Page 65 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

“Gross,” Kaylee said, making a face and picking up the plastic bag holding her single orange gummy. “I hope this one’s not licorice.”

“Smell it. You should be able to get a sense of what it is.”

Kaylee held the bag up to her face, a waft of citrus tickling her nose. “Smells like oranges.”

“Yum. I should’ve gotten that one, but I’m hoping to not go solo.”

Kayle couldn’t help searching the area, but Rick and Colin were out of sight. It was for the best, especially considering how her emotions had been fluctuating this week. “You got somebody in mind? Maybe Curtis?”

“No,” Josie protested. “No, thank you, he is definitely not in the realm of possibilities.”

“Why not?”

“I told him exactly what I do for a living and he practically recoiled. I mean, talk about small-dick energy.”

Kaylee grimaced. “Poor Curtis. He’s a nice guy, and he makes the best bread in town.”

“Yeah, but I don’t need a guy who’s gonna be so insecure, worrying about what I’m doing or who I’m with, or anything like that. I need a man who is secure in who he is and how he pleases me in order for us to work out.”

“I hear ya,” she said, Rick’s pleading, dark eyes flashing through her mind. “If you don’t have trust, you have nothing.”

Kaylee’s tone must have given her thoughts away because Josie gave her a hug. “I’m sorry, girl. Should we get more shots?”

“Definitely more shots.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Rick

Rick lost track of Kaylee when she went into the adults-only section. He only knew that there was an adults-only section because Colin had mentioned it to him. He’d spotted her going into a booth with a bunch of T-shirts and camped out nearby, trying to look casual, but she’d snuck past him.

“Are you looking for Kaylee?” Colin asked.

“What gave it away?”

“You’re rubbernecking so hard, I’m afraid your bones are going to snap.”

Rick didn’t usually blush, but his cheeks lit on fire at Colin’s observation. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he hadn’t meant to manipulate her. That he wished they could start over without any underlying trust issues.

Unfortunately, what’s done was done, and his only recourse was to convince her to forgive him.

“Yeah, well, she must’ve spotted me because she was in the book tent and now she’s gone.”

Colin nodded toward a roped-off area of tents. “They’re probably getting a few drinks.”

Rick stared at the cluster of half a dozen tents and turned, giving Colin a wicked grin. “Do you feel like getting a drink?”

Colin shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind having a beer.”

They headed that way, whipping out their IDs for the guard on duty before they passed into a roped-off area. Several booths were lined up along the ropes, creating a perimeter that ended with a large canopy. There were picnic tables underneath and an open area in front of the makeshift bars. The stage was just to the right of the area, so people were dancing, drinking, and having a good time.

Rick spotted Kaylee and Josie tipping back something from small plastic glasses, and his gaze trailed hungrily over her, from the curled ponytail to the off-the-shoulder sweater, the tight jeans, and the knee-high boots. She looked gorgeous, and he wondered whether the mark on the back of her neck was still there or if it had faded.

“I’m going to go say hi to Josie,” Colin said. Before Rick could protest, Colin was off, walking toward the two women, and Rick had no choice but to follow his new friend. He reached the women a few seconds behind, and Kaylee didn’t say a word, grating on his nerves.

“Hey, Kaylee.”

Her gaze flicked to his before she turned away, addressing the bearded guy serving liquor. “I’ll have three more shots.”