“Books, take fifteen minutes for yourself, please. What do you want to do?”
Her eyes connect with mine as I wait for her to say something.
“We could get flowers from Mrs. Buckley's, and you can?—”
I put a finger to her lips, and fuck, that was a bad idea. They are just as damn soft as I expected them to be.
Focus, Dutton.
“No, not something for me. You. What do you want to do?”
She bites her bottom lip and slowly looks around the festival. Her entire face lights up when she spots something.
“Well, I always wanted to know how good I was at racing with the potato sacks.”
I let out a chuckle.
“That’s what you want to do?”
“Yes.”
I shake my head and put her hand in mine.
“Let’s go, then.”
Brooke says hello to our old principal on the way, and I spot Gavin watching me from one of the tables set up outside Hudson’s Bar, but I don’t stop for either of them.
Brooke wants to race, and that’s what’s going to happen.
“Okay!” Mr. Cotton shouts when he approaches. “Next up is partner gunny racing. We have one spot open.”
“Ah! It’s fate,” Brooke cheers, and she heads for Mr. Cotton. He hands her the last bag.
I adjust my stance, legs wide and arms crossed, settling in to watch her no doubt win this thing.
As soon as she gets in line, she starts waving at me.
I wave back.
“No, get over here,” she yells.
Oh, no.
“Yeah, Dutton, let’s go,” Hudson shouts from next to Brooke in line, sharing a bag with Sadie. They each have one leg in the big potato sack. Next to them are Ruby and Declan. A few other couples from town are in line, too.
“No thanks,” I say and give another wave.
I look over my left shoulder and then my right as if I have so much to keep my attention.
“Hey,” Brooke says, her voice startling me. She’s right in front of me now.
“Hi.”
Her lips split into a grin.
“I want you to do this with me.”
I make a yikes face and shake my head.
