Chapter 8
Her heart thumped in her chest. Her knuckles were whiter than the falling snow. And it took a few minutes for her to focus on anything in the almost whiteout conditions because it seemed like her eyes were rolling around in her head like she was on a Tilt-A-Whirl ride.
Another good reason to leave this place, she thought as she eased forward at less than five miles an hour.
She made it to the corner and gently tapped the brakes.
Made that one. Just one more to go and I’m at the Paradise.
When she reached the tree-lined lane leading up to the house, she slowed down even more, terrified that she would begin a slide and wind up with the front of her SUV smashed all to hell against one of the huge pecan trees.
She was breathing easy when she got to the front yard, but then a cat ran out in front of her, and she instinctively slammed on the brakes.
How a vehicle could go forward and sideways at the same time was a total mystery, but it did—and came to a stop about five inches from the side of Tripp’s pickup truck.
She felt like an elephant had parked its big butt on her chest, and her pulse had jacked up like she had just walked through one of those silly haunted Halloween houses.
When she finally got control and looked around to see if anyone had seen the fiasco, Tripp was grinning at her from the front seat of his truck.
He waved and crawled over the console and exited the vehicle on the passenger side.
Then he walked all the way around both vehicles and slung her door open.
“I’m so sorry.” She felt the blush heating up her cheeks before it ever appeared and hoped that he attributed it to the cold wind.
He offered her a gloved hand. “No problem. I like playing Houdini and escaping from my truck through an alternate door.”
She put her hand in his and was glad for his firm grip. “I did that on purpose to box you in.”
I will not let Tripp Callahan get under my skin, she silently vowed.
“Oh, yeah, you did. Your face was as white as what is layin’ on the ground when you finally came to a stop, so don’t go lyin’ to me, Miz Thomas.” He couldn’t remember a single time in his life that he had enjoyed flirting so much.
“How do you know I’m not being truthful?” she shot back at him. “Maybe I’m just that good of a driver.”
“And maybe you are simply that lucky. After all, you met me, didn’t you?” He led her up to the door and dropped her hand.
“Don’t be egotistical,” she snapped.
“Okay, then maybe I’m lucky because I met you,” he said.
“Or perhaps we are both unlucky because of the same reasons.”
“Could be.”
He raised his hand to knock but before his knuckles reached the wood, Bernie slung the door open. “Come on in,” she said and then frowned.
“Mornin’, Bernie,” Willa Rose said.
“Same to you. Now get on in here out of the cold. I swear, I’ve never seen so much sleet, freezing rain, and snow all at one time.
” Bernie grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside the warm house.
“I’ve got someone I want you to meet. We’ve already graced the food, and everyone is just finding a place to park their butts and eat.
Finn is out in the sunroom, and I think y’all are going to hit it off real good. ”
“What makes you think that?” Willa Rose asked.
“He’s sexy as hell, and he owns a carnival.”
You are losing it, Miz Bernie, if you think you can set me up with a carnival owner. I didn’t even want to move here. Why would I want to travel all over Texas and Oklahoma?
They were halfway past a couple of long tables laid out with all kinds of good food that smelled amazing. Willa Rose loved fried chicken and there were three big trays of that, plus a sliced ham and two big lasagnas.
“Finn can wait because I’m starving. So, I intend to eat first and meet him afterward. Or else I might faint at the very sight of him.”
“Oh, okay.” Bernie frowned. “But don’t dawdle. He might decide to go to his trailer, and I really want you to get acquainted with him.”
“Why?” Willa Rose asked.
“I visited with him last night, and he’s such a sweet person, and…” Bernie stopped for a breath.
Any elementary teacher worth her salt learned early on that too many ands out of a child’s mouth meant they were covering up something for sure.
“Maybe I don’t like sweet,” Willa Rose said. “Maybe I like wild and wicked.”
Bernie crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve never met a carnival guy yet that didn’t have a little wild and wicked in him.”
Willa Rose threw an arm around Bernie’s shoulders and whispered, “That’s not nearly bad boy enough for me.
If you are trying to play matchmaker and find me a husband, look for someone else.
I’m going to make a plate now and find Endora.
We need to talk about the Christmas stuff.
I’m hoping she will come help me put up my tree tomorrow.
If not, maybe I can talk the Callahan brothers and maybe Audrey into helping me and Daddy. ”
***
Tripp stood close enough that he could hear part of the conversation. As soon as Willa Rose had loaded her plate and carried it to the staircase leading upstairs, he nudged Bernie on the shoulder. “Want to concede right now and give me your money?”
“That’s just one battle,” she answered through clenched teeth. “I’ve got more cards up my sleeve. Did you tell her about the bet?”
“Why would I do that?” Tripp answered. “Remember though, Spanish Fort is a small place, and she’s probably heard that you aren’t liking the idea of a Callahan flirting with her,” Tripp answered.
“You do not want to see my bad side.” Bernie growled.
He fixed himself a plate and carried it out to the sunporch. He had never seen anyone, not even Brodie, stand up to Bernie like Willa Rose had done. Made him wonder, though, if she really liked bad boys, or if she was just tormenting Bernie.
Finn looked up from the picnic table at the end of the room. He had jet-black hair, green eyes, and a chiseled face. Willa Rose was going to be sorry that she blew off Bernie’s suggestion.
“Hello,” he said. “Miz Bernie told me to stay right here. I have no idea why. Are you someone I’m supposed to talk to?”
“Yes,” Tripp answered without blinking.
“Somehow I thought it might be a lady.”
“No, it’s just me. I’m Tripp Callahan. I don’t really like big crowds. I guess she thought you might be in the same boat.” He set his plate on the table and took a bite of the lasagna.
“Bless her heart.” Finn chuckled. “She hasn’t gotten to know me yet. I run a carnival, so I’m around crowds all the time. I think I’ll go on back inside and see how my people are doing. Nice meeting you, Tripp. I really appreciate your family taking us in like this.”
“They are that kind of people.”
Finn stood up and took a couple of steps. “We don’t run into folks like that very often. See you around. If you got kids, bring them out to the barn. They’ll love the animals.”
“No wife, no kids,” Tripp answered. “But thanks for the offer. I’m sure that Rae and Gunner’s twin girls will be excited about seeing them.”
“I’ve already met those kids, and they’ve been out there a couple of times.” Finn said and kept walking. “Well, hello!” His whole tone changed when he met Willa Rose coming out onto the sunporch.
“You don’t bite the hand that is feeding you,” a teenage girl right behind Willa Rose said in a scolding tone.
“Remember who feeds you , Ivy Jo,” Finn’s tone was almost as cold as the north wind, but it turned warm when he focused on Willa Rose and introduced himself. “I’m Finn Duffy, and I think you might be the very person Miz Bernie wanted me to wait for out here.”
“I’m Willa Rose, and it’s nice to meet you, but if you’ll excuse me, I’m starving. I couldn’t find a place to sit inside.”
“Of course, but…” Finn flashed a brilliant smile.
“ But move out of the way,” Ivy told him.
Finn shot a dirty look her way and let them pass before he went on into the house.
“He’s just a big flirt. He and Yasmin—she’s the fortune teller—are together when we’re in Oklahoma, but they’re on again and off again on the trips. It all depends on who she catches him flirting with,” Ivy growled under her breath.
“There’s plenty of room over here,” Tripp called out. “If you hurry, you might even get to eat dessert before Aunt Bernie finds out where you are.”
Willa Rose led the way across the room. “Miz Bernie doesn’t tell me what to do.”
Ivy set her plate on the table. “I’m Ivy.”
“Tripp Callahan,” he introduced himself.
“Pleased to meet you,” Ivy said with a nod.
“Likewise.” He glanced away from Ivy and over at Willa Rose.
She looked pretty in a blue sweater with her dark hair flowing down over her shoulders, but the easy banter and the kisses had to have been a fleeting thing.
Bernie was right in saying that he didn’t need a woman who wouldn’t stick around.
But the heart wants what the heart wants, the pesky voice in his head whispered.
My heart wanted a BB gun for Christmas when I was five. I didn’t get it, and I got over it.
To take his mind off Willa Rose, he glanced over at Ivy.
She was about the same height as Willa Rose, but that’s where the resemblance stopped.
The girl had blond hair tied up in a ponytail, and if Tripp had a quarter for every freckle on her face, he would be a rich man.
Her chocolate-brown eyes had a note of sadness in them.
“Finn is egotastic,” she blurted out.
“Do you mean ‘egotistical’?” Willa Rose asked.
“If you are old . Egotastic is the new word,” Ivy answered.
“Ouch!” Tripp said with a chuckle. “What’s the difference in the two words?”
“They both mean the same thing, but ‘egotastic’ is what we say now. Finn is all about himself,” Ivy answered.
“Sounds like it if he can’t be faithful to his girlfriend. Is she in the house?” Tripp asked.
“Yep, and he wouldn’t dare flirt with Willa Rose if she was close by.”
“So, what do you do in the carnival, Miz Ivy?” Tripp asked.
“I take care of one of the game booths, but this is my last trip. When we get back to Oklahoma, Finn will be the big boss man. He’s already said that I’m fired. Zeb don’t like it, but then he needs hip surgery and he’s ready to retire, so…” She shrugged.
“Hey, this is where you are,” Bernie said as she came out to the sunroom with a glass of sweet tea in her hands. She sat down beside Tripp and kicked him on the side of his leg. “Where’s Finn? I told him to wait out here.”
***
Willa Rose felt Ivy bristle, and the temperature in the room felt like someone had left the back door open. She glanced over at the girl to see that her mouth was set in a firm line and her brows were drawn down.
“He went back inside just as Ivy and Willa Rose were coming out here,” Tripp answered. “There’s a houseful of folks today. He might have to stand in line to get at one of the cobblers.”
“So, you met him, Willa Rose?” Bernie sounded excited.
“Just in passing,” she answered.
“Good-lookin’ guy, ain’t he?”
“He is that.”
“The weatherman said this morning that we’ve got another storm coming right in behind what we’re experiencing now,” Bernie said.
“This time it’s supposed to put several inches of snow down on this ice.
They’re calling it ‘global warming,’ but there ain’t one thing warm about any of this.
Poor little Pepper barely gets off the porch to take care of his business now. ”
“What’s that got to do with Finn?” Willa Rose asked.
“It means that the roads will be closed longer than any of us thought. Finn and the carnival folks will be here more than just a few days. So, we will get to know all these folks for at least a week.”
“I wouldn’t mind staying here that long,” Ivy muttered.
Bernie turned to focus on Ivy. “Aren’t you in a hurry to get back to Ringling and see all your friends?”
“I don’t have friends outside of the carnival. My grandpa raised me and homeschooled me on the road, and now he’s gone. He died a few weeks ago. The only thing for me to do in Ringling is to find a place to spread his ashes, and hopefully find a job.” Ivy’s chin quivered.
Willa Rose laid a hand on her shoulder. “I lost my mother almost a year ago. It takes a while to work through the grief.”
“Thanks for that,” Ivy said. “I’ve lost my appetite. I’m going out to the barn for a nap.”
“Why the barn?” Willa Rose asked.
Ivy shrugged again. “I have a cot out there, and the animals don’t snore like Inez when I have to sleep on the floor.”
“Where did you sleep when your grandpa was alive?” Tripp asked.
“We had a little room with two cots at the back of the game booth. It’s all packed up in one of the big trucks now,” she answered as she started out the back door.
“Hey!” Tripp raised his voice. “Where is your coat? It’s cold out there.”
“Didn’t need one until now. I’ll be fine,” Ivy said and waved over her shoulder.
And Bernie expects me to live like that? Willa Rose frowned.
Bernie picked up her glass along with the plate and cutlery that Finn had left behind. “I’ll take all this to the kitchen and be right back. I need to talk to Mary Jane.”
“About what?” Tripp asked.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but that child does not need to be living in a barn,” she snapped.
“She could be living in worse when she gets back to Oklahoma,” Willa Rose said. “She told us that she has no family or friends, and Finn is going to fire her.”
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Bernie declared. “And, Willa Rose, you stay away from that man even if he is good-lookin’. If he’s going to put a teenage girl out on the streets, then he’s not the man for you.”
“Yes, ma’am. I hear he’s egotastic anyway,” Willa Rose answered.
“I don’t care what religion he is,” Bernie said. “That precious child is not sleeping in a barn full of animals when there are seven empty bedrooms upstairs.”
Willa Rose watched her leave and then looked across the table at Tripp. “I might decide to like that woman if she’ll stay out of my business.”
“Matchmaking is in her blood. So as long as you are single, she considers you fair game.”
“Does she try her matchmaking on you?”
Tripp nodded. “But so far I’ve been able to bypass the women she’s thrown my way. She believes she has magical powers when it comes to putting men and women together.”
“The magic ends with me,” Willa Rose declared.