I’m saved by the bell, literally. Montana lets it ring out to signal to switch dates, and there’s suddenly someone hovering beside me. It’s harder than I’d like to admit to rip my eyes away from Cherry, but I find the strength to get up. I give her a quick smile and head back to the bar, where I spend the rest of the night watching countless more men enjoy the chance to go on anactualdate with Cherry. A chance I continue to remind myself I’ll never be allowed to have even as I’m lying wide awake in bed at the end of the night.
11
Cherry
A rainbow of dazzling lights flash and flicker around me, while cheers and squeals echo along with the whoosh of rides, the distant music from the live band across the other side of the fair filtering through. Laughter floats on the air, along with bubbles blown by children as they pass by. The sweet and sugary scent of cotton candy wafts through the warm summer evening, mingling with the mouth-watering smell of freshly cooked corn dogs sizzling nearby.
This might be one of my favourite parts of summer in Willow Ridge – the town fair. Even Sawyer does whatever he can to make a trip back for one night, knowing how fun it is, usually bringing a date with him – tonight it’s a beautiful woman called Cassidy who works in the feed store in town. Wolfman’s babysitting for his twin sister, so he brought his four-year-old niece, Bonnie, along, and my heart melts watching him take her on the kids’ rides, despite barely being able to fold his massive frame intothem. The little girl has curly dark hair just like Wolfman, but the brightest blue eyes.
My head is spinning so much from being on the waltzers with Rory and Fliss that I accidentally bump into Duke as we clamber off the ride to join him and the rest of our group. His large hands fly out to steady me but retract as quickly as they caught me. He shoves them straight in his pockets afterwards.
Fliss grabs Rory by the shoulder for balance too. After catching her breath, she asks, ‘Okay, so what’s next?’
‘I’m thinking Ferris wheel,’ Rory suggests, pointing behind us to where the huge wheel currently sits idle, the evening sunshine glinting off its metal frame.
‘Sounds good to me,’ I add, trying to feign confidence in my tone, which only makes Wyatt’s head whip round so he can perk a brow at me incredulously.
‘Youwant to go on the Ferris wheel? Pretty sure the last time you went on any ride above six foot tall you bawled your eyes out.’ Wyatt crosses his arms.
‘That was years ago. I’ve grown up since college.’ Fake it ’til you make it, right? He doesn’t have to know that I’ve been close to peeing my pants every time I’ve thought about making myself go on one of the bigger rides today to try to tick facing my fear of heights off my bucket list.
‘I just don’t want you getting stressed, y’know?’ Wyatt frowns, a divot appearing between his dark brows. ‘Remember what happened when you went to that theme park when you were fifteen? The nearest hospital was ages away. Stress isn’t good for your—’
‘I’ll be fine, Wyatt,’ I rush out, trying to push the bleakmemory of ruining Montana’s theme park birthday out of my mind. ‘Chill out.’
The concern doesn’t dissipate from Wyatt’s face, but he does hold his hands up in surrender, mouthing,okay.
‘Doyouwanna go on the Ferris wheel, Bonbon?’ Wolfman jiggles his niece in his arms. Her gorgeous little blue eyes light up with glee, and for a second I’m jealous of a four-year-old’s lack of fear.
It’s a low point, I know.
‘Ferris wheel sounds fun,’ Sawyer admits. ‘As long as we get our own pod.’ He shoots a saucy wink at Cassidy and the rest of us groan.
‘Sign says the Ferris wheel isn’t open for another ten minutes,’ Fliss adds, covering her eyes from the early evening sun to squint and read the sign better.
‘Oh, damn.’ Rory throws her hands to her hips. ‘Well …’
‘Hey, isn’t that Honey Goldman?’ Wyatt interjects, nodding his head to our left, forcing all our gazes to follow.
‘What?’ Sawyer almost gasps, his eyes frantically scanning the surrounding fair.
‘There.’ Wyatt points through the crowds, somewhere towards a ring toss stand. There’s a few people around the activity, including a woman with her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, helping a young boy. ‘Yeah, that’sdefinitelyher.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Wolfman chimes in. ‘I forgot to tell you – guess who got a job at Willow Ridge High? I couldn’t believe it when I heard.’
Rory taps Wyatt on the arm. ‘Who’s Honey Goldman?’
‘Ask Sawyer, he’s the one who used to spend so muchtime with her,’ Wyatt suggests, forcing everyone to turn to the bull rider.
There’s a paleness to his face while his eyes are trained on where Honey must be in the distance. I wonder where he’s gone, because there’s no way his mind is still with us. But he’s quick to blink away, pulling his brows together with a shake of his head. Sawyer tightens his arm around Cassidy’s waist, throwing on a cocky smile.
‘Bit of an exaggeration,’ he scoffs. ‘She was just some random choir girl who used to tutor me so I didn’t get kicked off the football team.’ He glances back once to where Honey was, a muscle feathering in his jaw. ‘Anyway, wanna go get a drink, Cass? I’m kinda done with all these rides and games.’
‘Sure thing.’ Cassidy places a hand against his chest before Sawyer salutes us with a ‘Catch you guys later,’ and whisks her off towards the drink vendors.
‘Well, that was weird,’ Fliss snorts. ‘Somehow I don’t think she wasjustsome random choir girl.’
‘Uncle Miles.’ Bonnie tugs on Wolfman’s T-shirt from where he’s holding her on his hip with one arm. ‘Can we go on the carousel too?’
