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She gave Noelle a huge hug. Noelle smiled and returned the hug. “Thank you, Mrs. Brooks, and thank you for the dinner invitation. It smells wonderful.”
“Call me Polly. I hope we will be friends,” Polly told her, leading her to the dining room. The house was warm and cozy. Chance held her hand as they walked. She should pull away, but the simple contact calmed her nerves.
“I hope you are hungry, Noelle!” Polly exclaimed. The food was on the table already, and Noelle felt her stomach rumble. She had worked through lunch because she knew her stomach was twisted in knots from nervousness. Chance held out the chair for Noelle to sit. The table was small and round. A vase filled with sunflowers sat in the middle.
“Noelle better have brought her appetite, or I will have to eat all of it. Can’t waste food, right, Mom?” Chance teased.
He pulled the chair out for his mother. “That’s right, dear,” Polly replied, sitting down.
After they served their plates, Chance told them about his new job. Noelle was glad he kept up the conversation. She listened to his enthusiasm and found herself smiling and relaxing. She answered Polly’s inquiries about how her store was doing. She had been in there a few times and bought a few items. It was a relaxing atmosphere, and she was happy it was going so well.
Polly looked at them once they were finished with dinner. “I have bingo tonight. I hope I win. I am bringing my lucky scarf.”
Noelle smiled. “I still have to go one day to see what all the excitement is about.”
Noelle turned to Chance. “My neighbor Evelyn never misses a Wednesday. She says it is the highlight of her week. Her husband has his poker night, and she has her bingo. She has made me curious about the game.”
“You should come with me. It will be so much fun. I would enjoy getting to know you better, Noelle,” Polly assured her. She went on to tell them some funny stories about her experiences with the game. She had a lot of friends that went with her, and they always had coffee afterward.
Polly looked at the clock on the wall. “I must go and change. Helen is picking me up soon.”
Noelle and Chance insisted they could clean up after dinner so Polly could change her clothes.
Noelle felt that familiar ache begin to spread throughout her body at standing so close to Chance at the sink. Her stomach did a few flip-flops. Memories of them kissing ran through her mind, and she had to push them away. They were friends for now. Noticing how attractive he was did not help her stick to her guns about not dating him again. She was afraid of being weak and jumping right back into a relationship with him.
“I’m glad you are here tonight, Noelle. I missed you. I have picked up the phone all week to call you, but I promised you space,” he commented sincerely. He had his hands in the soapy water as he washed the dishes. Noelle stood next to him with a towel, ready to dry them.
“I really did have a headache last night. I took some tablets, and I was out like a light. Also eating in town is not something I can handle right now.” She hated sounding weak, but she also wanted to be honest with him. “I have gotten used to hiding from the gossipers. With you back in town, I know some busybody would come up to us to mention Carly and whatever fantasy she is building up. People looked at me as if I tore you and Carly apart. It was worse than some backwards Romeo and Juliet story.”
She waited to see if he would mention running into Carly or searching her out too, but he didn’t.
“My mom told me how awful it was, even for her. She tried telling people Carly was full of it.” He spoke seriously. “I’m sorry my mistake caused such drama. I should have ran after you that night. Chase and Hank filled me with coffee to sober me up. It was morning by the time I sobered up, and I didn’t have much time left before I had to be on the bus and headed back to base.”
Noelle dried off the glasses and set them on a rack. She stayed silent and let him talk. Chance had never been much for talking.
“I didn’t think a five-minute phone call, or a letter, was the right way to talk things out,” he told her, looking serious. She could see his point of view.
“I probably wouldn’t have opened the letters, Chance. I just don’t know what I would have done. Just recently, I have felt like I am finally better emotionally.”
Chance sighed. “Maybe I should have tried harder to talk to you. I drank a whole pot of dark coffee, but when I finally made it to your house, Quinn was guarding your door like some kind of dragon breathing flames.”
His expression was still frustrated. She laughed. Quinn could be her fiercest protector.
“Quinn and I have been friends since kindergarten, Chance. Everyone knew how my parents were always out partying instead of home with me. Kids are cruel. I got bullied a lot, and Quinn defended me. She is still like that. I wouldn’t have made it this last year without her.”
“I am glad you have her, Noelle. I wish I had gone to school with you. I would have been your defender,” he swore. “Quinn is a little fierce, but I get it. I knew she didn’t approve of me.”
“She doesn’t trust easy. I suppose we have that in common.” Noelle defended Quinn. His best friend Chase had always seemed too polite toward her with no friendliness. Maybe they should have taken those as signs they were not meant to be.
“Chase was never that friendly toward me either,” she reminded him. “Hank is nice to everyone, but I sensed Chase’s reserve.”
“It wasn’t you,” Chance assured her. “He thought you were too sweet and gentle for me. He doesn’t realize how stubborn you can be or how strong you are underneath your classy exterior.”
They finished up the dishes in silence both lost in the past somewhere. She was starting to feel comfortable around him again, and it was an alarming feeling. Not only had he been her lover but she had enjoyed his company, his enthusiasm for everything around him. She had lost him as a lover and a friend. Friends were not something she had a lot of. She always felt like she didn’t belong. Her parents made her feel unlovable, and when she had been in school, the kids had always teased her about not having anyone who wanted her.
Polly peeked her head into the kitchen, interrupting the solemn mood. She wiggled a bright, hot pink scarf in the air. It had silver, glittery strands through the fabric. It matched her silver blouse. “Wish me luck, kiddos.”
Chance laughed. “I see the game plan now. You’re going to blind the others with that scarf so they can’t see the cards or numbers.”
