“You’re almost a good liar.” Ian took her arm in his, and they made their way to the large building. “Hopefully it was just a kid playing around the site.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” Angie pushed aside the doubt that maybe there was something more to the ruckus. “Let’s find that fudge shop before they sell out.”
“It’s the first day of the fair. I’m sure they will have plenty.” He paused at the hot tub display. “They have a fair order special. Do you think Dom would stay out of it if we bought one for your backyard?”
“I think he’d think it was a big bathtub. And you know how much he loves his baths.” Angie smiled as she thought about her Saint Bernard. At a year old, he wasn’t a puppy anymore, but still, he was clumsy in his growing body. “And Mabel would think it was a drinking pond. We’d have to keep a cover on it at all times.”
“Of course. I’m sure they come with covers.” He ran his hand through the water. “You could soak after closing up the County Seat at night.”
“I’d fall asleep, and your uncle would find my body the next evening when I didn’t come in to work.” Angie dipped her hand into the warm water. It was a lovely thought, though.
“Leave it to you to go dark on me.” He took her by the waist and moved her through the crowds. Booths of beauty products, multilevel marketing opportunities, and party sales lined the aisles. Finally, they stopped in front of a booth manned by a couple of teenagers she thought she recognized.
“Hey, Ty and Dru, how are things going tonight? Any interest in the market?” Ian picked up the sign-up sheet for their newsletter.
“Hey, Mr. McNeal. We’ve got two sheets of sign-ups already. Although I think they’re signing up for the chance to win dinner at Ms. Turner’s place. That’s a great giveaway.” Ty grinned at Angie. “My folks went there last month and said it was the best dinner they’ve had in town ever.”
Ian held up the plastic frame showing the giveaway. “Felicia helped me with the setup. I take it from the look on your face she didn’t talk to you about it.”
“She handles the marketing. I’m sure it would have come up in our next meeting.” Angie wasn’t worried about the cost of the actual giveaway. Having a signage and, she noticed now, postcards with a picture of the County Seat on the front, along with their reservation phone number, didn’t hurt promotion. She should have thought about this. She picked up a postcard and turned it over.
One of her Nona’s recipes for potato soup was on the back of the card. She tucked one into her backpack.
“We’ve almost gone through the first box of those.” The girl spoke up now, pointing to the postcard. “Everyone smiles when they see the recipe.”
That made Angie smile as well. “Everyone loves potato soup, right? At least if you’re from Idaho. It’s like a law or something.”
The girl laughed. “Definitely.”
“Well, just tuck everything under the table when you leave tonight. Thanks for volunteering. Did you get your free passes for tomorrow?”
“We sure did. Thanks a lot.” Ty patted his jeans. “I’m coming as soon as they open. I had enough saved to buy a weeklong pass for the rides. I’m signed up to work Monday too so I get another pass.”
“A man with a plan.” Ian tapped the table. “You’re doing great work. Thank you.”
As they walked away, Angie glanced back at the two, who were already pulling in another couple to the booth. “I think you should hire them full-time. They have the sales part down pat.”
“It’s easy when you’re giving something away. I just hope the receipts and attendance to the market increase after this. The board didn’t like shelling out for the booth rental.” Ian sighed as they made their way through the crowd. “Where’s the fudge booth? I think I need a sugar hit.”
“We only have a few minutes left before we’re supposed to meet Felicia at the Restaurant Wars site. I hope they let us in.” Angie pointed to the wall where the candy shop was set up. “There we go.”
After buying three pieces of fudge, just in case Felicia was hungry too, they made their way back to the empty booths across from the animal barns. Ian nudged Angie. “Looks like Felicia’s already there and interrogating the guard.”
“I’m sure she just knows him from one of her adventures. I swear, she knows more people here than I ever did. And she’s only been living here a few months.” Angie cut diagonally across the wave of people. Most were heading toward the exits, worn out by the fun and, probably, the heat.
“She’s a people person.”
She shot a dark glare at him. “What are you saying? I’m not good with people?”
He shrugged. “You’re better with recipes. You get lost in your head sometimes and forget others are around. Felicia wants to know everything about everybody. You didn’t even ask the kids where they went to school.”
“I assumed River Vista. Is that wrong?” She paused at the side of the walkway. What was Ian trying to tell her? Was she a bad girlfriend? Didn’t she notice things about him?
“They are both homeschooled by a local farmer. I about had to promise the mom I’d make sure they weren’t abducted from the fair just to get them time to come and play like the rest of the kids.”
“I didn’t realize…”
Ian held up a hand. “Stop blaming yourself. All I’m saying is Felicia is better than you are with people. No blame, no shame, just a fact. You’re better with food than anyone I’ve ever met. Including Felicia and Estebe. It’s your strength.”
“So we’re okay?”
He reached out and pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry it came across the way it did. I’m frustrated with the board and taking it out on you. I’m a bad, bad boyfriend.”
“You know that’s a popular trope in the romance world.” She took a deep breath to settle herself. She knew she had overreacted as well. Probably nervous because of the news Estebe and Felicia had broken to her at dinner. “Let’s go see what Felicia has negotiated for us.”
When they walked up, the security guard nodded, then swept his hand for them to keep moving. When they stopped, he frowned and put a hand on his flashlight. “Look, there’s nothing to see here…”
Felicia giggled. “Roger, they’re with me. This is my partner, Angie Turner, and the River Vista Farmers’ Market manager, Ian McNeal. We’re just coming to see what we have to work with tomorrow.”
“I’m not sure I should let you all in. There’s been a break-in, after all.” He sighed and smiled at Felicia. “Go ahead. I’ll be out here if you need anything. Just don’t go into the Sandpiper booth. It’s the one with the crime-scene tape.”