Give Love a Chance [Willow Springs 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 6

  He put his hands in his pocket, not sure how he was feeling. Angry at himself. Sad. Guilty. “I feel so many things right now. My head is throbbing with all that I learned tonight. I am in shock.”

  Polly patted him gently on the back. “You have the time now to win her over. She loves you. She might fight her feelings out of fear, but I see the love in her eyes when she looks at you, son.”

  “I love her, too. I didn’t realize love would be so complicated. I guess I figured I’d meet a nice, quiet girl in my late thirties, early forties. I would settle down and live a nice, quiet life.”

  “Sounds boring as hell.” Polly chuckled after taking a sip of her water. “I had a passionate marriage with your father. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. He passed away too young and it devastated me, but I know we’ll be together again someday. I couldn’t settle for some weak version of what I had with him. It is why I never remarried.”

  Chance smiled. He knew his mom loved his dad. Chance wished he had his father longer, too. He had been a good and steady man. That is what he needed to be now. For himself, and for Noelle.

  She smiled and patted his cheek lovingly. “Don’t fret so much. You and Noelle will work things out. Love is worth fighting for, sweetheart.”

  She told him good night and headed for her room upstairs. Chance had renovated the basement for his own private space.

  He nodded and walked back to the living room. Noelle hadn’t moved. He was tempted to put Noelle in his bed with him, but he couldn’t promise to keep his hands off of her. It had been much too long. She needed to rest. He hoped she made up her mind to belong to him again quickly. He ached for her, but he would wait if it killed him. No other woman would do for him. Noelle would soon see that.

  Chapter 6

  Chance sat at the back of the bar alone. He hoped the scowl on his face deterred anybody from wanting to socialize with him. He was in no mood to chitchat or be polite. His chest ached from the news Noelle had laid into him last night. He was still reeling from it. She had woken up a few hours later and insisted on going home. Seeing she had made up her mind, he followed her in his truck to make sure she made it home okay. The little peck she had placed on his cheek had been nice, but he wanted more.

  It gutted him deeply to think she had been without him with the knowledge she was pregnant, then when she lost the baby. He should have been there for her. He should have been the one comforting her and telling her it was going to be okay. He would be from now on, but he still grieved for the child. Maybe someday when she was healed they could try again. He would make sure she didn’t lift a finger.

  He felt a presence by his table. He didn’t bother to look up.

  “I want to be alone,” he growled.

  “Don’t we all?” said the voice in a reply laced with sarcasm. Chance looked up to see his old buddy Hank Winters. Chance gave him a smile and a salute.

  Hank slid in across from him in the booth. His brown hair was shaggy and a little wild looking. It was just Hank’s style, along with his liking of crazy-colored Hawaiian shirts. “You come into my bar without saying hello? What’s up with that?” Hank was a big, burly man. His full beard and long hair made him look like some crazy biker dude. Their love of riding had always bonded them.

  “Sorry, man. I looked around but didn’t see you. I figured it was too early,” Chance explained. “I don’t recognize the bartender. What happened to Seth?”

  It was lunchtime but going into a packed diner held no appeal. People would be eager to ask questions about him, Noelle, and Carly. Also, if Carly was around, he would not be polite. He knew he needed to confront her, but not today. He was still reeling from Noelle’s news last night. He had found himself here instead, eating a burger and feeling overwhelmed with getting Noelle back.

  “Seth quit. Leo has been here about two months now. I don’t usually come in until five or six. I had a delivery today,” Hank answered, folding his arms across his chest. He searched Chance’s troubled face. “So have you settled back in?”

  Chance sighed. He was done with his food and pushed the basket away. “I’m trying. I got me a job up in Cole County with my old army buddy, Jaxon. He retired a year ago after being injured.”

  “Cool.” Hank grinned. “I told you I would have hired you. I need a bouncer. We get crazy on the weekends.”

  Chance leaned back and laughed. “Do you pay with money or beers?”

  Hank chuckled. “So how goes it with your lady love?”

  “Slow. I knew it wouldn’t be easy getting her back, but man it is hard.” Chance sighed with frustration. He wanted Noelle committed to him and back in his bed. He was impatient, but he would give her the space she requested. He felt so guilty for not being around when she had her miscarriage. Getting her to take a risk was not going to be easy.

  “Is it worth it man?” Hank asked. “I can’t imagine putting up with all the drama. That’s why I stay single.”

  “Right.” Chance snorted. “No one can put up with your grumpy ass. But yes, Noelle is worth everything to me. This is it. No going back. I need her in my life. It would have been easier if I had realized this a year ago, but I never do anything the easy way.”

  “Good enough for me. I like Noelle a lot better than that wild chick that followed you around. That was some bad taste.” Hank frowned, and Chance winced. It wasn’t his best moment, and he hated remembering it. Hank had witnessed the whole ugly scene, along with half the town.

  “Carly came in here bugging me for your address for weeks after you left town. Finally, I banned her from here,” Hank stated, not looking sorry. “She tried coming in here last night looking all red-eyed and half-drunk. She asked me if I had seen you. I told her no. I kicked her back out.”

  “I haven’t seen her. Don’t want to.” Chance shook his head. He did not want to see Carly, but he knew sooner or later he would have to face her and deal with his part in all of this mess. Willow Springs was a small town. He hated being mean, but her lies kept the drama alive for weeks instead of letting it die a natural death in a few days. Adding fuel to the fire with the gossipers had been a way for her to cause Noelle more pain.

  Chance hated feeling guilty. There were so many things he wished he had done differently. Stayed and talked it out with Noelle, or listened to her in the first place, instead of accusing her as being childish. It was ironic how one wrong decision could affect so many lives. “Noelle told me Carly was sneaky, but I thought it was just her jealousy talking. Carly is always flitting around like a butterfly flirting with any man. She flirted with Chase, too. I considered her harmless, but I know that is not true now.”

  “Because of one bad decision to get wasted out of my mind I lost Noelle,” Chance muttered. “Now I am stuck being Noelle’s friend. It sucks.”

  “Ouch.” Hank winced. He motioned to the waitress. “You deserve a beer on me. We should go for a ride on the bikes this evening to unwind. Chase is off today. I talked to him earlier. It’s been a while since the three of us rode.”

  The waitress came back with a beer for Chance and a soda for Hank. He never drank while working. Chance loved feeling the wind on his face when he rode. It was a sure way to relax and unwind.

  “Sounds good. I haven’t seen Chase yet. He was steamed at me when he was sobering me up. He said Noelle looked heartbroken. He warned me I would end up hurting her, and I did.” Chance winced when he thought of his oldest buddy from school, Chase Reynolds. He was a deputy for the police department in Willow Springs.

  “He’s over it by now.” Hank shrugged. “He likes Noelle.”

  Hank put his hands up when Chance growled. “Not romantically. He thinks she is sweet. He was a neighbor of hers as a child and hated the way she was treated by her good-for-nothing parents. That’s all there is to it.”

  “I know. I thought maybe he had a crush on her and that is why he didn’t want me dating Noelle,” Chance muttered, sipping on the cold beer. “You call him. I tried all week and his phone went to v
oice mail.”

  Hank pulled out his cell phone and talked to Chase for a few minutes. After he hung up he told Chance Chase would meet them at Hank’s house. They stored their bikes in Hank’s large garage.

  “Let’s go.” Chance stood up. “I could use a nice long ride on the highway. I need a plan of action.”

  Hank chuckled and followed Chance out of the bar.

  * * * *

  “What we need is a night out,” Quinn said, looking at Noelle’s sad expression. Although it felt good telling Chance about the miscarriage it also brought up all the sad feelings again. She had given Quinn an update on last night’s dinner events.

  “I’m tired, Quinn.” Noelle hadn’t slept well after Chance drove her home last night. He had not asked to see her again, and although she told him she just wanted friendship, it hurt her feelings. Everything felt so confusing. What did she want from him? Did she want more than friendship? She did, but she was scared, too.

  “You are sad, Noelle,” Quinn said softly. “Let’s go to the Red Barn. You had fun last time we went.”

  “I did,” Noelle agreed. If she went home she would heat up a TV dinner and sit in front of the TV moping. “Okay. I say we both deserve a new outfit, too.”

  Quinn circled around the store. “Yes. This will be so much fun.”

  An hour later, Noelle found herself agreeing with Quinn. The energetic beat of the music made her tap her toe to the beat. She felt confident in the purple dress she picked out. It was short and showed off her legs well. She sat on a bar stool with her legs crossed, holding a fruity drink with an umbrella in it. She wasn’t sure what was in it, but it tasted good.

  Quinn chose a black skirt and pale green sleeveless shirt. Her long red hair fell down her back. Quinn sipped her drink, looking happy. “Isn’t this better than watching the Discovery channel?”

  Noelle laughed and nodded. A tall cowboy tapped her on the shoulder from behind.

  “Care to dance, lovely lady?”

  Noelle looked at him. She wished his hair hadn’t been blond and short. It reminded her too much of Chance. She had to get over him though. She nodded and hopped off the stool. It wasn’t a slow dance, and she was glad about that. She saw Quinn dancing, too. Soon she lost herself in the beat of the music.

  * * * *

  “I wonder if I can write this off as business. I am here to check out my competition,” Hank mused as he got off his motorcycle. The parking lot was full even though it was the middle of the week. The music was loud and booming.

  Chance laughed and looked at the new club that just opened up. A huge neon sign almost lit up the parking lot on its own. “I suppose so.”

  Chase took his helmet off and fixed his light brown hair, smoothing it out. “I have picked up a few brawlers from here, but this will be my first unofficial visit.”

  Chance had planned to go and see if Noelle would have dinner with him, but his friends wanted him to check out The Red Barn. When he left town it had not been open for business yet.

  “Give Noelle time to calm down. Things were brutal, dude. I caught her crying once, and I sat with her until she could drive,” Chase told him sadly. He had told them about her miscarriage and how emotional she had been. Discussing it with his two closest friends helped him feel better. He would always have regrets, but he put his mind on his future with Noelle. He couldn’t allow himself to not believe they would have one together.

  It was a full house and all the tables seemed to be full, so they headed for the back bar by the dance floor. They had found seats and ordered a beer. Chance had just taken a sip when he spotted Noelle and Quinn dancing. A tall man had his hands on Noelle’s hips, and she was swaying those hips in a seductive manner. He spit his beer out. “What the hell?”

  “What?” Hank looked at him with confusion. “You decided my place is cozier, right?”

  Chase chuckled and leaned against the bar, looking amused. “I think he spotted his lady love is not at home crying into her pillow.”

  Chance glared at his friend. “Some horny asshole has his hands on my woman. I am about to break some fingers.”

  Chase grabbed his arm, holding him still. Chase was very nonviolent, except when he had no other choice. “No, pal. That is not the way to handle this. She will only be mad at you. What if he is her date?”

  His heart clenched with pain and jealousy. “She would have mentioned dating someone.”

  The song ended, and they walked off the dance floor. Noelle was talking with Quinn and laughing. He caught a glimpse of the old Noelle, and his anger died down. He would be calm if it killed him.

  She gasped as soon as she spotted him. Her hazel eyes widened with surprise. “Chance?”

  Quinn gave him a very unfriendly look, and he pushed Chase toward Quinn so he could deal with her. He didn’t want to tangle with the redhead tonight. He heard Hank’s booming laughter behind him, but Chance ignored him. All was fair in love and war.

  “Noelle. This is a surprise. You on a date?” He tried not to clench his teeth when he said the word date.

  She smiled with amusement. “I am. With Quinn.”

  His shoulders sagged with relief, and he offered her his seat. She hopped on and looked around. He took the moment to notice how her dress clung to her body. She was thinner than she was months ago, but she still looked sexy. His body let him know he liked what he saw. Her legs were long, and he felt sweaty thinking how they looked wrapped around him. “I lost my drink.” Her eyes went to the counter behind him.

  “I’ll buy you another one. It isn’t safe to drink it after you left it unattended,” he chided.

  Quinn rolled her eyes at his lecture, but Noelle nodded at him with agreement. Quinn looked at the three men giving them suspicious looks. “What are you all doing here? Doesn’t Hank own a bar?”

  “It’s a free country, babe,” Hank told her with a wink. He was wearing one of his crazy-colored Hawaiian shirts. This one was in bright red and orange. “I am here checking out my competition. Checking out good-looking babes is just a bonus.”

  “Oh, brother.” Quinn shook her head. She motioned for the bartender and ordered two more drinks. Chance tried to pay for them, but Quinn refused to let him. Chase chuckled but stayed silent. He didn’t seem at all scared by Quinn.

  Chance stood close to Noelle. She looked sexy and desirable. Her hair was loose and laid in waves touching her shoulders. No way was some horny guy getting too close to her. He let his fingers trail down her bare shoulder and down her arm. He saw her shiver and knew the physical attraction hadn’t faded. It was a start. He wanted her heart, but he had to start somewhere.

  “You look beautiful, Noelle,” he whispered, leaning toward her ear. He was tempted to nip the skin of her neck, but it was too soon. His lips landed on her smooth cheek.

  Her pink, shiny lips curved upward. “Thank you, Chance. You have your leather jacket on. Riding?”

  He remembered the many times he had taken her riding. He had even bought her a leather jacket of her own to wear. He nodded, looking at her pink lips sucking her drink through the straw. His cock hardened as he remembered the many times those lips had sucked him. Shit. He had to get his thoughts away from stuff like that or he would throw her over his shoulders and take her home. He would tie her to the bed and not let her go until she agreed to give him another chance. “Yeah, it’s been too long. Maybe we can take a ride after work tomorrow?”

  “Maybe.” He had expected a no. A maybe felt like progress. He had to remind himself he couldn’t rush her or she would close up.

  He turned his head to see Quinn had Chase by the hand and was leading him to the dance floor. He did not look thrilled. Chance looked at Hank to see what he missed.

  Hank sipped on his beer. “Red wouldn’t take no for an answer. Poor sap looked panicked. I tell him to mingle more, but he is always working.”

  “Should we rescue him? She is a bit scary,” Chance asked Hank seriously. Chase had his heart broken once and had closed th
e door to romance and dating. He worked and slept.

  Noelle swatted his arm but laughed. “She is not. Quinn is a confident woman. I don’t know why men get so insecure about that.”

  Chance put his hands up in surrender. “Okay. Chase is a big boy. Let him deal with her.”

  They relaxed, and Chance was thrilled to see Noelle’s genuine smile. Hank was telling her some jokes and had her laughing. He made sure to keep his hand on her hip or thigh. He didn’t want anyone flirting with her.

  Eventually, even Quinn stopped glaring at him. The atmosphere was light and happy.

  He heard his name being called. He turned his head and groaned when he saw Carly headed their way. Damn it. Why now? She reached them and ignored everyone but him.

  “Baby. I have been waiting for you.” Her words were slightly slurred, and he knew she had too much to drink already. She grabbed on to his arm. He looked at her long red nails and shuddered. “Let’s dance and catch up.”

  “We have nothing to catch up on, Carly,” he said coldly, pulling his arm away from her. She looked stunned, then looked at Noelle as if it was her fault.

  “Please. You hanging out with the mouse again? You need someone more exciting and experienced, Chance.” Carly put her hands on her hips. Her blouse was too low-cut, and he could see a peek of her red bra underneath the black shirt. “We belong together. You told me the night we shared that amazing kiss.”

  “I may have been drunk, but I know I did not tell you that, Carly. We barely spoke that night,” he argued. What the hell was wrong with her? Her eyes were narrow and red.

  She smiled, but he could see the cruelty in it now. How had he been so blind as to deem her harmless? “Well, that is true. We were too busy making love after the mouse scurried off in tears.”