Not to mention, somewhere deep inside she still wondered what would’ve happened had Garret taken her into his arms that night so long ago. Would they have lived happily ever after, like the characters in a cheesy romance movie? The romantic in her just couldn’t back out now. She would’ve always wondered what if.
“More cotton candy, dear?” The older woman working the booth held out another cone, a beaming smile on her face. “I’ve never met someone who enjoyed it so much.”
“No, thanks.” Michelle shamefully licked the last bit of sugar off her fingertips. “Any more and I’m afraid I’ll go into a coma. I’m just waiting for a friend.”
A friend. She’d never really considered Joseph a friend before today. Sure, they played together as kids. And he would often tease her when their families got together. By the time they got to high school, he seemed to forget she even existed. They hadn’t spoken in ages. And now, he was going to help her get the attention of his little brother.
Was that what friends did?
Someone tapped on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her purple canvas Toms. Strong hands wrapped around her upper arms, steadying her and keeping her upright. She turned to see Joseph standing just a foot away, a bemused expression on his face. Behind him stood his brother and two guys she recognized from school.
“You ready for this?” Joseph muttered, his brow rising.
She nodded, not entirely convinced. “Sure.”
He grabbed her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. With a reassuring wink, he turned and pulled her towards his brother’s group of friends. A funny feeling began in her stomach, working all the way up to her burning cheeks.
It seemed they were really going to do this. She desperately hoped that her hands weren’t clammy and wet. He could probably feel her shaking. She wasn’t sure if that was because of his close proximity or the curious expression Garret was giving her that very moment.
“Guys, this is Michelle Bright,” Joseph said, dropping her hand to wrap his arm tightly around her shoulders. “Michelle, this is Todd and Russel.”
Todd was over six foot tall with shaggy white-blond hair, an equally pale complexion, and a spattering of freckles over his nose. Russel was tiny in comparison. He couldn’t have stood more than five feet, eight inches tall. But what he lacked in height he made up for in muscle. His neck was thicker than Michelle’s thigh. He had a shiny, shaved head and wore a dark pair of sunglasses that reflected Michelle’s image back to her.
They both grunted greetings to her, which Garret echoed with a sweeping glance of his own.
“So, you’re the one that finally got my brother out of the house?” His gaze darted to his brother and back. “Tell me, how’d you do it? He’s been stuck up in that room since he got back from Afghanistan. I was afraid he’d never come out.”
She felt her cheeks burn even brighter, suspicion weighing heavily on her chest. He was already onto their plan. She knew she shouldn’t have shown up. She should’ve stayed home, skipped the carnival, and dug into her mom’s famous pumpkin pies instead. She could’ve had an entire tin finished by now.
Joseph didn’t seem to be feeling the same panic. He threw her a grin and elbowed her playfully. “Sorry to say it, Garret, but you’re just not as pretty as Michelle. And there’s nothing like a pretty girl to get you out of the house. Am I right?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Garret ran a hand through his hair, tousling it with perfect ease. “If I’d known all it took was a pretty girl, I would’ve sent Michelle in ages ago.”
She hid her nervous smile, altogether undone by the conversation surrounding her. She needed a change in topic and fast.
“Anybody up for a ride?” Holding up a strand of pink tickets, she tried her best to smile naturally. “The first one’s on me.”
“Let’s go,” Joseph said eagerly.
They agreed to try the Egg Scrambler first. As the guys led the way through the carnival ground, Joseph held onto her arm and pulled her gently behind the group. The scent of his cologne lingered on the late November breeze, both tangy and sweet. He nudged her softly and mouthed the words “watch this.”
His brother glanced over his shoulder at them, curiosity written on his face. At the same time, Joseph softly brushed the hair back from Michelle’s neck and whispered into her ear, “It’s already working.”
Tingles ran up and do
wn her spine at the sensation of his warm breath on her neck. She raised her eyebrows and spoke out of the side of her mouth. “How do you know for sure?”
“Because I know my brother.” The pad of his thumb traced a tantalizingly lazy circle on the side of her neck. “And that’s his jealous face.”
Sure enough, Garret was still throwing furtive glances back at them over his shoulder. He did the same as they walked through the town center and during the wait in line for the Scrambler. After that, they rode three more rides, devoured a funnel cake, and threw balls at the dunk tank booth. The entire time, Joseph flirted with her, laying it on heavy. He joked about the carnival, put a dab of powdered sugar on her nose, and touched her every chance he got.
It was beginning to get easier for her to join the act. She liked Joseph and his easy-going nature. He’d become more sure of himself in the army. He had a steady, protective aura around him. The kind that drew people in. And the rare times he smiled were dazzling enough that she’d forget those smiles were all an act.
The guy was good. Maybe a little too good.
“I’m all out of tickets,” Michelle exclaimed, holding up her empty hands after they’d spent the last of them on a goldfish toss and lost miserably. “Does that mean the party’s over?”
“What? No way.” Joseph stuffed his hand into his back pocket, yanking out his wallet. “We haven’t ridden the Ferris wheel yet. I’m getting more tickets. Garret, keep her company while I go buy some.”