“I want something!” Lydia chimes in.
A devious smile lines Sutton’s face at the football toss game she stopped us in front of. “Think you’re so clever, do ya?” I ask with a grin.
“Show me your skills, Coach.” Sutton winks.
“Yeah, c’mon, Coach. Think you can beat the game?” My player who is manning the booth eggs me on.
“Really, Simmons?”
“Or are you too old?”
“Ouch.” Pulling out my wallet, I drop a twenty on the counter.
“You need seventy-five points in order to get a prize.” He sets five small footballs in front of me as I eye the backdropwith different targets lined with Velcro. “That twenty will get you four rounds total.”
“I got this.”
I wind up my shoulder. It’s not like I need to impress Sutton, but Iwantto. And even though I wasn’t a quarterback, I know how to throw a football.
Except the very first throw at the twenty-five circle bounces off and falls right to the ground.
“Shit,” I mutter to myself, so none of the kids can hear me.
“Easy, huh?” Sutton jokes next to me.
“Hey, I didn’t say it was easy.”
“Go, Daddy!” Troy shouts from next to me. “You can do it!”
Trying again, this time I manage to stick a five circle. Another failed attempt at the twenty-five before I hit another measly five-pointer.
I do my best using all the balls I’ve been given, but I don’t make it anywhere close to being able to win a stuffed animal for any of the three people with me.
This shit has to be rigged.
Pulling my wallet out, I lean over the counter toward Simmons. “I will donate one hundred dollars right now for three stuffed animals.”
Guess I’m not above bribery.
“You got it, Coach.” Simmons leans over the counter to the kids. “You won! What do you want?”
Lydia and Troy spend the next however many minutes carefully looking at each toy hanging from the side of the booth before making their selection.
A unicorn for each of them.
“Can Mommy get a matching one too?”
“What do you say, Sutton?”
“I’ll take it.” She’s beaming as we head off into the carnival. “You know you didn’t have to buy them one.”
I wrap an arm around her shoulder. Troy and Lydia are having the best time. Balloon hats. Stuffed animals. Cotton candy.
I’d do anything to keep this light, happy feeling inside my chest. So if it means bribing the kid to give us a few stuffed animals, so be it.
“It’s a good day. I just want to keep it going.”
“Well.” Sutton presses onto her toes to give my cheek a quick peck. “It’s been the perfect day—all thanks to you.”
