“Holy shit, Ginny, you did it!” Gabi shouts as Genevieve jumps up and down and the guy comes over to give her the unicorn.
“Oh my god, I never win anything!” she yells happily as she jumps in my arms. “This is the best ever. I want to do another one!”
And that’s the way most of the night goes for us. We get some fried food, and I try to win her a stuffed animal, but she ends up swooping in and being the one to do it. After a couple of hours, my arms are full of stuff she’s won, but the smile on her face could light up the whole city. I have to go out and put them all in my truck because they were getting too heavy to carry.
Gabi and Neal have to leave early after they go on a ride and Gabi throws up everywhere. I tried to warn her about eating three cheesecakes on a stick in a row, but nobody wanted to listen to reason.
“Are you having fun?” I ask as we walk through the petting zoo and she looks at the fluffy chicks.
“So much fun. Are you disappointed that I won all the prizes?” She doesn’t even have the decency to look contrite. She’s grinning like a villain. I shake my head.
“No, my masculinity took a bit of a hit, but seeing you light up every time you won was worth it.”
“Don’t worry,” she whispers, coming in close. “I’ll still let you be on top.”
“You little tease,” I growl, and she giggles, just as someone says my name.
“Barrett?”
I turn around to see my sisters Steph and Lynn walking towards us.
“Hey!” I say, wrapping an arm around Genevieve and pulling her with me. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We tried to call you, it went to voicemail. I told Steph I thought that was your monster truck in the parking lot.”
I lean down and hug each of them before I turn to introduce them. “I’m glad you guys are here. This is my Genevieve. Lady, these are my sisters, Lynn and Steph.” They all say hello and then I turn to Steph.
“What are you doing in town without even telling me? Where’s the rest of your family?” I ask, looking behind her.
“I had to come back for some personal stuff,” she says, looking at me then looking away quickly. “The kids are at home with John. I’m just here for one more night and Lynn thought we should come to the fair and have some fried stuff.”
“Oh god, try the fried Snickers—they’re like heaven in your mouth,” Genevieve offers, and she and Steph begin to talk about all the fair food they love.
“Personal stuff?” I ask Lynn as Steph and Genevieve go to the stand near us to get some food.
Lynn sighs and shakes her head. “The restraining order she had on Mark expired,” she says, looking around and then back to me. “She said she got a letter in the mail last week that shook her up and she had a feeling it might be him.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” I ask through gritted teeth. The hair on the back of my neck stands up and I clench my fists.
“Do you see the way you’re reacting right now?” Lynn says, and it does nothing to make me feel better. “I think she just wanted to have this done and out of the way. She said it would be a quick trip to the judge’s office and that’s it. She’s planning to leave tomorrow.”
“Did she tell John her real reason for coming here?” I know the answer before I even ask. Lynn shakes her head and I roll my eyes. Of course she didn’t.
“Listen, I’ve told her she needs to talk to him about it. At least so that he knows what’s going on. But I think she just wants to put it in her past.”
“Too bad it won’t stay there,” I say as Steph and Genevieve come walking towards us.
“Just don’t say anything to her,” Lynn warns, giving me that mothering stare of hers.
“I love her,” Steph whispers as she walks over beside me and nods to Genevieve.
“Me too,” I whisper back, and she looks at me with a mixture of shock and excitement.
Genevieve spends the rest of the night bragging about all the work I’ve done on her house while taking Steph to all the best food stands. Hearing her pride in my work makes my chest swell, and I can hear the love in her voice.
We’re both falling hard and fast, but I’m not about to stop it. It feels right, and time doesn’t mean anything when it comes to love. Life is short and I’m going to spend it doing what makes me happy. And that has everything to do with the beauty in my arms.