some drinks?” Chance suggested, laughing at the picture they made trying to carry the huge stuffed animals.
They found a table and waited. They were laughing about a crazy ride Quinn wanted to try when they heard a female voice calling Noelle.
Noelle turned her head to see Carly. She had prepared herself for seeing Carly during the carnival. It was a big event after all. Still, anger rose up quickly, along with impatience that Carly could not open her eyes and realize Noelle and Chance loved each other.
“Oh great,” Noelle cursed at her rotten luck. Arguing with Carly was not what she wanted. She was still angry about her broken windows. Carly had been laying low since then.
“What is she wearing? Did she shop at Sluts ‘R Us?” Quinn whispered to herself, but Noelle heard her words. Carly had a tight pink dress on that would look better in a night club than at a family fair. She looked upset to see Noelle. “I was looking for Chance, but who do I run into? The princess and her stuck-up BFF.”
“I am not thrilled seeing you either, Carly,” Noelle assured her, hugging her bear tighter. It had been too much to hope Carly would stay away.
“Chance is not interested in seeing you.” Noelle felt confident enough to make the statement. Chance loved her. She wasn’t sure before, and Carly’s flirting ways had fed her insecurities. No longer did she feel like that. Chance had the choice to go to Carly first when he got back into town, but he chose Noelle. That meant something.
Carly sneered, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I know he took you back because he felt sorry for you. He will dump you so quick, Noelle, and I will be there waiting with open arms. I will always be waiting for him.”
“Chance is with Noelle now, Carly, so get lost. Have some pride,” Quinn snapped angrily.
Noelle noticed Carly’s eyes were small and red. Was she drunk again? She heard Chance and Chase discuss the fact that she needed rehab more than jail time for the vandalism.
Chance came back with the drinks and set them down on the table. He stepped in front of the girls, blocking them from Carly’s view.
“Why are you here, Carly? Don’t you have enough sense to stay away?” His voice was cold and hard, and Noelle knew if she was Carly she would have backed off. Carly, however, had no such sense.
She smiled seductively. “I know you don’t mean that, baby. You have to be honest with the princess and tell her you love me. You even came to my house to see me. Does she know that?”
Carly turned to Noelle and sneered. “He wouldn’t show up at my house looking for me if he wasn’t interested in me.”
Chance sighed and shook his head with frustration. A few people had stopped walking and were watching the scene unfold with great interest. Noelle cringed inside. She hated this. Damn Carly.
“Carly. I went to warn you to stop your childish behavior. Noelle knows that, so quit trying to start trouble.” Chance spoke loudly, too.
Chase walked up to the scene, having been alerted trouble was brewing.
“I told you to stay away from Noelle and Chance, didn’t I, Carly?” he told her firmly.
“You can’t tell me what to do. My daddy is on the city council, and that makes him your boss, Chase Reynolds.” She sneered. “I can have him fire you like that.” She snapped her fingers.
Chase did not look afraid by her threat. “I am sure your stepdaddy knows how spoiled you are. You have ten seconds to leave, Carly, or I will call him myself. He knows about the windows you broke already.”
“You have no proof.” But Noelle could see the fear in her eyes and knew Carly had been the one to throw the brick. It didn’t surprise her. Carly had always thought so highly of herself, even in school. She had been a bully then, and still was one now. Men were often fooled by her fragile appearance, but Carly knew exactly what she was doing.
Carly looked at Chance with a pout. “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?”
Chance nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “Leave, Carly. I love Noelle. How many times do we have to discuss this before it sinks in? I told you to stop drinking.”
Carly’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction. “See? You do care.”
Chance shook his head, looking frustrated. He looked at Chase. Chase grabbed Carly by the arm. He handed her off to another deputy who had come to back Chase up. “You need coffee, Carly. Lots of coffee. Call her parents,” he told the deputy.
“When you get bored, give me a call, Chance.” She turned on her heel and followed the young deputy.
“Unbelievable.” Quinn shook her head, grabbing the bottle of water Chance put on the table. She took a drink, then set it back down.
“Come on, Chase. Go on a ride with me. I need to scream and have some fun before I hunt her down and tear her blonde hair out of her head,” Quinn told him. They walked away, with Quinn pointing to a scary-looking ride and Chase shaking his head no.
