“Make sure to look out for Kady in the sky on your way back,” Riven quips around a bite of cobbler.
I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about, but a soft smile spreads over Kady’s face. His cheeks turn pink when she reaches out to squeeze his arm. “I will.”
I hold open the cabin door for her then lead her around to the waiting Jeep, one of our many pack cars. The big four-by-four is perfect for the twisty and uneven roads of Rose Harbor, easily able to breeze over most terrain.
“I know the fair may not be super exciting.” I put on my seat belt. “But there’s not a lot to do in Rose Harbor.”
“Actually,” she snatches her lip with her teeth, “I’ve never been to a fair before.”
“What?” I gape at her. “It’s a childhood rite of passage.”
“My father was always too busy to take me to things like that.” She looks out of the window as we head away from the cabin, the Jeep swaying over the bumpy road. “Or too afraid to let me out in crowds in case I was abducted and held for ransom.”
She says this so nonchalantly, but I can’t imagine how a child would have felt to be told they’re at constant risk of being kidnapped.
“You’ll be safe with me.”
“I’m trained in self-defense.” She flicks her wrist. “I don’t need any alpha protection.”
She may not need it, but it doesn’t mean I’ll stop looking out for her.
I switch on the radio, a cheerful pop song playing as we drive. The fair sits on the edge of town, so we arrive in no time.
“Let’s do this” Anticipation sizzles through me as we get out of the car, eager to take her to her first fair.
Colorful flashing lights fill the night sky in front of us. Euphoric children bundled in many layers clutch onto their parents’ palms with their chubby hands, taking wobbly steps through the crowds and hooting whenever they spot something of interest. The smell of greasy corndogs mixes with the sweetness of cotton candy hanging in the air.
“Whoa!” Kady’s eyes widen as she takes in the view. “This is huge.”
“One of the best fairs around.” My words are almost drowned out by the guy hollering at the ring-toss stall. “Where do you want to start?”
We’re engulfed in the metallic clang of machinery and tinny music as we head into the chaos. Kady’s blonde hair escapes from the edges of Riven’s beanie, the tip of her nose turning pink from the chilly breeze which makes her look even cuter.
She points enthusiastically at the hook-a-duck stall. “I thought those only existed in movies!”
I want to slip my fingers through hers, show her off to everyone here, but we’re not on that level yet. Sure, we’ve been affectionate before—well, more than affectionate—but not publicly, and I don’t want to make her uncomfortable one of the first times we’re alone together and not arguing about something.
“This way.” I lead her over to a row of different booths—balloon pop darts, bottle up, and a face painting stand.
“Wanna try your hand at winning your lovely lady a prize?” The voice belonging to the loud guy at the ring-toss booth booms over.
“Oh, she’s not.” Surprise steals my thought, seeing Kady pointing at a stuffed animal.
It’s a monstrous orange creature with wonky eyes and different shaped ears. It’s impossible to tell exactly what kind of animal it’s supposed to be.
“It looks just like Larry,” she croons.
Thankfully, Larry isn’t here to see his stuffed double, or he’d be mortally offended. But after seeing her reaction, how can I not try to win it for her?
“Okay, we’ll play!”
I hand over some coins then concentrate on my aim. After three tries, all my colorful rings lay on the ground.
“Nice try,” Kady smirks. “But not good enough.”
I harrumph, handing over more money and ending up missing the target by an inch.
“So close but not close enough.” Kady’s teasing spurs on my determination.
