"Very nice."
I look up and see my mama and daddy. "Howdy." Daddy says, handing me a box of donuts and a coffee. "Thought you'd be hungry."
"Thanks." I kiss him on the cheek, and I kiss mama, too.
"It's a beautiful day. Couldn't pick a nicer one." Mama says.
"Well, even if it rains, we chose the covered tent. Paid extra." Buddy states.
Daddy is pleased. Then he turns around, and I can see Levi approaching. Unconsciously, I drape a loose tendril of hair behind my ear. Buddy sees him, too. After the other day, Ithought maybe he'd give Levi a dirty look, but he doesn't, and that comforts me. "Levi. Nice to see you, son."
"Nice to see you, too, sir."
Levi looks at me and I smile. "Daddy, mama, this is Levi Paxton. He works at the ranch where I've been having riding lessons."
"Oh, the Barnes Ranch? That's right. Gosh, I've been meaning to come check out that new resort." Mama comments, shaking Levi's proffered hand.
"Stop by any time. I'll give you a free riding lesson." Levi says to both of them.
"Where's Shelly?" I blurt, biting my tongue afterward.
"Oh, um, she's showing her friend Laz around." He coughs nervously into his hand. "This event has become somewhat of a meat market over the years."
Everyone chuckles.
"Buddy, I was just coming to see if you needed a hand bringing anything in or taking anything out." Levi adds.
"No, thanks, son. I'm just fine. A few of the boys from management helped us bring this in."
"Good. Well, give me a holler if y'all need anything. I'll just be over at the pasture there, helping with the horses."
"Nobody looking after the ranch while you boys are here?" Daddy asks.
"Oh, it's just me, Nash and Wyatt here today, sir. All the others are back at the ranch. Billy couldn't spare anyone else today on account of a load coming in."
"I see. Well, it was nice meeting you, Levi."
"Same to you, sir. Come by the ranch sometime."
"We'll do that, son."
Levi turns to me and winks, without anyone else noticing. I smile back at him. My heart bursts watching him leave. My folks like him. I can tell. But then, there aren't many that theydon't like. Daddy and mama leave the tent, so that they don't discourage shoppers from coming in. Although I haven't made any sales, I've given out at least a dozen business cards by lunch time. "Lennie, why don't y'all go grab yourself something at the food truck?" Buddy offers.
"Can I get you something, too?"
"I reckon I ate a few too many of them donuts your folks brought. I'll eat a little later, but I didn't see you eat anything."
"I'd completely forgotten about them, actually."
"Fair enough. Go on now, go get something to eat. Before the lunch rush comes along."
"Okay. Thanks."
I walk out of the tent and snake my way to the food trucks. They've got picnic tables all lined up in rows by the trucks. I grab a veggie burger and sweet potato fries and sit alone by the little pond, where I'm sort of out of sight. I'm not even at a picnic table, because the pond is giving me a little bit of creative inspiration. As I start eating, I begin picturing an angle and a view towards the center and off to the side of the pond. I'm sitting, facing the pond, taking a few pictures, but then I feel like a more metropolitan shot would be a great pivot from most of my inventory. So, I turn around and look at the view from the picnic tables. That's when I see someone I recognize. Although we've never met, I know her from when I creeped on Levi's account and saw photographs of her on social media.
Shelly is with a very flamboyant male, who is just going off about a guy he met last night. They're both completely oblivious to me sitting ten feet from them, in the background. They're facing each other, and I have a perfect vantage point.
"Oh my God! Did you see that cowboy with the long hair back there?" The man in a purple denim jumpsuit says.
