“No!” I bellow as my final ring misses and Kady chuckles. Frustrated, I buy more tickets. “Let’s go again.”
She leans against the booth, watching on with mild bemusement. “Are you trying to impress me, Mr. Hotshot Editor?”
I grind my molars, missing again. “Okay, you totally threw me off on purpose that time.”
She holds out her hand. “Let me try.”
“It’s rigged.” I glare at the guy manning the stall. “There’s no way those rings even fit on those poles.”
Kady shoves me out of the way to get a good position then throws a ring. It glides through the air then falls straight onto the post. She cheers, clapping her hands enthusiastically. “Yay!”
The guy scoffs, seeming a little miffed by her getting it on her first attempt. “What’ll it be, princess?”
“That one.” After handing her Larry 2.0, she gives it a big squeeze before offering it to me. “You can have it.”
“I’m supposed to be the one winning you prizes,” I grumble.
“Omegas can give alphas gifts too, you know.”
I take Larry 2.0 into my arms. One of his button eyes looks like it’s about to fall off from poor stitching, but it already smellsof her. I stuff it into my backpack, its head out as we continue exploring.
We play a few more games, Kady being better than me at every one of them.
“Are you sure you’ve never played these games before?” I narrow my eyes in suspicion after she pops her third balloon in a row, winning us reams of tickets.
“Beginner’s luck.” She shrugs then drops her voice. “And I might’ve taken some archery classes at summer camp.”
“Daddy!” A little girl’s high-pitched shriek comes from behind us. “Look at that kitty!”
It takes me a second to realize that she’s pointing at the head bulging out of my backpack.
“Daddy, can I have one?” She looks up at her father with a pleading expression. “Pretty please?”
“Sweetie, I already told you, we’ve used all our tickets,” the exhausted-looking father replies. “We can’t buy any more.”
I watch as her dad kneels next to her, wearing a sad smile while smoothing down her wild hair.
“But, Daddy…” Her voice wavers, on the verge of tears. “Please.”
“Maybe we’ll come back in a few weeks, angel,” Her father pulls her in for a hug. “Remember what I said about having to be careful with what we spend? We can try to win a different one next time. We need to head home soon, so I can get ready for work.”
“Excuse me.” I have to step in, scooping Larry 2.0 out of my backpack. “I was hoping you could help me.”
I duck down in front of the girl. She can’t be more than six years old.
“I’m looking for someone to take care of my little friend, Larry, here.” I manipulate the doll’s face to look at her. “We have no space at home for him, and I work an awful lot, so he’d getvery lonely. Do you think you could take good care of him for me?”
Nodding seriously, her previously scrunched-up face lights up with pure elation. “Yes. I’ll take good care of Larry. What do you think, Daddy?”
The dad’s lips flatten into a line flush. “You really don’t have to.”
“She’ll be doing me a favor,” I retort.
“Please can we keep him, Daddy?” She hits him with the biggest puppy-dog eyes I’ve ever seen. “Please! I’ll look after him so good. I can take him everywhere!”
“If you’re sure.” Her dad looks at me again.
As soon as I hand Larry over, she pulls him in to her little body, hugging him. “Thank you, mister!”
