Everyone sniffed. Walt said loudly it was a grand day for it, and then they were walking again.
Brad had never beento a small town carnival before. He'd passed by a few, but never actually stopped. Ethan picked him up, telling him in his usual way that he was coming, and as he still hadn’t left Howling and honestly didn’t know why, he agreed.
Jake was in the passenger seat when he stepped outside the cabin, which left the back free beside Rose's car seat.
“Jake.”
“TJ.”
“Well if it isn't sweet little Rose McBride.” Brad slid over and gave her a gentle smile. “How you doing, sweet cheeks?”
“Don't start smooth talking my daughter. I swear you Texans come out of the womb that way.”
Brad smiled again, then gave her chin a tickle that made her giggle. She had sweet black curls and soft creamy skin like her mom.
“Glad you take after the good-looking parent, honey.”
“It was a relief to us all,” Ethan agreed.
She held out a hand to him, so he took it, and her little fingers wrapped around one of his and held him there while they drove.
“Do you reckon Mr. Hope will get Branna and Annabelle singing again this year?”
“They say no, but between you and me, they were heard practicing in the barn last week. So they're prepared if it happens,” Jake said.
Brad listened to Jake and Ethan talk as he let his mind wander. He really should have left by now, but the news on the Buchanan place was not getting any better. Their lawyers were searching hard for any angle environmentally but so far coming up blank. They had a meeting planned at HRH's tomorrow, and he hoped Militant had found out something more about this rare bird.
“You two look like you're going on a date,” Jake said, looking into the backseat.
“She loves me, what can I say.”
“Put him down, honey, you have no idea where he's been.”
Rose gave her daddy a big smile and then blew him a kiss.
“And your heart melted all over again,” Ethan drawled.
“Plenty of cars again this year. Looks like the tourists have arrived in big numbers.”
They parked a fair distance away and walked. Brad found himself pushing the stroller while Jake and Ethan strolled ahead arguing, as they were inclined to do.
You couldn’t help but feel good, surrounded by so much beauty. It was goddamn calming on the soul, and Brad hadn’t had a lot of calm until he reached here.
He wondered how Macy was, but didn’t ask. He’d rung her, but she hadn’t replied, and that was probably for the best.
“Any reason why I'm doing all the work?”
“You're the youngest, it's the way things are done,” Jake threw over his shoulder.
“Jesus.” Brad whistled as he caught his first sight of the carnival. “You'll take out the grid with all those fairy lights.”
They were everywhere. The main street was crisscrossed with them, every building lit up like a Christmas tree. Tents, attractions, stalls. The place was a thriving mass of people.
“How come I didn’t notice those lights going up?”
“You're unobservant, and just FYI you should be thanking us for letting you push Rose's stroller. It's a serious girl magnet.”
“I don't need props like some, Ethan.”
