“Is that the funfair over there?” I pointed at the field behind us.
He smirked at me. “Yes. It opens tomorrow. Don’t tell me; you love funfairs.”
“Who doesn’t?” I laughed, nudging him with my arm. “They’re so fun.”
“Kind of in the name, isn’t it?”
“All right, no need to be picky.” I rolled my eyes. “Did you plan on bringing Olympia?”
He side-eyed me. “Let me guess. You want to take her.”
“I was actually going to ask if I could tag along.”
“I was going to take her tomorrow with Mum. Of course you can come with us.”
“Alexander!” A tall, slim man with glasses and a wide-brimmed sunhat walked out from behind a table. “Are those the rabbits?”
“Hi, George. They are—the two in the left carrier are reserved for Caitlyn Brown, and the others are good to go.”
“Fantastic, fantastic.” He bent down and looked into the carriers. “Ah, real beauts they are, my friend. Bet Olympia didn’t want to part with these.”
Alex laughed. “She never does, but you’re right. The all-white one with the black tail and ear was a real favourite this time.”
“You got any more coming?”
“One more litter, then I’m splitting them up. Probably get three of the four boys neutered, too.” Alex put the carriers on an empty table and motioned to me. “George, this is Adelaide. She’s been staying with us this summer.”
He held his hand out to me, and I shook it. “Pleasure to meet you, Adelaide.”
“You, too, George.” I smiled at him, and he returned it.
He turned to Alex. “So. She staying long-term?”
Oh. George was forward.
I blushed.
Alex chuckled and shook his head. “Just friends, George.”
“Maddie will be happy to hear that. Our niece is in town this weekend and—”
“Marry me,” Alex said quickly to me.
I laughed, and so did George.
“You know I wouldn’t do that to you, my friend.” George chuckled. “Although that did sound like a proposal to me.” He winked at me and grabbed a carrier.
Alex grinned and brought his finger and thumb together and mouthed, “Little bit.”
I shoved him in the arm and pushed past him. “Is there anything I can do to help you, George?”
“Marry her,” the older man said to Alex.
I buried my face in my hands. “Oh, my goodness.”
“I’m messing with you, darlin’. Sure. Come over here and grab that rabbit food, would you?”
“Of course.”
We both set about helping George set up. Once the baby rabbits were safely in their enclosure, he opened the van to a menagerie of small animals. I politely declined his offer to refill the feeders for the two rats he had in their cages, but I was more than happy to put the guinea pigs in their enclosure.
I kind of wanted one.
Especially the chubby little one that had black and orange patches mixed in with its white fur.
That one was adorable, but I didn’t think Alex would be too happy if I temporarily added another resident to the mini petting zoo he was currently the owner of.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t sure if my mother would be happy if I added a guinea pig to the hotel.
Good attraction for kids, though.
I’d have to mention it. The hotel had space for a small petting zoo, although I did rather suspect Cat had that covered at Arrowwood Hall.
“I think we know who’s minding the guinea pigs today,” Alex teased me.
I stood up straight from where I was bending over their enclosure. “They’re cute.”
George smiled at me. “I could use another pair of eyes on them. Here.” He passed me two notecards. “Shorthand info on their care and the size of their living space for anyone who asks.”
“Oh, thank you.” I scanned the top card. “That seems easy enough to remember.”
“You’re a natural.”
I wouldn’t say that, but the compliment was nice all the same.
***
“So how did selling animals here get started?” I asked George, stirring my tea in the takeaway cup.
“It was the local shelter,” he replied. “’Bout six or seven years ago, I think. They did an adoption drive right before the fair, and the reverend suggested they put photos up here. On a board, that kind of thing.”
I nodded.
“It was so successful that the next year they decided to bring a few dogs down, and they were all adopted so quickly they had to take them back and bring a couple more. The following year, they brought them down in crates—cats, too—and had a really successful adoption drive. That was my first year setting up. Didn’t have any animals with me, then, just all the stuff they needed. I put together starter kits with all the basics, and they could get them for an extra donation on top of their adoption fee.”
“You didn’t sell them?”
He shook his head. “The write-off ended up being pretty good that year.”
I laughed. “Fair enough.”
“Besides, enough people came to me to buy all the extra stuff you buy when you get a dog or cat that it more than covered the cost of me donating the kits. Not everyone got a kit, but most people did. Ever since then, I’ve brought some small animals with me, and this is the third year I’ve brought them with me.”