Chapter 1
Angie Turner tucked the smiling teddy bear into her backpack as she walked around the carnival with her boyfriend, Ian McNeal. Idaho’s largest fair had just started that morning, and they were enjoying the fun. The sun had just dipped behind the mountains, and the heat of the summer Friday had started to ease. August was typically hot and sticky, and today’s weather hadn’t disappointed.
Ian pointed to an ATM set up on the grass by the funnel cake booth. “I need to stop and get some more cash.”
“How much did you wind up spending on Picasso?” She wiggled the bear’s dark-blue face that she’d left sticking out of the top of the backpack.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. I thought I was better at throwing a baseball than that. If anyone finds out, I’ll have to give up my spot on the church league.” He took out his wallet and pulled out his debit card.
Angie glanced around the carnival grounds. The grass, which had probably been green and fresh before the traveling carnival had set up earlier that week, now looked like a crowd of elephants had trampled through the field. The lights for the rides and the games were brightening as the natural light dimmed. Happy they’d gotten out tonight before the restaurant challenge started tomorrow, she walked over to the treat trailer while she waited.
A redheaded man glared at her as she started to speak, then he walked away from the window. Angie could hear him mutter to a young girl, “Go do your job.”
The pretty girl blinked at the harsh tone, then walked over to the window and smiled down at Angie. “What can I help you with, honey?”
“Cotton candy please.”
“Pink or blue?” The young woman leaned down so she could see Angie’s face. “I bet you’re a blue girl. Kind of a rebel, right?”
“She’s definitely a rebel.” Ian held out a twenty to the girl. Then turned to Angie, “So, blue?”
“Now I want to say pink, just to be contrary.” Angie glanced at the two bags. “Okay, give me the blue.”
As they walked away, Ian stuffed the change into his wallet. “I might have to go get more cash depending on where we eat dinner.”
“You don’t have to buy everything tonight. I have money too.” Angie took a big bite of the fluffy candy that melted immediately in her mouth and tasted like freshly picked blueberries. “Yum.”
“I am not letting my favorite girl go Dutch treat on our first date night to the fair.” He held his hands up in the air, taking in the lights and sounds of the crowds. “This is what memories are made of, and I don’t want you telling our grandchildren that their papa was always cheap.”
Angie took another bite of the blue fluff. It gave her a moment to gauge her feelings about Ian’s comment. Sometimes the thought of settling down with one man, in one place, scared her just a bit. Today, though, it felt okay. Probably due to the sugar high she was getting from the junk food. She decided to ignore the comment and turn the conversation back to dinner.
“I thought we’d hit the United Methodist Women’s tent, at least for dessert. Felicia’s volunteering there tonight. But first, we have to visit Estebe at the Basque Center tent. They’re both working the restaurant this weekend.” Angie stepped over a large power line in the path in front of her and ignored the catcalls from the carnies in the fishpond booth. “Next weekend, we’ll really be short staffed. I need Felicia with me on Friday and Estebe for the final night.”
“Do you really think you’ll have customers during Fair Week?” Ian glanced around the carnival. “We’ve only been here two hours, and I think I’ve seen half the population of River View.”
“Fairs are big business, especially in an agricultural area. Reservations are down, but not low enough we need to close.” She pointed to the haunted house ride. “Let’s do that before we eat.”
“Only if you’ll do my favorite too.” Ian stopped at the ticket booth. “Are we doing more than the two? The armband is probably the best buy if we decide to ride four or more.”
Always calculating the costs. She wondered if he’d glance at the County Seat books. Maybe there was a way to cut some costs there. Produce had been killing her budget this summer, but everything was so fresh and clean. She wanted to buy all the food. She filed the idea away. Tonight was date night. Not let’s-talk-business night.
“We’re still early for dinner.” She took in the sparkling rides and lights. “Let’s do the wristbands and pretend we’re teenagers.”
Ian chuckled as he ordered the wristbands from the totally bored teen in the booth. He took the blue band and clicked it on her wrist. Then he leaned down and kissed her.
“What was that for?” she asked as they came up for air.
His eyes twinkled in the now-bright lights of the carnival. “You said you wanted to act like teenagers. It’s been a while since I’ve stolen a kiss.”
As they climbed into a small, metal car to enter the haunted house, Angie grinned at Ian. That probably wouldn’t be the only stolen kiss this evening.
* * * *
Angie’s legs still felt wobbly from what she hoped was the final ride of the night. She’d been flipped and turned and jerked every way possible. It was called Satan, and the picture of the bucking bull on the entrance should have warned her of the ferocious ride ahead. Ian appeared fine as they sauntered toward the food court.
He turned and saw her lagging behind him. “Hey, are you all right?”
“You are going to tell me you don’t even feel a bit different after that last ride?” She took his offered hand and fell in step with him, dodging the crowd going toward the section of the fairgrounds where the carnival sat.
“Feel what? You mean the ride?” He grinned at her like the teenager she had wanted to pretend to be. “I thought it was gnarly. You want to go again before we eat?”
“Yeah, no. I have to be creative in the morning, and right now, it feels like my brain has turned into scrambled eggs.” She pointed to a table in the Basque Community Center booth. “I’ll sit there, you can order dinner.”
“What do you want?” He glanced at the wooden menu hung over the line of grills at the front of the booth.
“Estebe will know what to make me.” Angie laid her head on her arms, trying to fend off a migraine. “And a lemon-lime soda. Please.”
She heard Ian’s footsteps leave her as she took in the smells of the tent. Seasoned lamb, onions, some type of rice, and if she was right, a flatbread that Estebe liked to make for family meals to go with soup, especially on chilly fall days. The restaurant had been open a little over a year, and her employees had turned from strangers to family. Angie hadn’t been able to make that kind of connection at her first restaurant. At el Pescado, she’d always been hiring. One month, she’d replaced the entire kitchen staff only to have her sous chef quit a week later. Jobs were plentiful there, and there was always somewhere willing to pay a little more to get trained staff. And Angie believed in training.