Lessons in Love

Chapter 18: The Big Win

POV: Riley Campbell

I was falling in love with Sapphire Lake. The people were wonderful and kind. They were genuine and honest. Sometimes they were a little too honest. Several concerned mothers and teenage girls had approached Sam, Katherine, and I to talk about the new curriculum for the girls. I did my best to reassure them, but they didn’t know me. They didn’t know if they could trust me yet.

Sam and Katherine’s son had started to beg them to go somewhere called Rusty’s. Eventually, they conceded, and we arrived at this huge, old barn. It was like a carnival. There was face painting, an obstacle course, crafting stations, and a myriad of carnival games with prizes. A big sign at the entrance said the profits would go toward Sarah’s Place, which I had learned was the daycare-turned-orphanage.

Sam and Katherine had said that Sarah needed more bedding, clothes, and toys for the kids orphaned by the war as Sarah herself approached us.

Katherine gave her son some money, cutting him loose. He took off running. I had to laugh at his unbridled excitement. “Sarah, how are you?” Katherine hugged the woman.

“Trying to keep count!” She laughed.

“This is Riley Campbell, the new teacher.” Katherine stepped aside, and I shook Sarah’s hand.

“You must have been a big fan of this morning’s speech.” Sarah gave me wink, and I instantly liked her.

“It was something.” I smiled back at her.

Mr. Sloan approached us with a little girl, distracting Sarah. “Hi Emma, are you having fun?” Emma nodded shyly. “This is Ms. Campbell. She’ll be one of your teachers soon.”

Sam and Mr. Sloan struck up a conversation as I bent down to greet my new student. “Hi Emma.” The little girl moved closer to Sarah, half hiding behind her leg.

“Emma’s a little shy, but her great-uncle Henry and I have been trying to help with that.” Sarah smiled. I put the pieces together very quickly. Emma was the child of the former high school teachers.

“Well, I know something that might help us get to know each other a little better.” I smiled at the little girl. “I was going to try my hand at some of the games over there.” I pointed to the barn. “Think I could win a toy for you and all your friends at Sarah’s Place.”

“There are 25 of them.” Sarah said quietly, trying to warn me off the cost.

“I can do it.” I smiled at Sarah. “Do you think I can do it?” I turned to Emma. The child gave me a scrutinizing look for a moment, tilting her head from side to side before giving me a little smile and nod. “Well, if you believe in me, then I’m sure to win! Do you think you could help Ms. Sarah, gather up all the kids? I’m going to need a big cheering section.” Emma’s eyes lit up, and she nodded again.

“You sure?” Sarah said as I stood up.

“Absolutely.” I said firmly.

I picked a game of ring toss. I had pretty solid aim, and I remembered kicking Alice’s butt at it at the college carnivals we’d gone to. I felt a pang of sadness at the memory but knew Alice would have totally approved of my mission here.

I talked to the man at the counter and explained what I was doing. I didn’t have enough cash on me to do this, but I was hoping he’d be okay with me owing him some. Sam and Katherine vouched for me, and that was all it took. Sarah returned with the kids who were already cheering my name. I felt like a rock star.

“Okay gang, you know the rules. Big cheers equal stuffed animals.” The kids went wild. I was unnecessarily good at this game. I won the first four bears in only six tries. I was on a hot streak after that. It was strange. After the sixth win, I felt this surge of confidence, but eventually, I missed. I heard the disappointment of my fans. I missed another one, and another. I was getting nervous when the smell of savory apples engulfed me.

“Maybe you need a little competition.” Ben’s voice smiled behind me.

I turned to find him rolling up his sleeves with a smile on his face that rivaled the picture I’d found of him. The burgundy shirt made his blue eyes seem brighter. The rolled-up sleeves made his biceps look bigger, and the wide leather cuff he wore on his left wrist made him look hotter. I liked my lips and smiled at him. “Oh, you think you can beat me, Beta Ben.”

“Rusty,” Ben pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it to him. “Keep the rings coming, will you?” Rusty nodded with a smile.

The kids were eating this up, and to be honest, a small crowd of adults had stopped to watch the Beta and I play. Ben and I played for another hour. By the time we reached our last two rings, Ben and I were tied at two misses a piece.

“Think you got enough luck left?” Ben teased me, his eyes as bright as the children’s.

“Luck,” I scoffed. “It’s all skill over here, Beta Ben.” I sassed him.

“Okay, Ms. Campbell, let’s see what you’ve got.”

My supporters cheered loudly. I took aim, and the ring bounced, but it landed on the bottle neck. The crowd went wild. I threw my arms up in the air with a resounding “YES!!”.

Ben laughed. It was the most beautiful sound I think I had ever heard. It was deep and light, sincerely genuine. Rusty handed me the small bear, and I held it out to Emma, my last winner of the day.

“Beta Benji,” Rusty leaned over the counter. “You make this toss, and you win the big one, just like you used to.”

“Beta Benji?” I raised an eyebrow, and Ben went red in the face.

“Rusty is the only one in the whole world who gets to call me that.” Ben shook his head at me.

“Well then, Beta Ben, are you going to take your shot?”

“I think I will.” He turned toward the bottles and got a very serious look on his face as he tossed the ring expertly onto the bottle. The kids went wild again, and Rusty handed him a bear the size of some of the children.

Emma walked up to Ben and pulled on his pant leg to get his attention. Ben bent down low, and she whispered in his ear. “You sure?” Ben said to her. Emma nodded. “You want to do it, or should I?” He asked her. Emma pointed at him with a shy smile. Ben stood up, holding the back of the bear against his chest, his arms wrapped around it. I’d never been jealous of a stuffed animal before but could honestly say I was in that moment.

“Emma thinks that since Ms. Campbell gave all her bears away, that maybe this one should go to her. What do you think, gang?” He turned to the kids. Everyone cheered and waved their bears in air. Ben smiled at me. “Ms. Campbell,” he held the bear out to me. I felt his pride in me, his genuine appreciation for what I had done, and I blushed. “Well played.” He smiled.

POV: Beta Ben Westlake

Sweet Goddess, Riley was beautiful. I could stare into those smiling brown eyes of hers all day. Her face was flushed with excitement, and her smile made my heart skip a beat. It was infectious, and I had spent the afternoon thinking of things to say or do to make her smile and laugh. It was more than just her features that made her beautiful. She was a genuinely good person. She was kind and compassionate. She was sweet and had a great sense of humor.

I had learned that there was no pack loyalty in the game of ring toss. A few of the kids had cheered for me, but they all went wild for Riley. They were all on her side, and it made me like her that much more. Sarah’s kids thanked us as she corralled them to their next activity. Emma went running over to Mr. Sloan and climbed up in his lap. I noticed my mother sitting with him having a lively conversation that had mom smiling and laughing.

“What’s my tab, Rusty?” Riley asked, drawing my attention.

“$375.” He replied.

“Do you need the bear as collateral? Or do you trust me enough to run home and get it?” She smiled, hugging the bear I’d given her.

“Oh, I think you’re good for it, Ms. Campbell.” Rusty smiled back.

“Please,” I pulled out my wallet. “Allow me, Ms. Campbell. It’s the least I can do after you were so kind to the kids.” I held out the money to Rusty when I felt a spark of anger from her.

“I’m quite capable of paying my debt to him, sir, but thank you for the gesture.” She smiled while she said it, but I knew she was offended in some way by my offer.

“Then Rusty will have to take mine as a donation.” I smiled back at her. Rusty took the money from me.

Riley’s eyes lit up again, and I thought my heart was going to stop. Her mouth twisted into a rueful little smile. “Well played, Beta Benji.”

I laughed. “Oh no, $375 isn’t nearly enough to buy your way into the Benji club.”

Riley leaned on the counter and spoke to Rusty out of the side of her mouth, like she was asking him something top secret, but she made no effort to hide her words from me. “What kind of donation is he talking about here?”

Rusty chuckled. “I figure he’s talking about my donations.”

“Think you’ll break two million this year?” I asked and had the pleasure of watching Riley’s jaw drop.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Campbell,” Rusty said seriously, leaning in like it was secret. “I don’t pull that in annually. I’m closer to $25 to $35 grand a year. I’m probably a little way off two million.” He said.

“Oh, is that all?” Riley laughed. “That’s amazing, Rusty. I’m glad I got to be a part of it.” She looked at me with a smile from behind the oversized bear. “I’ll just have to bring more money next year, Beta Ben.” She joked. In all honesty, she could have called me doorknob, as long as she smiled at me like that every day.