by Lulu Pratt
“Where are you going?” I asked, panic seeping into my voice.
“I suddenly have this overwhelming urge to play a game of pool.”
Mia jumped up and left me on the bench with Devlin sitting almost at my feet. He stood up slowly, his eyes still glued on me. He sat on the bench and faced me.
“Naomi, right? That’s what your friend called you,” he said.
Heat blasted through me, and I took a big breath forcing my eyes away. “I’m sorry. I can’t,” I breathed.
I jumped up and followed Mia just to get away from him. I caught up with her just before she got to the blue-haired girl.
“What the hell are you doing, Naomi?”
“I can’t do this,” I said.
“You can. Jesus, what are you, twelve?”
“The whole thing just makes me feel uncomfortable. I can’t—”
“I know,” she spat. “You keep saying that. Role-play.”
“What?”
“Try role-playing. You were in all the musicals in school. Pretend this is a hot and steamy musical and you play the part of the little tramp attracted to a hot bad boy.”
“Mia.”
“I’m serious. It’ll help break the ice. Besides, part of that is true. You’re as hot for him as he is for you. It’s written all over your face.”
“I’m not doing that.”
“Fine. Die an old maid. See if I care,” Mia said with a shake of her head.
“You’re being overdramatic.”
“We’ll see.” She pursed her lips and turned to talk to the girl. “How much to play?” she asked flirtatiously, clearly dismissing me.
I tried looking interested in the game, but when her arm snaked around the woman’s waist, I knew I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Feeling like I was the odd one out, I turned away from them and looked for Camilla, who was hot and heavy with her own intimate connection.
Devlin wasn’t on the bench anymore. I looked around for him. Had he given up? A glimpse of him at the beer booth eased the tension built inside me. I inhaled the stress away and decided to check out some of the events on my own.
I spent the next hour enjoying some carnival food I normally didn’t allow myself to eat. I laughed at my old principal dropping into the water at the dunking booth. I watched a show involving death-defying acts never to be tried at home. Just as the show was finishing, I received a text from Mia.
If you’re with Mr. Hottie, don’t bother responding. Just checking up on you.
I’m not with Devlin. I’m by myself.
Why?
When your friends abandon you for sex, you tend to try to entertain yourself.
Hey, you had your chance.
Thanks.
Where are you?
In the midway… on the bleachers.
Stay there. On my way.
I scoffed. I thought about getting up and leaving, but I wasn’t about the drama. So, I waited.
When Mia and Camilla showed up, I smiled, happy they were without company. They sat on either side of me and smiled.
“What?” I asked.
“Did you at least talk to him?” Camilla dug in as soon as she sat down.
I shook my head. “I’m not interested.”
“Fucking liar,” Mia teased, leaning her body into mine. She was right, but I wasn’t about to admit it.
“Come on,” Mia stood up and reached out to take my hand. “Let’s drink too many wine slushies and find a spot before the fireworks start.”
I took her hand, and we did just that.
CHAPTER 2
Devlin
I DOWNED the rest of my beer and ordered another one before taking off to the midway with Bones. He bought a beer for each hand and slammed back one of them before we got out from under the beer tent.
“So, the brunette?” Bones began.
“What about her?”
“What’s this chick’s deal?” he asked. “Is she playing hard to get, or is she just not interested?”
“She’s interested,” I said. I didn’t need to justify anything to him, but he was my best bud.
“She doesn’t seem to be.”
“Because she didn’t fall all over me the moment I showed interest? Maybe she actually has a decent moral in her pretty little head,” I offered.
“I dunno, man.”
“Oh, maybe it’s because she wouldn’t take you up on your invitation to go swimming in my pool.”
“There’s that too.”
“I like how you made it sound like you owned it,” I said with a smirk.
“Hey, su casa, mi casa. Right?”
“It’s your story, tell it how you want. She’s one of the ones worth waiting for.”
“And you know that from one meeting?”
I didn’t dignify his question with an answer, but deep down, I knew.
I scanned the crowd and spotted Naomi down the street with her friends, which included the girl Mia had successfully gotten closer to. Mia’s arm was slung around her, their faces nestled against one another. I settled my gaze on Naomi, watching her smile and laugh with her friends, and smiled a little.
“She just needs a little coaxing out of that shell she keeps herself in,” I said.
“If anyone will do that it’s you. You’re good with the ladies,” Bones said, elbowing me in the rib. “No female is safe when it comes to Devlin.” He raised his beer as if toasting the idea, laughed and slammed half the beer.
I shook my head but kept my eyes on her. Bones was right. When it came to women, if I wanted them, I got them. I was good at it. Besides, practice makes perfect. I loved the chase, and when I got the prize, it felt like a victory. I didn’t work on small talk. I didn’t want to know their hopes and dreams. I didn’t care about where they came from or what they wanted out of life.
This woman was different. I wasn’t interested in just the victory. I wanted to know everything about her.
I leaned against a post close enough to the ladies and watched as they laughed together and enjoyed their drinks. Mia and the blue-haired girl were holding hands, little smooches being stolen from time to time. Naomi was laughing as Camilla tried to toss small plastic rings over bottles in a game. I watched Naomi as she tried to pin her hair back up as the heat from the day began to dissipate. Her pink top inched up, giving me a hint of her stomach, just enough to tease me. Her little white shorts fit her perfectly, showing off her long legs.
“You’re drooling,” Bones said with a shit-eating grin.
“I’m observing.”
“Yeah, sure you are.”
Whatever he wanted to call it, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
He cocked his head with that same grin on his face.
“You’re still staring at me,” I punched him in the arm. “Get the fuck back, freak.”
“Last time I saw this look, it was for that waitress in Rio.”
I looked away and took a drink. “Why do you feel the need to bring that shit up again?”
“Because it’s about to happen again.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said in a cold tone.
“Uh-huh. Last time I saw you hesitate like this when it came to a woman, the bitch ripped your heart from your chest.”
“She treated me poorly, but don’t ever call her that again. She had a name,” I glared at him.
“Too bad she didn’t have a clue.”
I grabbed hold of Bones’ T-shirt and pulled his face up to mine. “Don’t be talking shit about something you don’t know anything about. It’s a really good way to get yourself hurt,” I said slowly.
“Dude! Relax, I-I get it.”
I let him go, and the memories flooded back.
“Come on,” he said, slapping my back. “Before you get all misty-eyed or some bullshit, let’s go.” He nodded at them and began walking in their direction. “Fireworks will be starting soon, and I want to get settled in plenty of time.”
“Since when
have you been interested in fireworks?” I asked.
“I’m not. I’ll be making my own if you know what I mean. I don’t know about you, but my piece is a sure thing.”
“You have no class, do you?”
“Who needs class when I have that?” He pointed at Camilla as he waggled his eyebrows.
“Unbelievable,” I shook my head and followed him.
Camilla was the first to notice us. She smiled wide and closed in on Bones. “Hey! I thought you disappeared on me. Did you miss me?” She locked lips with him, and within moments, their hands were all over each other again.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he growled, grabbing a handful of her ass. She squealed in a girlish way. I shook my head and grinned as they locked their lips together and kissed again, their bodies rubbing together.
Glancing at Naomi, I felt a wave of envy. I caught her look back at me and held it until she cleared her throat and looked away. We stood there awkwardly as our friends fed their lust off each other.
Mia was in a deep conversation with her new friend, holding hands as they stood facing one another.
Bones pushed Camilla back until they were against a large light pole. His hands snaked up her shirt and fondled her as her breathing got a little heavier.
“Don’t worry about us. Just pretend we aren’t even here, or that you’re not in a public place,” I scoffed.
And they didn’t. They didn’t mind us so much that it was as if we weren’t even there.
“Sorry,” Naomi mouthed.
“You don’t have to apologize for your friends. Wanna get out of here?” I asked, glancing at the two hot and heavy couples.
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all,” Camilla swooned, wiping her lower lip with her finger. She chuckled and took Bones’ hand leading him away from the crowd. They ducked in between two vendor tents and disappeared into the growing darkness.
“Camilla!” Naomi stepped up to them, concern in her voice.
“They’ll be okay. Bones is a good guy,” I said.
“Says a complete stranger.”
The look she gave even made me want to run after them. Her genuine concern showed her heart and her compassion.
“If you want, we can take a walk, keep our eye on them.”
“I don’t think Mia would appreciate me traipsing off with some stranger, just because Camilla is stupid enough to. Besides, I wouldn’t leave her here alone.”
I glanced at Mia as she deepened her kiss with her new female friend. “I don’t think that will be an issue.”
When Naomi looked at me, I nodded to them. She didn’t seem too happy to see their tongues dancing together in a sexy rumba dance. “Mia,” she whispered. “Again? Really?”
Mia waved her off without breaking the kiss and fed her arm back around the blue-haired beauty.
Naomi pulled her arms around her stomach and looked bewildered.
“You hungry?” I tried again. “Let me buy you a gyro. They have some damned good ones just around the corner.”
“Thanks, but—” She looked at Mia and her friend again, a defeated sigh escaping her lips.
“It’s just a gyro,” I coaxed. “Promise.”
I extended my hand, hoping she’d comply. When she took a step, I dropped my hand and accepted her gentle gesture to my company.
We walked along the roadway away from her friends, and I took measures to keep my distance so I wouldn’t scare her off. It seemed that Naomi wasn’t the kind of woman who’d just drop herself into my lap and the way I was feeling about her. I was happy about that. She was worth my time and effort.
“I’m not overly hungry, but if you want something—” Her voice was soft. I wanted her to talk more. I wanted her soothing voice to wrap around me.
“It’s okay. I can grab something later.”
I looked up at the sky, the darkness increasing and battling the lights surrounding us on the ground. “Do you like fireworks? I think they’ll be starting soon,” I asked.
“I do,” she cooed, looking up into the night sky. “It’s always been my favorite.”
“What else?”
“What else what?” she squinted at me.
“Tell me more about you. What are you passionate about?”
She lowered her head and smiled. “I’m a teacher. However, I also love art. It’s always been just a hobby, but I’ve had a few of my pieces shown in the art gallery in town.”
“Artistic, beautiful, passionate. I can see that about you.”
“Can you?” she smiled shyly.
“Mm-hmm. I also see an old soul.”
She lowered her head. “My father used to say the same thing.”
“Used to?”
She nodded. “He died when I was young.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. He died doing what he loved.”
I didn’t pry but felt it an honor that she entrusted a painful memory with me.
“He was a military man. Died in combat.”
“Did you see much of him?” I asked.
“No. This festival is one of the few memories I did have with him. He used to bring me every year before he got called to war.”
“I see now why it means so much to you.”
“He would play that basketball game. You know, the one where the hoop is smaller than the actual balls? Every year he would play it, and every year he would win me the biggest stuffed animal they had.”
I enjoyed watching her tell the story more than the story itself. Something about the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about the man who made her feel safe. I wanted to be that man. I wanted her eyes to sparkle like that for me.
“Your dad sounds really special.”
“He really was. I miss him a lot.”
We walked along through the games, and I enjoyed every step I took with her. “Where do you like to go to watch the fireworks? Do you have a favorite place?”
“Not anymore. We used to lay a blanket in the field out there,” she pointed. “But that has since grown out, and the lack of maintenance makes it impossible to do that now.”
“So, what do you propose?”
Naomi smiled up at me and took a big breath. “I usually just stand behind the vendors away from the lights so I can get the best out of the show.”
I looked around, my mind turning for a better idea. I spotted that basketball game she’d mentioned, and as we walked past, the attendant called out to us.
“Why don’t you try to win your lady a prize? You look like I could make a few bucks on you.”
I tried ignoring him, but he kept on.
“Come on, big boy. Let’s see your ball skills.” The guy held up a smaller version of a basketball. “Have you ever seen one of these before?”
Naomi walked up to the booth. “They look bigger than yours,” she said with a playful smirk.
“Oo, you have a feisty one,” the carny said to me. “Maybe she should show you how it’s done, huh, cowboy?”
I had to admit, the guy was getting to me, but I thought that was how it was played. I shoved my hand in my pocket and fished out a wad of cash as I walked up to the game.
“We have a bite!” he called out. “Five bucks will give you three balls. Ten and I’ll throw in an extra four.”
“Just give me three.”
He rolled them at me, and they gathered in a small barricaded space on the counter. I glanced at Naomi and silently prayed to make at least one in. I eyed the hoop, got a feel for the distance, set the ball and gave it a toss, lobbing it up to the rim. It bounced around the rim, centered and when I thought it was going in, it bounced back out and into the net below. I squinted and glared at the guy who was not paying the slightest attention to me. I did the same thing to the second and the third ball only to watch them bounce around as if there was glass over the top of the hoop.
After the last ball, the attendant approached me and grinned, his arms crossed over his chest. “Try again? Ma
ybe this time you’ll get lucky.” He held his hand out, expecting another five.
I knew it was rigged and I stepped away. “Fool me once,” I said, saluting him before walking away.
Naomi giggled, feeding her arm around mine. It felt nice.
“So, do you want to tell me how your father won that game time and time again? Because I’m pretty sure that is an impossible win,” I said.
“I take it you’ve played?”
“I have.”
“Recreationally? Or—”
“Perhaps a bit more than recreationally. Our team was pretty good in school.”
“High school?”
“College.”
“College,” she repeated with more length and surprise on the word.
“You sound surprised.”
“Sorry, I don’t mean to.”
“It’s okay. I’m not exactly dressed for success.”
“So, if you don’t stay in one place for too long, either you travel for work, or you have had so many jobs you can play poker with your W-2s.”
I laughed at the idea of having that kind of burden. “Sounds like too much paperwork to me.”
“So, what gives?”
“I get by.”
“You get by,” she repeated, nodding her head as she processed my vague response. “That could be interpreted to be so many things.”
“What about you? Aren’t you a teacher or something?”
“I am. It’s nice because it gives me my summers off, yet it allows me to help the kids.”
“I can sense you love it.”
“I do.”
“Too bad you weren’t good at basketball. I could have used some help back there,” I nudged her teasing as we continued walking.
“I’ll share with you a little secret,” she said, a smirk on those soft pink lips.
“Anything. Please. I beg of you.”
“My father knew how the games were rigged. They never stood a chance against him.”
“And what’s the trick with that one? I could have lost my life savings back there to Mr. Macho.”
She laughed, it was like music. “The hoop isn’t perfectly round. The backboard is made of a material that instantly repels the ball, making it extra bouncy and sends it away from the hoop.”
