“Sure. In the camp trailer with the girls and me. You and Cooper can have the bedroom in back, and Anna and I will bunk in front. There’s plenty of room.”
She considered this. “That actually sounds like fun, but I have to be on call with my mom at night.” She lowered her voice and nodded toward her dad. “You know, in case he should fall or anything.”
“What ifmymom is on call?” he suggested. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind spending the night over here if necessary.”
“Really? Or she could sleep in the farmhouse and just keep her phone handy,” Jewel suggested. “Then she could pop over if needed.”
“What do you think?” he asked hopefully.
“I think that sounds wonderful.” She actually clapped her hands like a little kid and then, feeling embarrassed, she laughed. “Does the fair still have a Ferris wheel?”
He laughed too. “You bet. And if you’re a good girl and don’t make yourself sick on cotton candy and elephant ears, I’ll take you up on it.”
“Okay. I’ll do my best.” She felt her cheeks warm, suddenly imagining a romantic moonlit ride on the Ferris wheel with Miguel.
“Then it’s a date.” He wheeled her dad’s chair up the deck ramp, then bent down to shake his hand and tell him goodbye. “I need to go tend my cows,” he told him, then stood up and looked at Jewel. “So I’ll let Mom know she’s needed here. She’s got her car there so she can leave and be back here before we even head for the fairgrounds. I’ve got some chores to do, but I expect to be done by midafternoon. Can I pick you up around two?”
“I’ll be ready,” she assured him, still feeling slightly giddy. She was going to the fair with Miguel! What could be more fun?
Both girls seemed happy that Jewel was joining them, but as quickly as they said hello, they said goodbye. Apparently they had big plans for the afternoon, but they promised to meet back at the trailer for dinner around six.
“Not that they’ll be hungry,” Miguel said after the girls scurried off. “My poor mama had all these meals planned, but the girls have been so full of fair food by dinnertime each night.” He grinned. “She’s made some generous donations to the pigs.”
Jewel laughed. “Well, if you like, I could fix our dinner tonight.”
“Nope. On the last fair night, we usually go out to eat at the barbecued rib place. It’s not fancy, but it’s sure good.”
“No arguments here.” She looked around his camp trailer. She’d noticed it on his property before, but it was bigger than she’d imagined. “This is a cute camper,” she told him.
“Thanks.” He explained how the couch and dining area transformed into beds for him and Anna. “Let me show you to your suite, ma’am.” He picked up her bag, then opened a door beyond the kitchenette. “Here you go.” He set her bag on the neatly made queen-size bed. “Unfortunately, we have no room service.”
“Aw, too bad. But I guess I can rough it for one night,” she teased back.
“So, how would you like a tour of the livestock barns to start out with? It’s cool and shady in there during the heat of the day.”
“Cool sounds good.” She was glad she’d worn a sleeveless snap shirt, one she’d borrowed from Mom in the hopes she’d look more like a farm girl today. And to complete her look, she had on blue jeans with a rodeo belt she’d borrowed from her dad’s younger, skinnier cowboy days, plus a straw cowboy hat that no one ever seemed to lay claim to. As they walked toward the barns, she tried not to wrinkle her nose at the strong smells that she associated with the livestock barns—smells she used to make fun of as a teenager. But to her surprise, other than the manure pile out back, the barn smell was not that bad. And having Miguel as her tour guide with all the animals made the whole thing fun and interesting.
When they were done, he checked his watch. “There’s a pretty good concert in a few minutes. I already got tickets, so if you happen to like country music.” His brows arched as he studied her.
“I pretty much like all kinds of music. Well, not heavy metal so much.” She didn’t mention that country would be near the bottom of her “like” list.
“Then let’s see how you like the Flannigan Family Band. They’re a local group. Sort of country meets bluegrass.”
As it turned out, she did like the Flannigans. A dad with six sons, between the ages of twelve and twenty, with more musical talent than seemed fair for just one family to share. “That was delightful,” she told Miguel as they were leaving. “Thank you.”
“It’s almost time to meet the girls at the trailer and then we’ll go to dinner, assuming they have appetites. Can you smell that?”
She sniffed and nodded. “The barbecued ribs?”
“Yep. I didn’t have lunch, so I’m starving.”
The girls were already in the back room changing their clothes when Miguel and Jewel returned. When they emerged looking more fashionable and cleaner than earlier, Anna explained that they wanted to go to an evening concert geared for teens. “So, we’ll just eat here if that’s okay, Dad.” Anna ran a brush through her hair. “Abuela left lots of food.”
“Abuela?” Jewel asked.
“Spanish forgrandma,” Cooper told her.
Jewel gave an amused nod, enjoying how Coop was trying to fit into Anna’s world. So delightfully different from Coop’s old friends in San Jose. The girls chattered to themselves as they foraged through the small but well-stocked fridge. Miguel turned to Jewel. “Need to freshen up before we go? You might want something warmer if we decide to walk around after dinner.”
