Halfway There (Fool's Gold #9.75)(9)

“Women in bonnets, of course. Some are handmade, a few are bought. They’re all lovely. And huge.”

“These aren’t regular hats?”

“Not exactly. You’ll have to see for yourself.”

“I can’t wait.”

They walked down Katie Lane to Fourth and reached the park. Food vendors were set up along the parade route. They debated the traditional burger or hot dog versus more exotic street food.

“This is what my sister’s been talking about,” Fayrene said as they waited in line for the first elephant ears of the season. “Having a food cart of some kind.”

“She’s a chef, right?”

She nodded. “She found a trailer on eBay and is thinking of putting in a bid. She would have to remodel it pretty quickly to be up and running for the summer.”

“Good for her. You come from a line of strong women.”

“The town inspires us.”

With their parents dying so unexpectedly, there hadn’t been much choice. Either they would get strong and survive or be sucked under by grief.

Ryan handed her an elephant ear. The confection was still warm and covered with powdered sugar. She juggled the paper plate and napkin, then led the way to a bench in the sun. Although it was sunny, the temperatures were still cool in the shade.

“We probably should have started with something more nutritious,” she said before taking a bite.

“So says the Jelly Belly queen.”

She grinned. “I’m not their queen. It’s more about worship.”

He chuckled. “Tell you what. We’ll have salad later.”

“You’re lying. Guys don’t eat salad on purpose.”

“Yeah, but saying it sounds good and, with luck, you’ll forget.”

“So you’re playing me.”

His humor faded. “I’d never do that, Fayrene.”

She wanted to believe him. So far Ryan had shown himself to be one of the good guys, and she didn’t want that to change. He was smart, handsome and single. Why wasn’t he married? Or at least in a committed relationship?

“Did you have a girlfriend back home?” she asked.

He finished chewing and swallowed. “No. I dated in high school but nothing serious. I did have someone in college.”

Fayrene would guess Ryan was only a couple of years older than her, which meant college hadn’t been all that long ago.

“What happened?”

“We were engaged.” He shrugged. “She cheated.”

“I’m sorry,” she said automatically. “How did you find out?”

“I was friends with the guy. One afternoon I went to go see him. It was strange because we didn’t hang out all that often. I just wanted to go to his dorm room. Maybe subconsciously I sensed what was going on. I don’t know. When I walked toward his door, she stepped out. They were kissing, and it was pretty obvious what they’d been doing.”

She winced. “That’s awful.”

“I was heartbroken. She apologized and said it had been a onetime thing, but I didn’t believe her.”

Fayrene touched his arm. “I don’t get it. Why cheat? Why not just break up?”

“That’s what I said. She kept telling me I was the one. But we both knew she was lying. I ended things.”

“Ever tempted to get back together with her?”

“No. I don’t revisit the past. I graduated and moved on. I was recruited to work for a large alternative energy company in Kansas. I was there about three years. But it wasn’t a good fit. I quit and went back home to think about what I wanted. I had a lot of interviews. Now there’s a job waiting for me in Texas when I’m done here.”

Because he was moving, she thought. That was the point of this. Ryan was safe because he wasn’t permanent.

“You move around a lot,” she said. “I haven’t lived out of the state.”

“I think I’m looking for where I want to settle down,” he admitted.

They finished their elephant ears, then went and explored what was new at Morgan’s Books. While the rest of the world had embraced e-readers, in Fool’s Gold, Morgan’s store was going strong.

Fayrene pointed out the display of books by local mystery author Liz Sutton, who was married to their mutual boss, Ethan. With Ryan’s hand still holding hers, they made their way to the parade route.

The sidewalks were crowded with locals and tourists. People were setting up chairs and settling on curbs, waiting for the parade to start.

“The best place is back by the library,” Fayrene told him as they walked back up Fourth. “You can sit on the stairs until it’s time, then stand up and have a great view because of the elevation.”

“Always with the plan.”

She laughed. “My parents used to bring us here when we were kids. It’s kind of a tradition.”

“Are your sisters going to join us?” he asked.

“No. Ana Raquel is in San Francisco, and Dellina is working today.”

They wouldn’t be together long enough for him to meet her sisters, which was kind of too bad. She had a feeling both of them would like him.

He tugged her to a stop. People moved past them as Ryan stared into her eyes.