“Hi, Miss Harris!” a group of kids called out, waving their mittened hands.
Tara waved back, blowing them kisses.
“You’re a celebrity,” Sarah teased.
Tara said something back to her, but Luke didn’t catch it. He sat back and tried to relax, but an underlying impatience had him keyed up. Tonight was all they had. He couldn’t ask her out. It would be better if they never spoke again. And yet he wanted to spend time with her while he could.
Maybe that was why he interfered at the dessert table earlier. He had meant to slip past her and only saying hi if she saw him, but then he heard what Monica and Mary were saying and he couldn’t walk away. What was their problem? It wasn’t even rude curiosity motivating them; it was just plain mean-spiritedness towards someone who had done absolutely nothing wrong.
It was a relief that Tara hadn’t tried to explain about her ex-fiancé. The last thing Luke wanted was to have to act clueless when he secretly knew every horrible detail.
The final wagons circled around, and everyone stood and clapped when the line stopped moving. The tradition was for the kids in the parade to bow wherever they ended at before taking their wagons home. After the clapping died down, Heston and Sarah jumped up, quickly gathering their things.
“I’ll get your chairs put away,” Luke promised, waving them off. “Go get Hallie.”
Tara folded up her chair and put it under her arm. “Thanks for letting me sit with you.” She looked ready to bolt.
“Why don’t you stay here until your aunt comes over? Am I wrong in thinking she’s somewhere with binoculars trained on us?”
Tara smiled. “You’re not wrong. Except for the binoculars part. I spotted her across the way during the parade.”
“Uncle Luke!” His nephew ran up with his wagon bumping along behind him. He was rosy-cheeked and covered in evidence that he’d eaten something red and sticky. “My tinsel fell off and Reina ran it over!”
“Not on purpose,” Reina said, half out of breath as she caught up. She looked at Tara standing next to Luke and suddenly turned shy. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Tara bent down and admired both the kids’ wagons, asking them questions and introducing herself without making it awkward. Of course she’d be good with kids. Luke relaxed until he spotted his brother and sister-in-law weaving through the crowd hand in hand. Sarah and Heston were right behind them with Hallie. Luke’s neighbor, Bob, had joined them, along with several gossipy ladies from the neighborhood. And coming right behind them was Sandy, lugging her chair and smiling big.
Luke touched Tara’s back to get her attention and nudged his head in the direction of the approaching circus.
“I think that’s my cue.” She picked up her chair. “Bye kiddos. The parade was lovely.”
“Bye,” they called after her.
She gave Luke one last parting glance and left. Whatever she said to her aunt when she reached her must have worked, because they didn’t come back over despite the obvious disappointment on Sandy’s face. Apparently, Tara had reached her limit on matchmaking for the night. Good for her. Luke ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. It was time for parade cleanup anyway.
