Tempting the Ringmaster (A Big Top Romance)

by Aleah Barley

  Chapter Ten

  Graham was sore all over. The cuts on his arm hurt, and every time he took a step the burns on his feet screamed in pain. Still, when Belle had said that she might be selling the circus—that she’d left the circus before—his heart had soared. Without the circus keeping them apart, she’d be able to stay in Buck Falls. With him.

  Sure, Belle was a little rough around the edges, but he could work around that. If she could just stay in one place for more than a week at a time, then he could teach her everything she needed to know to blend in with the townspeople of Buck Falls. Kelly could help. A new haircut, some clothes without holes, and a few etiquette lessons, and it would be like Belle had lived there her entire life.

  Then she’d turned him down with a look of terror on her face, like he’d suggested that she dress Tiny in a frilly pink tutu and enter the elephant in a ballroom dancing competition.

  That had hurt worse than any burns, abrasions, or bruises ever could.

  He didn’t leave. He couldn’t leave, not when Belle might be in danger. The more he thought about it, the more obvious the truth became.

  The fire had been set on purpose.

  It was arson. It was the only way the blaze inside the tent could become strong enough to leap to the big top’s fire proofed exterior.

  That was why he’d checked himself out of the hospital against his doctor’s advice, and that was why he hobbled after Belle as she hurried to the center of the circus camp. Her cheeks were red with adrenaline. Her dark curls were flying around her pale face, a crazy halo of energy.

  “Frank,” she called, searching for the lot manager. “Frank!” She whacked the side of a green tin can trailer. “I’m calling a meeting. Get your lazy ass out here,” her words were angry, but her voice was bright and energetic. Excited.

  The melancholy he’d noticed back at the elephant enclosure was gone.

  Graham’s heart throbbed as he realized that he was responsible for the fire in her eyes. Something he’d said had gotten through to her, convincing her to take the next steps necessary to put her life back together. He just wished that life could be with him.

  Circus people were coming out of the woodwork. Men, women, and children tumbled out of trailer doors in various states of dress and undress.

  “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Graham leaned forward to whisper in Belle’s ear.

  “Not a chance.” She bounced up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. The kiss was light and friendly, but it earned a gasp from the crowd. She kissed him again, deeper this time, deep enough to make Graham forget the pain in his shoulder and the burns on his feet. She pulled away and hopped up onto a nearby picnic table.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” she roared. “Girls and boys, children of all ages!”

  Frank wandered around the corner of the trailer. His coveralls were covered in grease. He was eating a sandwich; tuna on rye. When he saw the gathering, he blinked in surprise and sidled into the back of the audience.

  By Graham’s count, the entire circus was present; all of Belle’s friends, her entire family, even the dogs, yapping and barking around their owners’ feet. No wonder she’d turned down his invitation to stay in Buck Falls. This was where she belonged, with the people she loved.

  The same way he belonged in Buck Falls, a community where he’d spent his entire life. That didn’t mean they couldn’t be together for the rest of the circus’s stay.

  Graham’s heart thundered as he watched Belle slip off her heavy sweatshirt.

  Underneath, she was wearing a boat-necked shirt that cupped her breasts and skimmed her flat belly. The sight of her bare clavicle made his throat go as dry as the Sahara desert. He swallowed hungrily. Damn, she was a sexy woman.

  Standing on the picnic table, three feet off the ground, she took a wide stance. “Alright, my buckos, I know you’ve seen the tent. I know what you’re all thinking. The Black Shadow Circus is over. Done with.”

  The circus people all looked shocked. Their jaws were hanging open. They looked like they’d been hit with a brick. Hard. Someone started crying.

  “You can’t have a circus without a big top. We might as well just shut down and give up now.”

  There was a moment’s pause. The only sound was the Michigan wind blowing through the trees. A bird chirped somewhere, searching for a few more pieces of food as it readied itself for winter.

  The elephant bugled uproariously in the background.

  “Once upon a time, they said that you couldn’t have a circus without an elephant,” Belle declared. “You’ve all met Tiny. Some of you have even helped me take care of her. I know that a bunch of you have been feeding her apples.”

  “She’s awesome!” Petra piped up.

  “She’s pretty cool.” Belle grinned. “I asked Frank to look into her background. He called his friends. They called their friends.” She chuckled warmly. “You know how it works.” There were nods of agreement. “He just got an answer this morning.”

  She waited a moment, letting her words sink in.

  Turtle Gates removed his fingers from his mouth. “What happened?”

  “There was a circus that went out of business not too far from here, not too big, not too small. They had a red tent and a clown for a logo. Maybe you’ve heard of them? Maybe some of you even worked for them?” One of the rough faced roustabouts was nodding enthusiastically. “The circus life isn’t as easy as it used to be, and it was never easy to begin with. These days’ people would rather spend their money on a movie ticket then go to a live show. They’d rather be entertained by a situation comedy then a master of comedy like our own clowns. They’ve lost their sense of wonder.”

  Graham didn’t know if that was true, but it didn’t stop his head from nodding along in agreement. There was something about Belle’s speech, the way she held herself, the fire and fury in her voice.

  “The owner was old. He had debts. One day, he just gave in and closed up shop. His people have been showing up all over the country looking for work. They’re desperate, directionless, and homeless.” Her fingers balled up tightly into fists. “None of them can say what happened to the circus’s star. Elvira the dancing elephant.”

  There was another bugle from the field. Tiny had heard her name.

  “Well, my father was old. He had debts, lots of debts,” her voice was shaking. “In order to pay off the debts, I had to sell my business in Chicago. I had to sell my family’s campground in Florida—”

  The crowd erupted in discussion.

  “The Florida campground?” A woman cried.

  “Where are we going for the winter?” Petra asked, her upper lip quivering.

  “What does this mean?” Keith stomped forward.

  Belle held up a hand, silencing them with a gesture. “I did what I had to do. It was the only choice. If I hadn’t sold the campground, we never would have made it this far. We would have been shut down weeks ago. Now, let me tell you something…”

  She hopped down off the picnic table, the crowd separating in front of her like a wave. She prowled through them, bright and powerful.

  “We might not be going to Florida for the winter, but I will find us a place to stay. I will keep this circus together as long as I can.”

  She turned her gaze, searching the crowd until she found Graham. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip slightly as their eyes met.

  “Whatever it takes.”

  “What about the tent?” Blue demanded. The fire breather was wearing a t-shirt with the sleeves chopped off on this crisp November day. When he crossed his arms in front of his chest, muscles moved under his cocoa colored skin. The intricate black tattoo on his biceps gleamed. “You said it, there’s no circus without a big top.”

  “We’ve still got a big top!” Belle grinned. “The first big top to ever tower over the Black Shadow Circus. It might not be quite as big as the one we lost, it might not have all the same futures, but if we can get it set up then—I promise you�
��we’ll put on the greatest show on earth. Saturday night—”

  “Saturday’s the Winter Social,” Graham interrupted. “Everybody from Buck Falls and Whispering Springs will be there. You won’t get an audience on Saturday night.”

  “Not Saturday night.” Belle hopped back up onto the picnic table. “Friday night!” It was already Thursday. “Tomorrow night! It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to take a lot of hard work. Clearing the rubble, putting up the tent, getting things ready. We’ll need to rework parts of the show. The old tent is smaller—it won’t have the same kind of ring space—but no one here is afraid of a little hard work. Are you with me?”

  The circus let out a ragged roar in response. Everybody saying something different.

  “Are you with me?” Belle repeated, stomping her foot down against the table top.

  “Yes!” Frank and Keith shouted at the same time.

  “Are you with me?”

  “Yes!” the entire circus shouted.

  “This isn’t the end of us, and it’s not the end of the circus in America. Call your friends! Tell your family! The Black Shadow Circus might be down, but we’ll never be out. We’ve got space for bright, fresh acts and new fresh people. Anyone who wants a spot. Anyone whose circus folded up shop. Anyone who just wants to try out something new. They’ve always got a place here. Now,” she demanded one last time, “Are you with me?”

  “Yes, Belle-Anne!” the world thundered.

  Graham’s heart was beating hard inside his chest. He wanted to reach out and grab Belle’s hand. He wanted to show the world just how proud he was of the decision that she’d made, and he wanted to share her moment of triumph. Instead, he stepped back to watch as the crowd whooped and shouted in excitement.

  Mikhail Jarvis and Blue Deveraux stepped up, each one standing by her side. They snagged her arms and hoisted her up onto their shoulders to take a celebratory lap around the clearing.

  One of the kids ran to get a piece of paper, and Frank started making a work schedule. Everybody hurried to sign up, and Graham found himself on duty clearing the debris of the burnt big top from the fairgrounds. He went to work, keeping one eye on Belle as she marked out a practice area and started to put the different acts through their paces.

  After a few hours, his arm was throbbing and his feet hurt. The painkillers were wearing off. The air seemed heavier, like it was pressing down on top of him, making it hard to stand. He felt like hell, and he probably looked worse.

  “You’re not looking so good, Gilly.” Belle grabbed his arm to steady him as he paused to wipe his brow. The insult didn’t sound so bad coming from her lips. She reached up to straighten his shirt collar, the action warm and familiar.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. You’re falling over.”

  The other men on the rubble clearing team were beginning to look in his direction. Keith and Frank were standing near the edge of the clearing, surveying the land. Belle gave them a little three-fingered wave. They waved back.

  Graham’s head was pounding. He took a deep breath, tasting the scent of sweet hay and apples that clung to Belle’s skin. She smelled fresh and strong, like the great outdoors.

  He reached out, pushing a dark curl back behind her ear. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

  “Nice compliment, except you’re practically unconscious. I’m surprised you can see more than six inches in front of your face.”

  “I can see you.”

  Her face was red from the wind. Her cheeks chapped. She’d been working hard, her hair pulled away from her face in a messy ponytail.

  Graham felt light headed. Belle’s head was spinning. Her auburn hair and beautiful green eyes shone in the light. She’d put her sweatshirt back on. It was a merlot colored zip-up with the tie missing from the hood, no logos, and no words, plain and honest, just like everything else about her.

  “I’m fine,” he repeated.

  “In the last week, you’ve had a beating and been in a fire. Your lungs probably look as bad as the canvas we’re pulling down. I know your head’s made out of granite, but you’re not fine. Go home. Get some rest.”

  Graham couldn’t leave.

  Not while Belle was in danger.

  So far he hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary, but it was a circus. He didn’t know what was ordinary.

  Everyone seemed to be working hard, focusing on the task at hand. Belle had demonstrated a few tumbling techniques for Willow Gates and helped Petra work on her juggling. When Blue had overstepped his mark with the fire breathing equipment, she’d ripped into him.

  Nothing strange. Nothing to worry about.

  Graham forced himself to take a deep breath; he was still worried.

  “You need to go home,” Belle said. “You need to take some pills, snag a nap, and get something warm to eat.”

  “Come with me,” he said. She’d never admit it, but she’d been up as long as he had. The only difference between them was a few flesh wounds. “We could take that nap together.”

  “Then neither of us would get any rest.”

  “I’m not leaving you here by yourself,” he said. “Anything could happen.”

  “Like what?” Her laughter was bright and open. “This isn’t the Bronx. It’s Michigan.”

  “There are still plenty of dangerous people around.”

  “No one is going to hurt me,” Belle insisted.

  “The fire didn’t set itself.”

  There was a flicker in the back of her eyes. Uncertainty? She took a deep breath. “None of my people could have done that,” she said, but she wasn’t particularly convincing.

  Graham had been a SEAL. He knew how to work through pain. His knees were shaking. She was right. If he didn’t rest soon then he’d be no good to anyone. He glanced around, searching the scenery for someone who could help, someone he could trust.

  “Keith,” he finally said, nodding towards the clown. The man might wear a rubber nose for a living, but he was also Belle’s friend, a man who cared about her—and the circus—more than anything else. That had to mean something. It had to balance out some of the uncertainty Graham felt.

  If he closed his eyes, he could still see the look on the smaller man’s face the night before, staring down the fire with a fire hose.

  There was no way Keith could be responsible for the fire, but that still left more than sixty possible suspects that Graham didn’t know anything about. He nodded slowly. “You stick with Keith until I get back,” he ordered gruffly. “Don’t leave his side.”

  “I can take care of myself—” Belle started to insist. She swallowed, hard. “Fine—if it means you’ll go to bed—I’ll hang out with Keith this afternoon. We can work on a new bit for the circus.”

  * * *

  “Are you sure we should be doing this?” Kelly asked her fingers click-clacking across the keyboard. “I’m not criticizing, but—”

  “I’m criticizing,” Tiffany said.

  The two women had brought their laptops over to Graham’s house to help him investigate the arson. Between the three of them, they’d managed to put together a semi-complete list of names for the Black Shadow Circus’s cast and crew. Now, they were seated around Graham’s broad kitchen table running background checks on everyone. “Did you talk to Belle about this?”

  “No,” Graham was digging into a batch of cookies that Kelly had brought with him. Chocolate chip cookies. They weren’t his favorite—lemon bars—but they were damn close. “I don’t want to bother her. I’m just going to do this quietly. Take care of everything.”

  Tiffany and Kelly exchanged a look. The two women couldn’t be more different. Tiffany was tall, statuesque, with teased red hair and a black leather jacket on over her black halter-top and electric blue miniskirt. She’d been on a date when Graham called, with the mayor?

  Graham hadn’t thought to ask. He hadn’t wanted to ask. What Tiffany and his father did in the privacy of their own homes was none of his busine
ss, especially if it kept the old man off his back.

  Kelly looked the kind of princess that came frosted on a little girl’s birthday cake. Her fluffy pink dress hung down past her knees. Her shoulder length blonde hair curled in a tidy flip around her heart shaped face and big blue eyes. She was wearing a bow.

  Their expressions were identical.

  Graham recognized that look. It wasn’t good for him. “Belle’s a good woman. She believes in her people.”

  “Exactly,” Tiffany said.

  “Exactly.” He nodded towards the stack of papers they’d printed out over the last two hours. “Four felonies, more than a dozen misdemeanors, and two debt liens.”

  The women didn’t look particularly impressed.

  “If you search enough people’s backgrounds, you’re always going to find a few criminal records. None of them are for violent crimes. No one has any open warrants.” Tiffany grabbed a cookie from the stack on the counter. She took a big bite. “These are damn good. Give me the recipe?”

  “I’ll tell you a secret.” Kelly flushed. “It came off the back of the bag.” She leaned back in her seat, taking her fingers off the laptop’s keyboard. “I have a criminal record.”

  “You?” Tiffany dropped her cookie in surprise.

  Graham didn’t have a cookie to drop—he’d finished his a few seconds earlier—but that didn’t mean he was any less surprised.

  His sister-in-law was sweet and charming, a soft spoken librarian who volunteered in the community and took good care of her son.

  He’d known her his entire life, and five minutes earlier he would have bet money that she’d never even jaywalked. “What for?”

  “Trespassing.” Kelly’s pale cheeks flushed. She glanced past Graham, checking to see if Trevor could hear them from where he was watching a movie in the other room. “I was with your brother. He got off with just a warning—your father saw to that—I wasn’t quite so lucky. My parents…” There was a long pause, but then she didn’t really need to explain.