“What’s going on?” he asked, his forehead creased with concern.
“I love you,” I blurted. If there was ever a time to be smooth, it was probably now, but that wasn’t my style, especially around Fox. “I love you, and you don’t have to say it back, because maybe it’s too soon and maybe I’m reading into things after the other night, but I don’t think so, because I know how I feel.” I paused, desperately sucking in a breath of much-needed air. “I really love you.”
Fox reached for me, his face more serious than I’d ever seen it. His green eyes burned and his lips parted, offering just a hint of my favorite smile. “I love you, Avery.”
Before I could say anything more, he swept me up and his mouth crashed down on mine hungrily. I wrapped my arms around his neck and fully surrendered to the most passionate kiss of my life. Fox urged my mouth open, stroking his tongue deeply, nipping gently at my lips between kisses. I would’ve let him take off all my clothes and have me on the cutting block but he pulled away after a moment, breathing heavily.
“You have to get out of here,” he said, laughing.
“What?” His words registered but my mind was in a daze.
“Remember when we talked about you being a distraction?” he asked, humor flashing in his eyes.
“Yeah?” That was the beginning of the end, the day that Fox admitted he really saw me. After that, I was a goner.
“Now you’re a liability. Go, before I cut off a finger or start a grease fire.”
“At least you’ll know how to extinguish it,” I pointed out sensibly.
He laughed again and slapped my butt lightly. “I love you. GO.”
“I’m going, I’m going. Want to watch me walk away?” I turned, looking over my shoulder at him slyly. The wry look on his face only made me giggle as I practically skipped out the door. “I love you too.”
Chapter 18
Since we had a day off together again – thanks Joy! – and we needed whatever work-life separation we could get, Fox and I decided to have lunch somewhere other than The Kitchen. In Brancher, that didn’t leave many options, so we eventually settled into a dark booth at Lucky’s. It was mainly a bar, but they had a cheeseburger on the menu that probably wouldn’t kill you and onion rings that would definitely kill you but were worth it anyway. We got double orders of both, because we liked to live on the edge when it came to simple carbohydrates. Or at least, I did. Fox just liked to eat.
Janie managed to stop ogling Fox and keep it professional while she took our order, which was impressive considering how she had behaved the last time she saw him. After we handed over our menus and she walked away, Fox relaxed against the pillowed booth, draping one tanned, muscled arm across the back. I immediately forgave the free weights I'd tripped over last week in the dark of his apartment.
He caught me staring and grinned. His eyes darted over my shoulder and his expression changed so abruptly, I spun around in my seat and saw Chase coming through the door with Derek and Kyle.
I glanced back at Fox. His face was calm, observant, and utterly emotionless. I’d come to realize that was his “ready” look. Ready for whatever happened next, which was good because I certainly wasn’t.
“We can go,” I said quickly.
“Why?” The eyebrow was curious.
“Because… it’s awkward?” I ventured.
He shrugged. “Bound to happen sooner or later. I’m surprised it’s taken this long, actually.” He slid a hand across the table and took one of mine, smoothing his thumb across my knuckles. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And besides, we’re all adults.”
I barely had time to remark that Chase might not, in fact, be an adult, before I heard snickering and a couple of loud coughs coming from the direction of the bar. I turned my head to find all three of them blatantly staring at us, especially Chase, whose gaze seemed to be honed in on my hand intertwined with Fox’s. My first reaction was to blush and feel guilty, but then I realized Fox was right. Brancher was a small town, we were all adults, and I hadn’t done anything wrong. Let them childishly stare away.
Fox shifted slightly, bringing my attention back to him. I still felt like an animal in the zoo, but Janie showed up with our plates and I busied myself piling ketchup onto my burger and rings.
Fox watched me for a moment before he spoke. “Can I have some or should I grab another bottle?” he asked.
“What? Oh, sorry.” I looked down at my food and realized I’d doused almost my entire meal absentmindedly. “I like ketchup?”
“No one likes ketchup that much,” Fox countered.
“I do,” I said confidently, feeling much more relaxed as Fox and I picked up our usual banter. “In fact, it’s my favorite condiment.”
“Good to know,” he grinned, his dimple showing. “I’d peg you for a barbecue sauce girl.”
I handed him the bottle and took a bite of onion ring. “Nope. Sure, it’s tangy but way overrated. Ketchup is complimentary and it doesn’t overpower.” I gestured with my half-eaten ring. “Even in large quantities.”
“I see,” Fox smiled. “You have some complimentary on your face.” He reached over to brush my lip with the tip of his finger.
His skin met mine, and there was a loud crash from the bar, like bottles breaking. I whipped my head around and saw Chase getting to his feet, a mess of broken glass on the floor around him. The few other patrons in the bar turned curious glances his way as he brushed the spilled beer from his clothes and started toward us.
Fox got to his feet instantly, obviously intending to intercept Chase before he reached our booth, and that caused Derek and Kyle to lurch forward also. I dropped my onion ring in defeat.
“Well, well, well… What do we have here? The lovebirds on a little date?” Chase smiled snidely. He looked around Fox to where I still sat in the booth.
“Hello, Chase,” Fox said evenly. “Derek, Kyle.” He acknowledged the other two men with a head nod. They seemed surprised at Fox’s cordial greeting and returned it uneasily.
“Avery? You can’t say anything to me?” Chase was still speaking to me around Fox, and I mentally rolled my eyes before responding.
“How are you, Chase?” My voice was as polite as I could make it.
Chase slapped his knees and started cackling like my inquiry was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. Kyle and Derek looked at each other with confusion before joining in hesitantly.
“How am I? How am I? That’s a great question, babe. I’m doing fucking wonderful!” Chase swayed slightly where he stood, causing me to wonder if he’d already been drinking even though it was barely noon.
A muscle in Fox’s jaw started to work when Chase replied, and I could see his body language change. He went from a casual stance to a more guarded one and sidestepped slightly to put himself directly in between me and Chase.
“That’s good, man,” Fox said. “We’re going to get back to our lunch.” He didn’t make a move to return to the table, though, or turn his back to Chase. From behind him, I could see his shoulder muscles tensing, and my palms started to sweat. A beat went by, and then another, with the two of them just standing there staring at each other. Chase looked away first.
“Sure, Fox. You go on ahead,” Chase nodded, backing away with his hands up. “Enjoy my leftovers.”
Most of my favorite 80’s movies used the beloved record-scratch sound effect at one point or another. You know, the one where someone says something so outrageous that the whole scene abruptly screeches to a halt? Chase’s last dig was definitely deserving of such a moment. I watched the aftermath play out in slow motion: Chase’s shitty grin, Fox’s furious face, and Derek and Kyle’s sudden call to attention. We had the focus of the entire bar at this point, and unfortunately I wasn’t sure whose side they’d be on.
“You’d better go, Chase,” Fox said slowly. “Before we do something we’ll both regret.” His voice was too even. He was more scary when he was this calm.
Derek and Kyle stepped up beh
ind Chase, ready to finish whatever he started. I bit my lip nervously, trying not to draw any attention. The last thing I needed was Fox distracted because of me.
“I regret nothing,” Chase spit.
Fox’s jaw twitched again but he remained silent.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucky himself lumbering across the room from his office, Janie at his heels.
“Take this shit outside, assholes,” Lucky rasped. He smacked the floor with the old baseball bat he was currently using as a cane. “I don’t care who your daddy is, Dempsey. Nobody gets blood on my bar.”
Chase shrugged. “Whatever, old man. We were just leaving.” He gestured to Derek and Kyle.
Lucky turned his gaze to Fox. “You done too, Backdraft?”
I stifled a nervous giggle at the expression on Fox’s face. It was a cross between incredulous and irritated, but it broke the ice instantly and, before I knew it, Chase and his minions were heading out onto the bright sidewalk and Fox had settled himself across from me in the booth once more.
A few moments passed while I pushed my ketchup-covered food around on my plate, and when the overall tension in the bar seemed to ease, I glanced up at Fox.
“Maybe we aren’t all adults,” he admitted.
“I hate to say I told you so, but…” I trailed off, shrugging. My heart finally returned to its normal rhythm once Fox’s jaw unclenched, and I naively hoped that Chase would get over his bruised ego before we next saw him.
“He’s not going to let this go.” Fox was reading my mind as usual. “At least, not anytime soon.”
“I’m afraid you’re right.” Chase seemed especially upset this afternoon, and I hated to think that eventually he and Fox would have a real confrontation.
Fox reached across the table to take my hand again. “I’ll talk to him. Don’t worry.” His brow creased for a second. “Did Lucky really call me Backdraft?”
A real laugh burst from my lips at the sight of his annoyed face, and then his dimple popped and suddenly everything was okay again.
* * *
“Annabelle, slow down!” I complained as she tugged on my hand. “We’ll see everything, I promise.”
Annabelle stopped obediently and waited for me to pull my wallet from my purse at the ticket booth. The county fair bustled all around us, lights flashing, rides spinning, and delicious smells wafting from every direction.
“I want to see the pigs!” she cried. “And go on the Ferris wheel! And get some cotton candy!”
Fox already had cash out and was exchanging it for what looked like an obscene amount of game and ride tickets. I poked him in the side and waved the wallet that I’d finally managed to procure.
“I have money,” I protested.
“Great,” he said. “Use it to buy yourself something nice. I’m taking my girls to the fair.” He swung Annabelle up to perch on his shoulders and took my hand. “Let’s go!”
I laughed and shook my head. “Where to, Annabelle?
“The piggies!” she cried, pointing to the livestock barn.
I had been worried that the incident with Chase earlier today would put a damper on our evening at the fair, but Fox never mentioned it after we left Lucky’s. I was still irritated at Chase for acting like a bully and trying to call Fox out when in reality he was the one who’d been in the wrong, but I tried to brush it off so we could have a good time.
After we saw the animals, Annabelle wanted to play games, so we headed over to the fairway where all the carnival games were lined up on either side.
“Which one should we try first?” Fox asked her.
Annabelle scrunched up her face as she considered. “That one!” She pointed to the ring toss.
Fox let her go through about a billion tickets all down the row before he took over, switched games to the bottle-breaking booth, and quickly brought home the bacon in the form of what else: a stuffed pig.
“How about we all go on the carousel?” Fox suggested.
Annabelle picked her horse and insisted that Fox buckle the pig in with her. “You sit here, Mama!” she said, pointing to the horse on her left.
“What about you?” he asked me. “Need a little help?”
I grinned at him as he slid his hands around my waist and tightened the seatbelt. His fingers brushed over my thigh and we locked eyes just as the ride started to spin.
“Aren’t you going to grab a horse?” I asked him.
“I think I’m fine right here.”
When we got off the carousel, I wasn’t sure if I was dizzy from the up-and-down motion of the horse or the way Fox’s eyes hadn’t left mine until he had to unbuckle Annabelle and gently lift her to the ground. She looked so happy, walking and holding his hand, clutching her prize. I knew I’d remember this night for a long time.
“Mama, I’m going to name my pig Wilbur, like the story,” she said, referring to the picture book version of Charlotte’s Web I’d bought for her.
“Wilbur is a great name,” I told her.
“He’s sad, though,” she said.
“He is?”
“Yes, very sad,” she said mournfully, her head down.
Fox glanced at me questioningly and I shrugged. You never knew with Annabelle. She had a very active imagination for three years old.
“Why is he sad?” I couldn’t wait to see where this was going.
“He really wants some cotton candy.”
Fox gave me a side eye and I tried not to laugh.
“Well, we can fix that. I’ll go get us some, okay?” he offered.
“Yay!” Annabelle cried. “Wilbur will be so glad!”
Fox gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
I nodded, and he walked away toward the brightly lit concession stands.
“Let’s go on the Ferris wheel while we wait for Wilbur’s snack, Annabelle.” I gestured to the group gathered outside the smaller kid’s version of the popular fair ride.
“Okay!” she said excitedly.
We approached the operator and I handed him two tickets.
“You have to ride in the same bucket with her,” he said, looking us over with a bored expression. “She’s too little to ride alone.”
“Avery!”
I heard someone call my name close behind me, and when I turned around, I was face to face with Chase.
“Twice in one day… to what do I owe the honor?” he slurred. “Where’s your boyfriend? Lose him already?”
“This isn’t the time or the place, and you know it. If you want to talk, we’ll do it privately. Later.” I felt Annabelle clinging to me, hiding behind my legs, but I didn’t want to turn my attention away from Chase and his volatile mood.
“I can’t believe you’d lie down for him so quickly, Avery,” Chase said angrily. “After all you put me through? How patient I was? How I waited for you even though I had plenty of other offers?”
“I’m sorry, what? You waited for me? Is that what you call what you were doing at that girl’s house? WAITING? You really are an asshole, Chase. Leave me alone.” I moved to brush past him, but he caught my arm.
“Don’t walk away from me! You’re making a huge mistake, you stupid bitch. Fox isn’t here to stay, I promise you that. You’ll come running back to me and I’ll just laugh at you this time.” Chase’s handsome face was twisted, ugly, as he sneered at me.
I wrenched my arm out of his grasp. “Please don’t hold your breath. And you know nothing about Fox, so shut your mouth!” Almost involuntarily, my hand flew back and I slapped his face.
“DAMN IT!” he roared.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Fox loping toward us. The next few seconds were a blur. In his drunken rage, Chase kicked the gate, then reached out and yanked the emergency handle of the carnival ride, bending the rusty metal and sending the kiddie Ferris wheel to an abrupt, screeching halt.
I heard a thin scream and then “MAMA!” and my heart skipped two beats. I whirled around, looking for Annabelle at
my side, but she was gone. Frantically, my eyes skipped over a dozen children in the immediate vicinity until I heard her voice again.
“MAMA!”
Looking up, I saw Annabelle at the top of the Ferris wheel, where the jarring motion of the ride’s stop had caused her to slip out of her bucket and fly forward. She was now dangling half-in, half-out of her seatbelt, her little arm bent at an impossible angle as she tried to hang on, her sneakers scrambling for purchase on the rusty metal. I could see a small trickle of blood starting to run down her cheek.
“ANNABELLE!” I screamed.
“MAMA!” she cried. “MAMA!”
Fox was at the Ferris wheel in an instant. The ride wasn’t full, and luckily all the other children were in lower buckets and could safely get out. Their parents rushed around, plucking them from the seats and herding them out the gate, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Annabelle as she hung more than twenty feet in the air. My heart had restarted and was beating triple time as I hopped the gate and ran to stand below her. My mother hurried to join me and we clasped hands, our argument forgotten.
“What happened? How did she get up there?” my mother asked. Guilt flooded me immediately. While my focus had been on Chase, Annabelle had snuck onto the ride alone.
“ANNABELLE!!” I cried again. “Hold on!”
“MAMA!” she sobbed. Tears were running down her face as she gripped the side of the bucket. “Mama, help!”
My father and Fox were desperately trying to restart the wheel to swing it down and bring Annabelle to safety but the broken handle wouldn’t budge, and Fox ran over to me.
“Fox! She’s hurt!” My legs were shaking and I felt powerless. I couldn’t believe I’d allowed myself to be so careless, and now Annabelle was in danger.
“Avery, listen to me. She’s caught in the seatbelt, and she can’t fall from where she is because she’ll hit that support pole. I have to get to her before the seatbelt gives out. I’m going to climb up and get her, okay?” He held both of my arms and spoke firmly. “We’re going to get her down, Avery. I promise you she will be okay.”
Hey Sunshine Page 21
