Carnival Chaos

By BJ Wingate

April Summers' wedding day was anything but happy. A cheating ex-fiancé has her going on their honeymoon alone. Ready to give up on love, the trip winds up being a turning point in her life. Depressed and unhappy, she meets inn owner's ruggedly handsome nephew and sparks begin to fly. Joshua Long was hurt by his first fiancé a long time ago and has given up on ever finding the right woman for him. At least until he meets April Summers. Suddenly all he can think of is her and he finds himself smiling when he does. Can their second chance at love work? Or will her vengeful ex-fiancé put an end to their budding romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BJ Wingate
• Release date: May 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387375219

BJ Wingate

BJ Wingate was born in Baltimore but has spent the latter part of her life in the south and Midwest, currently living in Arkansas. She is an avid reader and has a vivid imagination. Her characters come across as real-life individuals and thus her stories are compelling and interesting to all age groups. Her many life experiences have given her an abundance of ideas for stories. She recently received an L. Ron Hubbard award for her writing. Keep watching for more exciting books in the future.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

The old dusty blue Ford Taurus sputtered, coughed and finally died as the woman driving angled it onto the side of the road, letting it slowly roll to a full stop. She had had a feeling it wasn’t going to last much longer. She attempted to restart it, but it didn’t respond. She knew she should have stopped for gas at that station ten miles back but had hoped there would be another station before now. Besides which, most cars had a bit of a reserve after hitting the E mark, but not this 1999 Ford. Or maybe it did, and she just hadn’t been careful enough. Either way she was out of gas and out of luck.

She sat there for a few minutes, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead on the steering wheel and cried. Finally, cried out and feeling a bit more in control, she sat back. She needed to decide what to do. Grabbing a clean paper napkin from among the remains of her last fast food meal on the other seat – half the burger remained, but at least the fries had been good - she dried her eyes and checked her appearance in the mirror.  She looked different, even to herself. Not including the slightly red rimmed eyes either.

Her name was Rebecca Whitlock, Becca to her friends, and what had her on the run was so unnerving she didn’t even want to think about it. Having to leave her home, her friends, even her family, what little was left at least, was taking its toll on her. This was not something she was used to. Running. She had always faced her problems in the past. But not this time. She took a deep breath, determined to survive this. ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ her dad used to say. Now, with no gas and no way to get any - at least not that she was aware of - ditching the car seemed to be her best option. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, she needed the transportation dang it! She slapped her hand on the steering wheel in anger. However, she couldn’t think of any other choice. She was out of her depth here and she knew it. But what else could she do?

Sliding out of the car, Rebecca stood up and turned a full circle to check out her situation. It was night - around 10 pm or so she thought, maybe a little later - with a half-moon overhead, so it wasn’t totally dark. Both sides of the road were wooded, the road a dark, slightly curving, asphalt ribbon running through the middle.  A soft, warm wind blew her hair in her face for a minute and she shoved it back behind her ears.

In the distance, off at an angle, Rebecca could see the glow of lights of some sort. Deciding that heading for the lights might be her best option, she popped the trunk. She pulled out her rolling suitcase, as well as her small matching bag. They were a little heavy, but at least they both had wheels. She wasn’t sure if she could handle both, yet she took them anyway. Most of her clothing was in the big one, but there were other necessities that she needed in the small one. Retrieving her purse from the front seat of the car, she slipped it over her shoulder.

Leaving the car unlocked, Rebecca hesitated for a minute, then dropped the keys on the driver’s seat and made a beeline toward the lights.  That would mean cutting through the wooded area in front of her. Walking through the woods might not be the best idea, but the road was too open, too exposed. Besides which it might take a lot longer that way. At least she was wearing sneakers instead of high heels. She still wasn’t used to them. The only time she had ever worn athletic shoes had been to go running. She was wearing a short jacket and figured it would protect her arms from branches and such. As she left the road, she found that the undergrowth was not too overgrown and, with a few tugs and pulls, she managed to get her bags through.

Becca hoped the glow indicated a town or at least a diner with a motel. She had enough money in her pocket for one night at least, and she could use a good night’s sleep. Maybe there was a bus station close by as well. She could only hope so at this point. Yes, she could manage a bus trip if she had to. Where to go would be the question, but she could settle that once she found a station.  So far, she had just been traveling away from danger with no thought as to her destination. At least not entirely.

In a brief time, Becca walked out of the woods and stopped when she saw what was causing the glow. It wasn’t a town or a diner, though surely there was a town close by, but rather a carnival. By this time the light was less than it had been. It seemed that some of the carnival’s lights had recently been turned off.  To her it seemed old and some of the rides looked well used, but at that moment, for her, it was the light at the end of the tunnel. To her right, she could see rides, one or two still moving, and in front of her were booths. Games she thought, or food booths. Most of the rides and booths were unlit or with very low lighting. She could still smell popcorn and other smells of the carnival in the air. She took a deep breath, breathing in the smells as she looked around. Even though the booth was closed, she could smell popcorn and other smells of a carnival. It brought back memories of her childhood. Happier days.

People were leaving, customers Rebecca assumed, heading to a small lot of parked cars off to her left. A few glanced her way as she stepped out of the woods. Curious about why a woman would walk out of the woods with a couple of suitcases, no doubt. Not many people still played the games or rode the rides. A few were just finishing up at one gaming booth or another. Almost as soon as they did, the lights in the booth would go off indicating that it was closed. For a second, she considered asking someone, anyone, for a ride into town, but decided it might be safer not to. She noticed that the rest of the rides were going dark, as if the carnival was shutting down for the night. She could hear a mechanical noise off in the distance, like a motor revving or one last ride still going.

Rebecca started considering her options. She had never ever considered working in a carnival but thought this could work in her favor. The ticket booth was shut down already, so she walked by it, heading down what could only be the main thoroughfare. Her thoughts raced. If they weren’t willing to hire her, maybe she could ask if she could travel with them instead. She had a little money which they wouldn’t need to know about. A carnival moved a lot and could provide a good hiding place for a time. And she could rest as well, not travel constantly. And there would always be people around. Safety in numbers and all that. Especially since she had just lost her means of transportation. The perfect cover -  at least for now.

At one of the closed down game booths, Rebecca stopped for a minute. A mirror hanging to one side showed her a clear image of herself as she was at that moment. Deep chestnut brown hair, cut to just past her ears, framed her oval face. Blueish-green eyes stared back, looking haunted. Becca was slenderly built and wearing dark blue jeans with a paler blue t-shirt and a waist length black leather jacket hanging open over it. Black tennis shoes finished the look.

Rebecca sighed, thinking how very different she appeared from what she had been used to most of her adult life. She had changed her appearance for a good reason of course; one she hoped no one would find out about, at least, not any time soon.  Brown hair. She fingered it lightly. How many times had she said she had hated her blond coloring and now she missed it.  Figures. A small sound had her turning from the mirror to face whoever it might be and praying they were friendly.

As Rebecca stood there, a man walked toward her, taking his time. He was tall and walked with a slight swagger. Like he owned the place or something. He watched her face as he approached, stopping when he was a few feet away. He seemed to be taking care not to startle her. I’m sorry Miss, but the carnival is closing down. he said, his voice a soft, yet deep baritone. There was a soothing quality to his voice as he spoke. She nodded and looked around once more, as if thinking things over. A determined look crossed her face as she came to a sudden decision.

Yes, she replied, I realize that. But I’m not here to play games or ride rides. She looked him in the eye, tilting her head back a bit as she did so since he was quite a bit taller than herself. She suddenly wished for the two-inch heels she had been used to wearing to give her five feet seven-inch height a little boost. He had to be close to six foot she guessed, maybe more, with thick black wavy hair and striking blue eyes. He was dressed all in black from his jeans to the snug t-shirt he wore. She found herself imagining him on the deck of a schooner with a cutlass at his side and a parrot on his shoulder. No eye patch though. That would detract from his natural good looks. A pirate to be sure, but not a mean one. Broad shoulders and a narrow waist. She found herself glancing at his feet. Boots. Yes, he could definitely be a pirate. She gave herself a mental shake to stop the direction of her thoughts.

Well, in that case, he said. Why are you here? I saw you walk out of the woods over there. He waved one hand in the direction she had come from, then crossed his arms over his chest and waited. Besides, most of our clientele don’t usually show up dragging suitcases. She looked him over slowly, then smiled just a little...

So, he had seen her. She wondered if that would cause him to reject her request. I ... ah ... well ... I saw your lights and ... um ... I’m looking for work. Can you use another hand? For a time, at least. She watched as he lifted one hand to his chin and rubbed for a moment. He sported a five o’clock shadow that gave him a decidedly rakish look. And it looked rather good on him.

He continued to look at her while she waited for his answer. Well ... I don’t know. Have you ever worked a carnival before? What are your skills? What can you do? She blinked at that, caught off guard, and he sighed. What I mean to say is, work in a carnival isn’t easy and not for everyone.  It often means late nights and early mornings. It can be back breaking, to say the least. He waited then, watching various emotions flit across her face.  Just for a moment he hoped she would back down, but only for a moment. He found himself hoping she would have skills he could use. For some reason he wanted her to stay.

Do? Becca said quietly. Oh, I see. Well, I’ve never worked in a carnival, but I have worked in a bank, so I can handle money. And I deal well with people. Plus, I’m not afraid of hard work. And I learn fast. She waited again, shifting from one foot to the other, as he continued to watch her in silence. A good tactic that, staying silent to make people squirm a bit. She tried hard not to. Look, I realize it’s rather odd for me to show up like this asking for work, but I’m short of cash and can really use the job. She almost looked back at the woods behind her to make sure no one was following her, but she managed to resist.

He looked her over in almost the same way she had done him. Normally she would have considered such a look as insolent, but not from him for some reason. Something about him had her wanting to trust him. Suddenly he dropped his arms to his sides and nodded as he made up his mind. Alright. I don’t usually hire people this way but come with me to the office and we’ll talk. And there are papers to be signed. Are those two bags all you have? He motioned to the suitcases she had standing beside her. She had one hand resting on top of the larger one.

Yes, it’s all I need, for now at least. She tossed him a brief smile as she answered. Without asking, he reached and took the larger bag from under her hand, then turned to lead the way to the office. As they walked, side by side, the thoroughfare went even darker as more and more booths were shut down. Rebecca kept glancing around and saw one or two people at one booth or another. Silence crept in over the area until all she could hear was the sound of their footsteps on the gravel under foot, as well as a few soft voices in the distance.  Workers, most likely, still shutting down rides and such. They left the immediate area of the carnival and approached an area with what appeared to be house trailers. She glanced back toward the carnival itself, but in the darkness, all she could really see was the Ferris wheel against the moonlit sky.

The man glanced over at her. My name is Blake Cavanaugh, and this is Cavanaugh’s Carnival. He waved his free hand to include all the rides and such behind them. May I ask your name? I mean if you’re going to work for me it’s something I think I should know. Blake smiled as he watched her open her mouth to respond, then close it again. He was right. She was running from something or someone, he just knew it. And now she was debating whether to give him her real name or make one up.

I ... ah ... it’s Anna, Anna Wilson. She glanced sideways at him to see if he accepted it and saw him nod. Silently, she prayed her best friend wouldn’t mind her using her deceased mother’s name.

Alright, Anna. You don’t mind if I call you Anna, do you? She shook her head no.  You’re lucky in a way. I had two people quit on me just an hour ago. A husband and wife that decided they wanted to put down roots for a time. It happens. He shrugged. We’re currently in the process of breaking down rides and booths tonight and will do more again in the morning. We’ll be heading out tomorrow afternoon for the next town. There we get to set it all back up again. he said, while watching her out of the corner of his eye. Just letting you know since it might get a little noisy. I won’t expect you to work tonight since you are new and will have to learn the ropes first.

Thank you. Anna sighed in relief as she said that. He had accepted her, and they would be leaving. Good. At the office, he opened the door for her, set her bag outside by the door and let her go in first. She set the smaller bag next to the bigger one before going into the office. The room was a little cramped with a large desk in one corner and a few file cabinets to the side. A small love seat was against one wall and two office type chairs sat by the desk. She sat in the one next to the desk and Blake slid into the one behind it.

Once they were both seated, Blake gave her a few papers to fill out and sign. By the way, do you drive?

Anna looked up for a minute and shook her head. I ... ah ... don’t have a driver’s license.  Blake watched her face as she said that. From the way she reacted he figured she did have one, but not in the name she had just given him.

Anna read over the papers he had given her and saw that most of them related to damage to the rides or booths. No tax forms though. She was glad of that. She couldn’t legally use the name she had given him for work. One paper indicated that if she wished, he could hold money back for her. It also stipulated that she would be paid in cash and how much that was. It wasn’t a lot, but she didn’t think she would need much. She signed that one too, asking that half be held. Blake watched her struggle over the name she had given him, but finally it was done. After he took the papers back and looked the info over, he stood up.

Walking to the door Blake leaned out. Andrew! You there? A murmur answered him. Well, get over here. He went back inside to sit at his desk again and shortly afterwards an older man wearing an old blue, knit cap, stuck his head in the door. Anna glanced at him and blinked. The man looked almost like a homeless person on any street. The cap had hair sticking out at odd angles and his face was weathered.

What’s up Boss. Andrew said. He looked at Blake, then glanced at Anna for a moment and back again. Anna looked at Andrew and thought that he might look like a homeless man but was a lot cleaner. At least from what she could see.

Andrew, this is Ms. Wilson. Take her over to the bunkhouse trailer and get her set up in the empty one. She’ll be traveling with us for a time. Those are her bags outside there.

Andrew nodded, then looked at Anna. Come on Miss, I’ll show you the way. As she stepped from the office, Andrew started off, dragging the larger of her bags along. Anna took the smaller one and followed. Hope you had your dinner already Miss. We don’t do communal dinners too much anymore.  Used to, but too many people wanted different stuff you know? Most people just provide for themselves now. Partially because of our schedules. Sometimes our days don’t end until midnight or later and start rather early, but you’ll get the hang of it. If you stay. Anna didn’t feel