He smirks. “Honored to be the one to do it.”
I nod, relieved he didn’t shut down on me but scared it’ll happen sometime tonight. Like me, Dallas is a pro at freezing people out at the snap of his fingers.
Maven is spinning in circles with her arms out in the air. Her hair is pulled back in two French braids that are finished off with furry pink bands holding each one in place. Did Dallas braid them for her?
I swing the strap of my cross-body bag over my shoulder while Dallas scoops Maven up and spins her around one last time. He takes her hand and leads us toward the flashing lights and white tents. When we hit the dusty pathway, I peek down at my feet, wishing I’d chosen different shoes. Everyone is in boots or sneakers while I’m sporting studded black flats that are going to be ruined by the end of the night.
“I want to ride that one!” Maven exclaims, pointing at rides as we make our way through the crowd. “Then, that one. And that one.”
“Dinner before rides,” Dallas replies, casting a glance my way. “What’s your fair poison?”
“My what?” I ask.
He peeks down at Maven with a smile. “This is Willow’s first time at the fair,” he explains, as if I were the only person who hadn’t done such a thing.
Maven giggles, her face lighting up. “Really?”
I nod, and she reaches out to connect her hand with mine. My chest tightens when I squeeze my hand around hers, a sadness sinking through me. We resemble the other families here—mom and dad treating their eager daughter to a night full of games, candy, and fun.
“My absolute favorites are elephant ears and cotton candy!” she says.
“Hey, I’ve had cotton candy,” I argue.
“But have you had fair cotton candy?” Dallas counters, causing Maven to burst out into more giggles. “Blue Beech cotton candy?”
I glance over at him. “Wasn’t aware there was a difference.”
His dark brows rise. “Oh, there most definitely is.”
We stop at a table underneath a blue tent, and Dallas insists on getting our food. Maven takes the seat next to me, her legs bouncing up and down in excitement.
“Did you know Daddy said I get to ride big-kid rides this year?” she asks with a burst of energy I wish I had every morning. “Last year, I wasn’t tall enough, but I’ve grown lots and lots!”
“No way!” I reply before holding my hand up in the air. “I had to wait until I was this big before I got to do that.”
Her head tilts to the side. “I thought you’d never been to a fair?”
Girl is smart for a six-year-old.
“I’ve been to Disney.”
She bounces in her seat. “Me, too! Mommy and Daddy took me for my birthday. I had lunch with Princess Jasmine!”
I place my hand over my heart and gasp. “Princess Jasmine? That’s so cool. Is she your favorite princess?”
She nods repeatedly. “Who’s yours?”
“Ariel.” I point to my hair. “Have to support my fellow redhead.”
“She’s my second favorite!” She claps her hands. “Maybe, next time, you can come with Daddy and me and meet Princess Jasmine!”
I nod timidly. “Yeah, maybe.”
Our conversation stops when Dallas gets to the table with drinks in his hands and plates lined up his arms, like an experienced waiter. I slide out of my seat to help him set everything down.
“Are you feeding the entire town?” I ask.
“I promised to give you the full fair experience,” he says, sitting down across from me. He points to the plates the same way Maven did with the rides. “Tenderloins are Maven’s and my favorite. I also grabbed some fried chicken, shish kebabs, and pizza in case you wanted to play it safe. Then, we have some elephant ears and cotton candy. Drinks are an option of a lemon shake-up, water, or soda.”
I snag a lemon shake-up. “So many healthy choices.”
He chuckles. “We’re splurging tonight.”
Maven sticks out her tongue. “It’s better than broccoli. Daddy makes me eat gross broccoli.”
Dallas points his fork at her. “Give a man some credit for adding cheese to it for you.”
Maven picks up a shish kebab and waves it through the air. “Not better than cotton candy! Pink is the best!” she sings out.
The nauseating smell of meat smacks me in the face, causing my stomach to churn, and she sets it back down on her plate. I close my hand over my nose and mouth—not only to block out the stench, but also to stop myself from vomiting in front of a crowd of people.
Dallas drops his sandwich. “Everything okay?”
“The meat,” I choke out underneath my hand, shaking my head. “None of that.”
He gets the hint, grabs it from Maven’s plate, and tosses it in the trash. “Sorry, honey,” he tells her. “Bad meat.”
She nods and moves on to a tenderloin.
I move my hand and take a deep breath, whispering, “Thank you,” to him.
His lips tilt up in a smile, a real one, something I haven’t seen from him since I’ve been here. My breathing hitches. My heart skitters.
“Any weird cravings yet?” he asks.
“Cupcakes. Cake. Brownies. Sugar in general.”
He laughs, another authentic one, making me happy I came. “I’ll remember that.”
My lips curve into a smile, meeting his, and I snack on a slice of cheese pizza while Maven takes over the conversation of how excited she is to leave for summer camp in a few days. She shoves her plate forward after the last bite and focuses on Dallas in determination that is too intense for a kid whose age hasn’t reached the double digits yet.
“Time for rides, Daddy!” she declares. “And don’t you forget, I get to ride the big-kid ones. No more kiddy zone for me.”
Dallas holds his hand up. “Hold it, youngster. Only the ones you meet the height requirement for, remember?”
“Is she trying to talk you into letting her bungee jump again?”
Hudson’s voice catches me off guard, and I turn around to see him and Stella coming our way. The sight of her eases me. Hudson … not so much. I’m not sure how he feels about me. Stella insists he holds no grudges against me, but I don’t believe her.
“I’m not old enough for that yet,” Maven says.
“Or ever,” Dallas corrects. He stares down at Maven, shaking his head. “You, my dear child, are going to give me a heart attack before forty.”
“Hey, brother,” Hudson cuts in. “Which will be worse—the day she wants to bungee jump or date?”
“Dating,” Dallas answers without hesitation. “I will bungee jump at her side before I agree to dating.”
“Gross, I don’t want to date,” Maven chimes in with disgust.
Dallas taps the top of her head. “That’s my girl.”
“You want to ride roller coasters with me, Uncle Hudson?” Maven asks. “Willow is coming!”
Pregnancy and carnival rides don’t go together.
“Oh no,” I moan out. “I get motion sickness.”
I’m not sure when Dallas is going to break the news that she’s going to be a big sister, but I most certainly don’t want to be in attendance. Lord knows the questions she’ll have.