Page 64 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Getting a little buzz on to relax? “That actually sounds like a plan.”

Kaylee stayed on the far side of Josie as they passed Rick and Colin, heading for the roped-off area and the separate set of tents where the twenty-one-and-over booths were. There was wine and moonshine and beer, along with sexual enhancers in gummy and drink form. A booth of holiday costumes was set up to their left, and Kaylee couldn’t help eyeing a green, silk nightie with a bit of lace trim on the neck and hem. She’d never bought lingerie before, but the cute negligee was appealing.

“See, now, this is a distraction,” Kaylee sang, her spirits already lifting. They went up to the booth that sold the moonshine, and the bearded man behind the table smiled at them. Behind him were several rows of bottles with homemade labels and a sign that read shiny sal’s liquor.

“I’ll get the first round,” Josie said, handing him two fives. “Can we get two shots?

“What flavor?”

“Huckleberry,” they answered in unison.

The bearded man, who looked as though he should’ve been living in the mountains, poured each of them a shot in a plastic cup and handed it to them. They tapped their glasses and tipped them back, the liquor sweet at first, but the fiery afterburn blazed down Kaylee’s throat, warming her stomach and spreading outward through her limbs.

“Two more, please,” Kaylee said, taking a picture of his Venmo and sending him the total plus a small tip.

“Thanks very much, ladies.”

“Are you trying to get me blitzed?” Josie teased, picking up her shot.

“No, I just want to have a good time and get in a better mood. I figured a couple of huckleberry shots might help.”

“I love that for us.” They clinked their plastic cups together again and downed the alcohol. Josie took Kaylee’s glass and threw them both away in the trash can at the corner of the booth. “Come on, let’s check out the naughty booth before we get too happy.”

They crossed to the sexual enhancer booth, and she looked over the glass jars of gummies. A man in a tight black Henley hovered on the other side of the table, holding a few black bags in his hands. He smiled broadly at them. “Hello, ladies. Use the tongs to place gummies into the bags, and when you’re finished, I take Venmo, cash, or card.”

One orange one, labeled solo play, caught her eye, and she followed the Venmo link. She sent him the money for the gummy, then used tongs to pull one out and place it in a plastic bag.

The booth vendor held out a black bag to her when she showed him her phone screen, which proved that her payment had gone through.

“You know you can get five for the price of three?” he asked as she slipped her single gummy inside.

“I only need one, thanks.”

He leaned forward, setting one hand on the table and giving her what could only be described as a smolder. “That’s a shame. A pretty girl like you ought to try a few different ones with a partner. Unless you don’t have someone in your life right now.”

Maybe it was the shots that had loosened her up, or his smarmy come-on gave her the ick, but Kaylee said brightly, “Actually, I am blissfully unattached after my last partner left me with a painful reminder of why you can never trust men or condoms. Thank you for your concern, though.”

The guy took off so fast, a cloud of dust hovered in the air for a moment, and Josie laughed. “Damn, girl, what has gotten into you?”

“A strong dislike of predatory men,” Kaylee muttered.

They left the booth, and Josie swung her black bag at her. “You make me feel a little slutty.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I bought five of them and you only bought one.”

Kaylee shrugged. “I just wanted to give it a try. I’m sure I can always order more if I like it. Besides, I don’t need to worry about anyone else’s reaction to my performance. It will just be me and my blue best friend. Why did you get so many, if you aren’t seeing anyone?”

“You don’t have to be dating a guy to enjoy naughty gummies. I tried them last year and loved them.”

“You did? I didn’t know that.”

Josie hip-checked Kaylee playfully. “That’s because I thought you needed to experience the adults-only section for yourself.”

“Yeah, well, I’m thinking I may need a few more shots tonight before I go home alone. What other flavored gummies did you get?”

Josie peeked into her bag, picking up each plastic bag. “I got a Playtime, which I think is blue raspberry, a Pink Pussycat, which is strawberry, a Love Bite, which is cinnamon, a lemony one called Sun Kissed, and a Hard to Please, which I think is licorice.”