“Well, it wasn’t like Duke left me much choice—but I would have wanted to anyway.” As I said the words, I knew they were true. Even if it was going to be a rough journey, spending time with Caroline was the sweetest kind of torture.
Like most, she glowed as she spoke of my father. “He’s quite the charmer, isn’t he?”
“It’s genetic,” I teased again.
She laughed, the dark mood lifting once my attention was on her. Oh man, Caroline was jealous. She didn’t like me talking to Carly and I didn’t like how much that thrilled me.
A little flustered, I changed the subject.
“Where’s Bev?” I asked.
Caroline stuttered, “Um … she got caught at work. Fields and arenas aren’t really her thing, anyway. You’re the better partner for this part of the job. Don’t you think?”
I didn’t get to answer because the door across the way opened and Joe lumbered through it. When he saw me, his yellowed mustache curled up into a smile like a caterpillar on its back. I stood and crossed in his direction, shaking his extended hand. “It’s been a while, Wyatt. How are you, man?”
“Good as can be expected.” Then, because he was clearly questioning my presence with his glance, I noted, “I’m gonna be helping out with this event.” Turning to her, I said, “Joe, I’m sure you know Caroline Winchester.”
Joe shifted and offered his hand to Caroline. “In name only. Mighty fine to meet the girl with the big brain.”
It struck me as odd that for the second time in five minutes, a local Conwayan was talking about Caroline as if she were a character in a movie rather than a real person. Everyone in Conway knew everyone, but somehow no one seemed to actually know Caroline. I couldn’t help myself, I talked over their meeting. “Well, you’ll know her soon enough, I reckon. Not only is she planning this event at your fairgrounds, but Caroline is also filling in for Doc Eggelston for a bit.”
“Are you now?” Joe said with the singsong of small-town excitement. “Those are some big shoes to fill. The doc is well loved. I’m sure you are getting a fair amount of pushback on your skill from a certain generation of folk. Those that would question a young whippersnapper of a doctor like you.” Joe winked.
“You’d think so,” Caroline said somewhat deadpanned. “But as you mentioned, the reputation of my intelligence precedes me.” Joe didn’t seem to notice, but I was getting a general feeling that Caroline didn’t love being pigeonholed by her accelerated intelligence.
“Well, either way, I am glad you’ve chosen the fairgrounds for your event,” Joe said, segueing poorly. He held the door open and we walked through it, moving from the reception area back to his office as he spoke. “As I’m sure you know, we offer everything you’ll need. We have barns and stalls, multiple arenas—both the outdoor ones and the new indoor show arena. Don’t think that was here when you were growing up.” He smiled at Caroline as we settled into the two chairs opposite his desk. “We also offer concessions, and we have a PA booth with broadcast ability. Do you know what events you're planning?”
Caroline turned to look at me. Her eyes were wide, screaming, holy shit, what have I gotten myself into? Even though she and I hadn’t discussed the event, it was clear from that one look that Caroline was going to handle the business end of all this, but the bulk of the rodeo logistics were going to fall on my shoulders.
Clearing my throat, I said, “To be honest, Joe, we aren’t sure just yet what events make sense for the kids that are participating, but I’d imagine that we will mostly be confined to the show space and the stables. Caroline’s goal here is camaraderie not competition. We want these kids to feel included.”
Caroline beamed at me. Then she turned to Joe. “Yes, the day will be playful. We are going to pair kids of differing abilities with cowboys and cowgirls to help assist in fun and noncompetitive rodeo activities.”
“Well, great—sounds downright important—and I can easily put together a plan for you of that nature. Also, I can refer you to some possible vendors for things like cotton candy and smaller carnival type rides and games if you’d be interested.”
“That sounds great,” Caroline noted. “Can you email that?”
Joe nodded. Then there was a weird and awkward pause. First, we all sort of looked at each other, like well, that was easy. And then Joe seemed to expect us to say something like, okay great, later then, but Caroline just sat there looking at him, waiting for something. Pushing past the dead air, Joe asked, “Do you have other questions for me?”
“Um … I figured we’d look at the space?” Caroline said, questioningly glancing at me. Clearly, she thought a tour was a thing we were going to do, but I guessed that most of Joe’s customers knew the fairgrounds as well as their own backyards. I did. I competed here. Both on horseback and as an owner of prized heifers. I’d taken girls to the fair here and seen the expanse of county from the top of the Ferris wheel. The fairgrounds were a local hotspot—but obviously not for Caroline. Where was she when the rest of us were being a community?
Joe ran his hand through his lack of hair and smiled. “Gosh darn it, I’m so used to my regulars, it didn’t even occur to me that you’d be wanting a tour.” He laughed. “I’ve got a call in just a few minutes, but I trust y’all. Plus, Wyatt could probably give you the ins and outs as good as I can.” Winking and insinuating, he joked, “Better maybe.” I may have kissed a girl or two behind the bleachers at the fairgrounds in my day, but sitting there with Caroline, I wasn’t loving Joe’s line of thinking.
With my teeth clenched, I smiled. Then I said, “Happy to. Mind if we take the golf cart?”
Joe tossed me the key to the golf cart he kept out back and said, “It’ll be the first time you drive it with my permission.”
Admittedly, I may have hot-wired his golf cart a time or two.
Okay, maybe three times.
6
Caroline
I was late because Bev wouldn’t stop chewing my ear off about her ‘goals’ for my meeting with Wyatt. She said, “Don’t get off on the wrong foot, Caroline. You are not his buddy or his pal. You are a vixen. A sexpot. The kind of woman who lassos that cowboy and mounts him.” She swung her hand above her head and circled her hips as she said these words, and then they became her mantra. “Lasso and mount him, Caroline. Do you hear me? Lasso and mount.” It was a strange but still bizarrely inspiring pep talk. However, it went on at least five minutes more than it should have so by the time I walked into the fairgrounds office I was flustered, and Wyatt already had his eyes full of a pretty young thing.
It took me a while to get past seeing him with that girl, Carly. She seemed perfectly lovely, but her presence instantly threw me off my lasso and mount game. And then in the interim, I struggled to control my irritation at constantly being known as Caroline Winchester, genius daughter of the town sheriff. Basically, so far it was business as usual for me. While everyone around me was one hundred percent human, I continued to anticipate a spaceship landing on my front lawn to inform me that I was actually a giant awkward space alien wearing a human suit.