Caroline smiled. “Kind of, but this is her own special story.”
“Go on,” Mora said with confidence.
“She doesn’t have a lot of money. She doesn’t have a big family, only a grandmother that she lives with and helps out. Despite the hard times, and the hard life she has, she always gives back to the community and is a kind person to everyone she meets. She touches them in ways they can’t explain, but it’s magical.”
“Does she have powers?” Mora asked, taking the book from Caroline’s hand.
“Oh, she has some great powers, but I don’t want to spoil it for you if you’re interested in it,” Caroline said.
Mora smiled wide, hugged the book to her chest, and looked up at her mom. “Can we get it, Mom?”
He mother had already handed over five dollars just as two men joined them. “Daddy, Father, look what I got.” She showed the two men who each placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder from behind her and smiled with love and adoration for the child. Caroline felt the tears fill her eyes and she was shocked by the scene.
“This is.” She looked at Caroline. “What’s your name?” Mora asked.
“Caroline.”
“This is Caroline, and she’s a princess, and she knows lots about princess stories. She chose this one for me. Will you read it to me?” Mora asked and they all chuckled at the fact that Mora truly believed that Caroline was a princess.
“Sure thing, doll. Let’s go grab some lunch and start it,” one of the men said. The mom whispered a thank you as they headed off.
“Princess Caroline. I think I like the sound of that.” Caroline heard the deep voice and turned around to see C.J. standing there next to Mike and Marlena.
She was a bit embarrassed as her cheeks warmed and she walked back around the table. She started fixing the books and then felt C.J. press closer to her. He towered over her, and she sensed the utility belt against her lower back and it reminded her of Cameron, and how he would stop in when he was working and she was home, and he would use the butt of his gun, or another police gadget to intimidate her.
She jerked and stepped away from him but pretended to fix the books.
“Caroline, are you okay?” he asked. She glanced up and she realized by the concerned expressions on Mike and Marlena’s faces as well as C.J.’s that maybe she reacted on instinct too quickly and brought attention to herself.
“I’m fine, and you?” she asked and then looked away from them and out toward the crowd, hoping someone else came along to buy some books.
“Caroline, I already grabbed lunch. It’s your turn if you need a break,” Marlena said to her.
“That’s great because I was just going to take a lunch break. I’ll walk with you to the café or something,” C.J. said to her.
“I’m not interested,” she said and he smiled.
“Not interested in eating lunch? Have you had Rita’s grilled cheese bacon tomato sandwich on fresh sourdough bread? It’s awesome,” he said and then started to walk.
“Come on, my treat. It’s the least I can do considering you’re a princess,” he teased and bowed before her. Some people around them chuckled, including Marlena and Mike.
“You’ll be safe, Caroline,” Mike said to her, surprising her.
She reached under the table for her bag and started walking with C.J.
She didn’t want to make a scene back there, especially when Mike and Marlena were looking at her so suspiciously already. She looked toward the park and saw the empty picnic tables as most people enjoying the sunny day were on blankets on the gorgeous green grass. There was even a large gazebo with white beautiful hanging baskets of red flowers in them. She smiled.
“We could get the lunch to go and eat it at one of the tables in the park?” he suggested as they walked onto the sidewalk and were one store away from Rita’s.
“I guess so,” she said, and he
smiled as he pulled the door open for her.
He was a very attractive man, older than her, but not by much. If she had to guess maybe he was twenty-seven or so. He had dark brown hair and scruff along his cheeks and chin that made him appear more sexy than rugged. His very distinguished nose and firm lips added to his masculinity and of course the man looked good in uniform. The thought had her looking around them and waving hello to a few people she had met from working in Martha’s clothing store.
Mike ordered the sandwiches to go as well as two ice teas while she spoke to Doreen, one of the waitresses who asked when the new shipment of bathing suits were coming in because she wanted to get a new one for some big BBQ event next month at one of the marinas and beach clubs. Caroline was telling her that she had yet to venture out to any of the beaches but that today her sister and some friends were at the beach. Doreen went back to working, and C.J. gave her a nudge. She turned to look up at him. He really was tall. Not as tall as Hunter but pretty close.
“How come you didn’t tagalong with Shelby and the girls?” he asked.