“Josh?” She set her sandwich down before she dropped it onto her lap. Across from her, Noah unwrapped his sub and took a bite.
“It’s not that I didn’t believe in him,” she said. “I trust him as much as I trust anyone . . .”
Maybe more in the bedroom, she thought. But she wasn’t sharing the intimate details of her relationship with Noah. Not over subs on some out-of-the-way Marine base in God Knows Where, California.
Noah raised an eyebrow and took another bite.
“But how could Josh stop the United States Marine Corps from tossing me in a cell for unauthorized absence?” she demanded.
“After you turned yourself in,” Noah said, his blue eyes flashing with temper. “Without so much as a word to anyone I might add.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I couldn’t hide anymore.”
He sat back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I know. But that man cares about you. And I’m not stupid, Caroline. I know Josh didn’t take a scenic little road trip with you so that he could be your personal baker.”
“What happened to staying out of my relationship with Josh?”
“He gathered us all at the bar. Dominic and Lily. Josie. His brothers. Brody Summers’s wife. Hell, even Lena showed up. And he asked for help. He refused to accept failure as an option.”
Her lips parted as she imagined all of those familiar faces gathered around the bar. “I don’t even know his older brother,” she murmured.
“Look, I know you went through hell. And starting over with a guy, even a good guy like Josh . . .” Noah raised his hands and ran them through his short, blond hair.
“Did you draw the short straw? Is that why you’re sitting here and not Josie or Lily?”
“No, I didn’t draw the damn short straw,” he snapped, lowering her hands. “No one else knows I’m here. I woke up before dawn to come down here because Josh Summers is busting his ass to keep you out of jail. He’s called senators and spoken to legal experts. He’s fighting for you. He’s trying to win your love and your trust, but if you can’t give it to him, you need to tell him. Or shit, I will.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You’re offering to break up with my boyfriend for me?”
“Caroline,” he growled.
“I’m not broken, Noah. And Josh knows that.” She looked down at her untouched sub. “But I messed up. I should have talked to him before I turned myself in. I let him into every other part of my life . . .” She looked up. “I thought I had to fix this first. Before I could have another shot at falling in love. I didn’t think I could give him what he wanted until—”
“Caroline, that man wants you. And if you’re sure you’re ready to move on, then you should probably tell him, not me.”
“You’re not going to relay the message for me?” And she couldn’t help adding a healthy dose of sarcasm to her words.
“I like the guy. And after everything he’s done for you . . . Do you know he went on a local morning show talk show and baked a cake with the host so that he’d have a chance to raise public support for you?”
“He what?” Panic rushed at the thought of thousands of people in Oregon knowing she’d been attacked—and seeing her as a victim.
“He didn’t use your full name or broadcast your picture,” Noah assured her. “But he told your story. And people listened. There is a petition demanding your release. Josie showed it to me. Josh kept Dustin’s name out of it too—”
“He’s not coming after me.” She shook her head and filled him in on her drive-by visit to their former CO.
“Hell, I wish Josh would turn the media’s attention to him,” Noah grumbled. “But he’s not. Josh is attacking the system that is threatening to lock you up while Dustin goes free. That’s a lot to take on.”
“He loves me,” she said softly.
“And he’d willing to fight for you,” Noah said.
She closed her eyes and nodded. She was haunted by her own choices. But this time—if she got the chance—she would choose Josh. She wanted to be a part of his happy-ever-after.
“He’s going to get me out of here, isn’t he?” she said.
Noah nodded. “Probably sooner than you think.”
She fought the urge to hear those words and think impossible. She would put her faith, her love, and her trust in him.