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Chapter 14
Noelle hummed to the tune of the song playing on the radio. The rain came and went and did bring the temperatures down. She drove with a crack of her window down, feeling happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so content. Chance was settled in her house, but they still had Sunday dinner with Polly. Polly was happy to see the couple working things out and looking happy. Carly had not been seen lately. Gossip was even her parents were fed up with her and she was staying with a friend in Cole County. Noelle was completely okay with that. She felt sorry for Carly, but she didn’t want to have to deal with her either.
She was off today, so she planned on making dinner. Polly had given her a few recipes to try and she was excited. The last few weeks of living with Chase had been her happiest time. They had settled into a good routine.
She turned into the parking lot of the grocery store. Noelle found a parking spot and parked. She was walking toward the front entrance of the store.
“Noelle?” Noelle turned behind her and recognized Carly. She was wearing shorts and a tank top. She looked like she lost weight when she had already been skinny.
“Carly?” she asked, stepping closer to her without thinking of her own safety. She was alarmed by the girl’s appearance. “What’s wrong? You look sick.”
“I’m fine,” Carly snapped angrily. Her hands were trembling as she held on to her cell phone. “You think you won? I heard Chance moved in with you. He will get bored again and come back to me. I will always take him back because he loves me. He is mine.”
Noelle could have argued with her and gotten upset. In the past she might have, but she felt secure. Chance loved her. He showed her in many ways and gave her the words every day. She sighed sadly. Alcohol and drug abuse had warped Carly’s mind. Any relationship between her and Chance was all in her mind. “Carly, you need help. Can I call your cousin Missy to come and get you? Letting any man bring you down is not worth it. I have been there. You need to move forward with your life.”
“You wish I would so you wouldn’t have competition, right?” Carly replied with an attitude.
“No. I don’t wish any harm on you,” Noelle told her softly. “I understand the pain of having your heart broken. Drinking it away is unhealthy. I am sure your parents are worried for you.”
Carly looked pained for a minute, then rolled her eyes. “Not really. Robert cares about his position and Mama worries what the ladies in her stupid tea club think. That stupid deputy turned them against me.”
Carly rubbed her forehead. “Chance loves me, not you.”
Noelle did not know what else to say. It was early morning, and not many people were grocery shopping. Carly looked confused, as if she forgot what they were talking about.
“Let me call your mother.” Noelle took out her new cell phone that Chance bought her. He would be so angry knowing she stopped to converse with Carly. She could hear his lecture now. Obviously Carly was not all right, and Noelle couldn’t help but feel pity for the woman despite the problems they had with each other. “What is her number?”
“I don’t need your pity.” Carly took the phone out of her hand and threw it on the ground. The screen cracked, and it broke in two. Carly laughed and ran away.
Noelle picked up the pieces with a deep frown. She felt angry and dumb for even offering her help to Carly. Noelle shook her head with a last irate look at Carly, who was crossing the busy street.
* * * *
Chance looked at Noelle from across the table with unbelief. They had just finished a wonderful meal. Noelle was telling him about her encounter with Carly. It concerned him greatly. He wanted to call Chase. If Carly was withdrawing from drinking her behavior could become worse. What if she was also taking drugs? She could be dangerous.
“I don’t like the idea of her being near you, Noelle.” He frowned, feeling heated with a mixture of anger toward Carly and annoyance with Noelle for even having any kind of communication with Carly. He knew Noelle had a gentle heart but that was going to get her in trouble one day and that is what scared him.
“Chase has been in contact with her stepdad Robert. Her parents are very worried about her. They have a rehab all set up, but they can’t find her. They have the Cole County Police looking for her, too. Her girlfriends claim she had hooked up with some guy they didn’t know.”
“Maybe she is trying to dry out on her own. She looked real bad, Chance,” Noelle told him, getting up to take the empty plates away and putting them in the sink. Noelle had a troubled look on her face.
Chance followed her to the kitchen. “People drying out are just as dangerous as people who are high, maybe more so. You should have gone into the store and called Chase.”
Noelle set the plates in the soapy water and turned to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned on him. He couldn’t help but hold her. He loved Noelle and didn’t want to see her hurt emotionally or physically. After all she had been through she deserved some peace. He felt like they were finally in a good place in their relationship. Her soft heart could get her in a sticky situation. He didn’t trust Carly for one second.
“I don’t want her hurting you in any way.” He kissed the top of her head. Noelle leaned back and looked up at him w
ith a sweet smile. Her skin was a golden tan color, and she had gained enough weight to make her face look full and healthy.
“Thank you, Chance. I’m sorry about the new cell phone though. I just started getting used to it.”
“I will buy you a hundred cell phones, angel. I care about your safety. I can’t lose you.” He leaned down and took her mouth in a passionate kiss, invading her mouth with his tongue and swallowing her moan. Her eyes were shiny with desire once he stopped so they could breathe.
He swooped her up in his arms and headed for the bedroom, where he could show his love in the best way he knew how.
“What about the dishes?” She giggled, hanging on to his neck.
“Dishes can wait. I can’t,” he growled and placed her on the bed. All the covers were neat, and her frilly pillows were everywhere. He was amused by how neat she was. He never saw the need.
