“Your nose is looking red,” he commented. “Come on and we’ll buy you a hat to keep you shaded.”
She wrinkled her nose, feeling tightness.
“I didn’t even think about it this morning.”
She was rarely out in the sun enough to worry about sunburn at home.
However, if the feeling on her nose was anything to go by, she’d be burned to a crisp by the end of the day if she didn’t do something.
Kirk led her to one of the concession stands where hats and scarves and sunglasses were sold. He picked out a pink cowboy hat and plopped it on her head.
“It’s so you,” he teased.
She laughed and looked at the small mirror on the stand. For a moment she didn’t recognize the reflection. Her face was pink, her eyes a deeper blue than normal. But it was the happiness shining back at her that surprised her.
“We’ll take it,” he told the vendor, paying him for the hat.
“I can buy it,” she protested, noticing the transaction.
“Consider it a gift from Smoky Hollow. I bet you don’t have the nerve to wear it in New York.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“Probably not. But then, I don’t spend a lot of time outdoors in New York.”
“Why not?”
“Too busy with practice.”
It sounded lame. She could make time to go to Central Park, or even to the beach. Maybe if she factored more breaks in her schedule she wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and pressured.
She was in control of her life. It was up to her to find the balance.
“It’ll work for today,” he said, taking her hand again.
Kirk took her to the amphitheater where the music festival would be held later in August. Today there was a rock band playing with lots of teenagers on the stands and sitting on the grass. Many were dancing to the music, others clapped or sang along. He found a spot on the back of the stands and they sat.
“The acoustics are good here,” she said.
He nodded. It wasn’t bad. He could hear the music and some of the murmur from conversations around them. Usually it was too much effort to listen.
He glanced at Angelica and her new hat. She looked pretty as a picture watching the musicians with an assessing look. He hoped the sunburn would fade and not peel. Though he bet she’d look cute with a peeling nose.
He leaned back against the empty seats behind them, remembering the last time he’d come to the fair. It had been before he’d gone into the army. He’d brought Alice. They’d just graduated from high school and had talked of marriage once he was done with his service. They’d listened to music, rode the rides. He’d even won a silly turtle for her at the pitching booth.
Different experience now with Angelica finding every aspect fascinating. It showed what different upbringing could do. He took it for granted, she was amazed.
If she stayed, after a few years would she take this for granted as well?
He’d never know.
She looked at him and smiled and he felt a kick in the gut. If she had any idea how pretty she was she’d control those smiles.
“You must come every year,” she said.
“Nope. First time in a long while.”
“Why? This is fabulous.”
