Just Fine with Caroline

by Annie England Noblin

  Roy began to move again, this time quietly, and closer to where Caroline and Ava Dawn were huddled. Caroline could feel Ava Dawn bury her face into her back. He knew where they were. He had to know. There was no way Jep and the others at the front of the cave could get there before Roy could get to the two of them.

  The voices and the lights from the front of the cave neared them, as the men cleared the cave’s entrance. They were calling Caroline’s and Ava Dawn’s names, beckoning them to scurry to safety.

  The quiet crunching of Roy’s boots stopped right in front of them. Caroline could make out the outline of his legs. She could hear him breathing. He was so close; he could have reached out and touched them. Did he know they were right beneath him?

  Ava Dawn lifted her head. She scooted closer to Caroline and whispered, “Where did he go? I can’t hear him.”

  Caroline froze as the butt of Roy’s gun made a thud on the ground in front of them. “I’ve got you now,” he growled.

  Before Roy had time to react, Caroline reached out and grabbed ahold of his ankles, jerking his legs back towards where she was crouched. He lurched forward, and there was a sickening crack as Roy’s head made contact with the stalactite in front of him. A gurgling noise emitted from his throat just before he hit the ground, and then it was quiet.

  There was a chorus of shouts, and within seconds there were people in front of them, shining lights down into the terrified faces of Caroline and Ava Dawn. Caroline could see the outline of Roy’s body on the ground in front of them. “Is he dead?” Caroline asked as Jep pulled her up. “Did I kill him?”

  “Naw, he ain’t dead.” It was Silas. “He’s knocked clean out, though. Gonna need a doctor, that’s for damn sure.” He kicked at Roy’s body. “Son of a bitch deserves to be dead.”

  Caroline couldn’t feel her feet, and she thought she might throw up. She didn’t realize that Jep had passed her off to Noah until they were out of the cave and back in the fading daylight.

  “Are you okay?” Noah was shaking her. “Talk to me, Caroline. Are you okay?”

  Caroline blinked. A crowd had gathered outside. It looked like everyone from the station’s grand opening had surrounded the mouth of the cave. There were shocked gasps from nearly everyone, and someone began to take pictures. “I . . . I think so.”

  Ava Dawn stumbled out of the cave, followed by Jep and Silas. She ran to Caroline and embraced her. “You saved our lives. My life,” she sobbed into her cousin’s hair.

  “It’s okay,” Caroline soothed her. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “Come on,” Noah said, gently placing his hands on both their shoulders. “Let’s get you two back to civilization.”

  CRANWELL STATION WAS lit up like a Christmas tree. There were flashing lights outside, and inside all the lights were on, and there were police, firefighters, and paramedics milling about. Caroline sat dazedly in a chair pushed up against one of the windows. There was a paramedic knelt down in front of her, addressing the wounds on her feet and knees.

  “Some of these cuts in your feet are deep,” the woman said, bandaging her up. “You may need a stitch or two.”

  “Okay,” Caroline replied. She looked over at the doorway. Noah was guarding it, his arms crossed over his chest. He was watching the goings-on outside. Caroline managed to catch his eye and offer him a weak smile, but he turned away from her and went back to his watch.

  “Caroline?” Max O’Conner brushed past Noah and into the station, followed by Court and Reese at his heels. “What in the hell happened? I got a call. Nobody would tell me anything.” There was panic in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m okay,” Caroline said.

  “Where’s Ava Dawn?”

  Caroline nodded to the other side of the room where a deputy was interviewing her cousin. “She’s okay, too.”

  “What happened?” Court asked. “We saw Roy’s truck being impounded on the way here.”

  “He chased Ava Dawn out here,” Caroline said. “Then he chased us to the cave, and we hid . . .”

  “Wait,” her father cut her off. “What cave?”

  “The cave out past the station,” Caroline replied. “Noah showed it to me a little while back. I thought we’d be safe there after he cornered us on the road.” She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. “I didn’t know what else to do. I’m so sorry.”

  “What are you sorry for?” Court asked. “You probably saved both your lives.” He patted Caroline’s shoulder and headed over to talk to Ava Dawn.

  Max O’Conner ran his hands down the length of his face and said, “I never thought Roy Bean would do something this stupid. I thought Ava Dawn was safe. I thought you were safe.”

  Caroline felt her shoulders slump, the tears flowing freely. “I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill us . . . shoot us. He tried to shoot us in the field. I was afraid we couldn’t run fast enough . . .”

  Her father sat down beside her. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay now.”

  Caroline took a deep breath. Her father was right. She was safe. They were both safe. She stood up when she saw the paramedics carrying the stretcher with Roy on it. She looked over and saw Ava Dawn staring out the window, too.

  Ava Dawn caught her eye and mouthed, “Thank you.”

  Caroline smiled over at her cousin and sat back down. She glanced around the station for the first time. It looked amazing. The hardwood floors had been completely refinished. There were brand-new cases full of glistening food and beverages. Everything had a touch of shine with a bit of the old-fashioned flare that Noah had so admired in the pictures of the station he’d first shown her. She was so proud of him. She was proud of this place.

  Max O’Conner stood up, helping Caroline to her feet, as well. “I think the officers outside have some questions for you,” he said. “Maybe after that we can take you girls home.”

  Caroline winced as she walked across the floor and towards the door. She’d have her father look over her feet when she got home. She couldn’t believe he hadn’t demanded to give her a physical on the spot. It just proved to her how rattled he really was. Her heart leaped into her throat when she saw Jep Cranwell appear next to Noah. She watched as her father stopped in front of Jep.

  “The police told me you found the girls,” Max O’Conner said.

  Jep nodded. “I did.” He gripped his oxygen tank, and that’s when Caroline realized he hadn’t had it at the cave. He must’ve known it would slow him down.

  After a few tense moments, Caroline’s father stuck out his hand. “Thank you.”

  Jep Cranwell looked down at Max O’Conner’s hand, astonished. He returned the handshake. The two men stared at each other, their eyes having a conversation that their mouths could not.

  Caroline neared the door as her father walked through it, and she saw Noah watching her. He still wasn’t smiling.

  “Wait.” Noah grabbed her arm.

  “What is it?” Caroline was hopeful. Maybe he’d decided he didn’t want to be just friends with her. Or maybe, she thought, he’s angry that I ruined his big night.

  “Hang on just a second.” Noah disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes later, he came back out with a pair of fuzzy house shoes. “I know they’re too big,” he said. “But it’s better than walking on the dirt and gravel.” He bent down and helped guide them onto her feet.

  Caroline let out a sigh of relief at the cushion inside the slippers. “Thank you.”

  Noah nodded. He didn’t say another word to her as she walked outside and into the blue and red lights of those waiting to see her.

  CHAPTER 41

  CAROLINE AWOKE THE NEXT MORNING TO sunlight streaming through the windows of her room. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so well. When she rolled over, she realized that Ava Dawn was curled up next to her, still sound asleep. She didn’t even remember her cousin climbing into bed with her.

  She tried to slide out of the bed without waking her cousin, h
er feet brushing against the slippers that Noah loaned her the night before. Caroline looked down at them, that feeling of disappointment creeping up from her belly and into her throat.

  He’d seemed so worried about her once she’d got out of the cave, but he’d hardly spoken to her after that. Then he’d given her these house shoes to make it easier for her to walk. She couldn’t understand what he wanted, but his words, “Let’s just be friends,” rang in her ears as if he’d said them seconds ago. Noah Cranwell just wanted to be friends. She’d missed her chance and probably made it worse the night before, ruining his party and practically showing the whole town the cave. She wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to see her again. At least the bait shop was closed. If she were careful, she wouldn’t have to see him again for months. She slid her sore feet into his house shoes and padded into the living room.

  She heard laughing coming from the dining room, and it didn’t sound like her mother and father. Caroline was stunned to see Noah Cranwell sitting at the dining room table across from her father, drinking coffee and laughing like he was a long-lost friend. “What’s going on?” she wanted to know.

  “Oh, Caroline,” her father said, standing up. “Here, have a seat. I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

  Instead, Caroline followed her father into the kitchen. “What’s he doing here?” she asked.

  “He wants to see you,” her father replied. He pulled a cup from the cabinet. “He’s been here since eight o’clock this morning.”

  “What time is it now?”

  “Almost noon.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I’m not,” her father said. “Now go in there and try to be nice.”

  “I’m always nice,” Caroline muttered, shuffling into the dining room, the cup of coffee burning her hands.

  “Hey,” Noah said when he saw her. He looked down at her feet. “I guess I won’t be getting those back anytime soon.”

  “Not on your life,” Caroline replied, sitting down.

  “How are your feet this morning?”

  “Sore, but my dad said I didn’t need stitches. I guess I’m going to live.”

  “That’s good to hear.” Noah smiled over at her.

  “So did you come all the way into town to collect your old house shoes?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “I’m sorry about ruining your big night,” Caroline said, her cheeks turning pink. “I didn’t mean to. I tried to leave before it started, but then Ava Dawn showed up . . .” She trailed off. “The cave just seemed like the best place to hide from him. I didn’t know it was going to turn out the way it did. Now everybody knows about it, and it’s all my fault.”

  “Caroline,” Noah said. “Caroline, I don’t care about that. About any of that. That’s not why I’m here.”

  “Then why are you here?” This was torture. What did he want from her if he didn’t want an apology for exposing one of his family’s well-hidden secrets?

  “Can we go outside for a minute?” Noah asked. “Please?”

  Caroline sighed. “Fine.” She stood up and limped her way out to the front porch. “Okay, we’re outside,” she said once he’d shut the front door. “Now that I’m standing here in your stupid, smelly house slippers in my stained T-shirt and with my morning hair, what could you possibly have to say to me that you couldn’t just say inside where there was air-conditioning?”

  Noah cut her off with his lips on hers.

  He was so forceful that Caroline almost lost her footing and began to stumble backwards. Noah grabbed her around the waist and brought her in closer to him. He didn’t stop kissing her until they were both gasping and light-headed.

  “What,” she said, trying to catch her breath, “was that?”

  “I don’t want to be just your friend,” Noah said. “I don’t want to be your buddy, your pal, or any variation of that. I want to be with you. I want to be with you all the time, even when you’re annoyed with me like you are now. I want to wake up next to you every morning, and most of all,” Noah drew her into him again, “I want to kiss you whenever I want to kiss you.”

  “Okay,” Caroline said slowly, attempting to take it all in. Her head was swimming. Her feet were on fire. Actually, every part of her was on fire.

  “But if that’s not what you want,” Noah continued, “then you need to tell me. Because I’ll sell Cranwell Station and go back to New Jersey. It’s what I’ll have to do if I have to look at you every day knowing that I can’t touch you . . . that you don’t feel the same way.”

  Caroline looked up at Noah. His dark eyes were clearer than she’d ever seen them before. He was telling her the truth and she knew it. Maybe he’d had selfish reasons for not telling her about the relationship between his grandfather and her mother, but he’d also been trying to protect her like he said, and she knew he’d been spending the last few weeks trying to prove it to her.

  “Say something.”

  “You don’t ever have to worry that I don’t feel the same way.” She pulled him down to her so that she could kiss him again. “The thought of being just friends and only friends with you made me sick to my stomach.”

  Noah brushed a piece of her curly red hair out of her eyes. “I reckon this means I’m here to stay.”

  Caroline grinned. That word suited him just fine. “Why yes, Noah Cranwell. I reckon it does.”

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  It is with sincere affection and admiration that I’d like to thank the following:

  PRIYA DORASWAMY—for taking a chance on me, always. For being patient when I scrapped the first draft at 50,000 words, and for being the best agent this Missouri Girl could ask for.

  LUCIA MACRO—for being the best editor that anyone could ask for, and for always being enthusiastic about my work.

  MY HUSBAND—for the Sam to my Dean, the Han Solo to my Chewbacca, the Jim to my Pam.

  MY SON—for making me laugh all the time.

  MY MOM AND DAD—for always reassuring me that I have a house in which to live if this “writer thing doesn’t work out.”

  NICOLE HUNTER MOSTAFA—for being my Lucy. Hanson forever!

  BRITTANY CARTER FARMER—for being the Tom to my Mark.

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  Found (or, How a Tiny French Bulldog Saved My Life)

  You Might Be From the Ozarks If . . .

  About the author

  Meet Annie England Noblin

  ANNIE ENGLAND NOBLIN lives with her son, husband, and four rescued bulldogs in the Missouri Ozarks. She graduated with an M.A. in creative writing from Missouri State University and currently teaches English full-time for Arkansas State University in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Her first novel, Stay, was inspired by the year she spent teaching developmental English in the Delta of Arkansas, a place she says still has her heart. Her poetry has been featured in publications such as the Red Booth Review and the Moon City Review, and in 2006 she coedited and coauthored a coffee table book titled The Gillioz: “Theatre Beautiful.”

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  About the book

  Found

  (or, How a Tiny French Bulldog Saved My Life)

  I’D BEEN IN BED FOR A MONTH. I got up occasionally to take the dogs out and to grab a Dr Pepper from the refrigerator, but for the most part I stayed under the covers watching reruns of Gilmore Girls and nursing a broken heart.

  It was 2007, and I was twenty-five years old. My whole life, it seemed, had been turned completely upside down. I’d moved back home in January to take a job as the part-time writing specialist at Missouri State University–West Plains. The position allowed me to work with students on their writing during the day and teach developmental English classes at night, an arrangement that I loved. The university had given me the job temporarily until I fini
shed my master’s degree. However, when I applied for the full-time job that summer, I wasn’t even given an interview. My boss in academic support called me in to her office, told me they’d hired someone else, and said that I needed to clean out my desk and make myself available to train my replacement.

  That was it. I was out of a job, and if I didn’t figure something out soon, I’d also be out of money and a place to live. Instead of looking for a job, I decided to do the next logical thing—buy a plane ticket and fly to Houston to meet one of my high school friends when he was released from jail. We spent three days in a downtown hotel and took a cab to Denny’s for breakfast in the mornings, both of us pretending that our lives that existed outside of each other weren’t complete and total disasters. He went home to his grandmother’s house broke, jobless, and on probation. I went home to Missouri broke, jobless, and in love with him.

  He didn’t love me back.

  Even now, almost a decade later, that hurts to write. Up until then, in 2007, I’d always thought that he probably loved me too, at least a little bit. When it all came to an ugly end in August, via cell phone screaming matches and heated MySpace messages, I knew for the first time that it was never going to be anything other than a dysfunctional, one-sided obsession.

  No job.

  No boyfriend.

  Cue the rolls of raw cookie dough and season after season of Rory and Lorelei Gilmore’s witty banter. The dogs, at least, seemed content to be resting on the bed with me, snoring and farting their way through the days. Well, except for one of them. Tru, my little French bulldog, spent most of his time hiding under the bed. He would come out only if I left the room or was sleeping or pretended not to notice him.

  I’d adopted him from an animal control department not far from where I lived after an afternoon of playing around on Petfinder. I noticed a listing for a French bulldog. I called my mom.