“I am sorry I crossed a line,” Cavin apologized.“I will be sure not to let that happen again.”
Cavin liked women.He dated plenty of them and hit on a lot more.Sometimes they gave him their numbers like Georgia did last night, and other times they laughed at him.However, none ever just started crying like Noel.One thing he didn’t do intentionally was flirt with married women.He didn’t initiate it or reciprocate it if they started the game; he instead always made sure to walk away from such situations.
Before Noel could gather herself and formulate a response, Cavin hastily showed himself out the kitchen door and down one of the candy shop’s aisles as quickly as Noel walked it earlier.He didn’t even notice that Mrs.Madelyn gave him the same quizzical look as she shot Noel on their walk through.
When the front door fell shut behind Cavin, he watched the kids hand a fresh cup of hot chocolate to a couple.When those people walked away, Cavin spoke.“Levi, Laney, I shouldn’t have lied to Mr.Sam and Ms.Georgia.I was trying to help you guys and maybe it did temporarily, but we should always tell the truth no matter what it costs.”
“But you saved our hot chocolate stand,” Levi reminded him.
“I should have done it differently.With honesty we might still have saved the stand.”
“We like your idea,” Laney proclaimed.
“What idea?”
“Raising money to help find lost animals like Scout.”
“Who is Scout?”Cavin asked.
Levi pointed.“The missing dog on the poster.But we can’t donate money to help find other animals until we make enough to help Mom keep the candy shop open.”
Cavin’s brow furrowed.“What do you mean?”
Laney punched Levi’s arm.“You’re not supposed to tell,” she whispered harshly.
“Cavin’s our friend,” Levi contested.
Cavin smirked.Not according to your mother, he thought.
“We’re giving all the money to the candy shop,” Laney confessed.“But no one knows we know about the candy shop closing after Christmas.”
“Yeah so thanks for lying for us,” Levi said seriously.
“No,” Cavin responded.“Don’t thank me for lying.In fact I am going to straighten all of this out with Ms.Georgia.”
Disappointment filled Levi’s and Laney’s faces.“Does that mean we are going to get shut down again?”Levi questioned.
“No,” Cavin promised.
“Good.Will you also help us find the dog?”
“Help you find the dog?”Cavin quizzed.
“Yeah, the missing dog,” Laney reminded him as she pointed at the poster.“There’s a $500 reward,” she shared with bulging eyes.“That should be enough to keep the candy shop open and start our dog-finding business.”
Cavin stepped closer to the poster.“It is actually a $5,000 reward,” he clarified with surprise lining his voice as he studied the photograph of the small, brown Goldendoodle, noticing the patch of white around its nose which complemented his meticulously trimmed curly coat.“Wow, somebody really loves that dog.”
“Five thousand dollars,” Levi shouted.“We will be rich.We can definitely save the candy store and more dogs.”
Cavin’s heart warmed at the realization that the kids planned to donate the hot chocolate stand funds all along.“You are both very generous.I will see what I can do,” Cavin said, unsure if he was still welcome around Noel’s kids and the candy store.“But right now I need to figure out how to fix four flat tires before I can go play golf.”
“Four flat tires,” Levi declared.“That’s all of them.”
“I know, right?”
“My daddy is a mechanic; he can help you,” Laney offered.
“Really?”Cavin replied.
