“I promise I’ll be good.” He jumped to his feet.
Sara pinned him with her gaze, and he squirmed. She said, “That’s strike one.”
Instead of taking the warning gravely, he did a little dance. Sara sighed. Some days.
A large man followed by an entourage of people entered the VIP area and strode to where she and the children stood. He paused when he saw the papers on the chairs and narrowed his eyes.
“Did you move those?” He pointed to the sheets with Ezreal’s last name on them.
“Ezreal saved the seats for us,” Janna said.
“Ezr—” The man broke off. He grinned and held out his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I'm Mayor Dalton.”
“I’m Sara Fortune.” She hesitantly shook it. The noise of her children squabbling made her cheeks flush.
“So you’re special friends of Mr. Wallach’s?” the mayor asked.
“Janna and Brand,” Sara said, looking over her shoulder at them, “that’s strike two.”
“But I didn’t get a strike one.”
“It doesn’t matter if Brand gets three.”
“So how do you know Mr. Wallach?” Mayor Dalton asked, scowling at her children.
“I’m a neighbor of Rafe Davis’s mother.”
“Oh. The bed-and-breakfast owner.”
The man’s not-quite condescending attitude prickled Sara’s already frayed nerves.
“You mean the wonderful cook who’s going to be publishing a cookbook? And the amazing woman who’s kind and welcoming, who’s the perfect example of Southern hospitality?” Sara shot him a pointed look.
Mayor Dalton blinked, coughed, and then turned to say something to some newcomers.
“I don’t like him,” Janna said. “He thinks he’s better than us.”
“Some people are like that.” Sara was impressed that her daughter saw that.
“Not Ezreal.” Janna planted her hands on her hips like she thought her mother was going to disagree.
“Yes, he’s different.”
“And Rafe. They both have oodles of money. Lessa said so.”
“Don’t get obsessed with him having money. You’d never know he had so much by looking at him.” Sara sat in one of their chairs. “Brand, come and sit with me.”
The section had started to fill up, and Sara pulled her son close. The atmosphere now had a sense that something was about to happen. One of the ushers came up the aisle and instructed everyone to take their seats.
“We’ll see Ezreal in a minute,” she whispered to Brand, hoping to quiet him.
“Where?”
As she pointed at the balcony, Rafe stepped into sight, followed by the three other REKD founders, including Ezreal. The butterflies in Sara’s stomach woke up. He looked so handsome. She was glad she’d taken such care with making his costume. All four of them were dressed as champions, and she was glad she could recognize who they were. The crowd was going wild and hooting their approval. Rafe had a giant rifle slung over his shoulder that looked like it should be heavy, but he carried it with ease.
Ezreal scanned the audience and stopped when his gaze fell on her. His expression lit up, and her heart gave a little leap. She grinned and pointed to him.
“Janna, there he is.”
