45. Homefest
FORTY-FIVE
Homefest
TARA
Crisscrossed firefly lights sparkled above the square and across the surrounding streets to illuminate this year’s Homecoming Festival. Festival-goers of all ages wandered beneath their glow while listening and dancing to the music playing on multiple stages spread out in and around the square.
Laughter carried through the air for the younger crowd as toddlers waddled around in delight and youth kicked balls in an enclosed area where they each had their own personal soccer games to play. Next to them, groups of grade school children bounced up and down in a large, inflatable castle.
On the next side of the square were all the carnival games. There was the clinking rhythm of metal rings hitting, but usually missing, milk bottles on a game of ring toss And when bells occasionally rang out, Cheers followed. Rounding out the festival percussion section were the sporadic pops of darts popping balloons where people stood hoping to win large, fluffy, stuffed animals.
The high school kids were all in great moods thanks to having beaten their rival school in a rout the night before in the annual homecoming football game. Now, they could spend the rest of the weekend celebrating their victory, wandering around with endless entertainment on hand.
While music filled the three corners of the square, the fourth corner, nearly opposite Between the Lines bookstore, made room for the Grant’s Crossing Fire Department engine and a patrol car where one of the sheriff’s deputies was currently fielding questions from all the little children asking what it was like catching bad guys. Steve and Emerson enjoyed the kids coming up to try on their helmets and jackets, each child practically swimming in the way-too-large gear as they asked about everything from the sirens to climbing up trees to save runaway cats.
On one side of Between the Lines, an area cover band performed classic rock tunes on the carousel stage inside the square, adding to the high volume of the festival. On a stage down the street on the other side of the shop, another band played country music. The sounds of the two competing musical styles seemed to meet right in front of the bookshop.
“Why couldn’t they set up the acoustic stage near us tonight rather than all the loud music?” Helen pondered while rearranging the display.
Tara dropped another small box of books on the outside tables they’d set up for all the foot traffic at today’s HomeFest. “Watch it, Mom. Next thing you know, you and Dad will yell at kids to get off your lawn.”
“Oh, I don’t sound that old yet.” She dropped her arms. “Do I?”
Tara arched her brows without a word as Aimee stifled a laugh and kept herself busy by arranging more books in the newly emptied spaces on the table.
Helen shrugged. “I’m going to go back and check with Lydia. We’ve been so busy today.”
Tara shook her head and smiled while emptying the last box. “Thanks so much for your help, Aimee. You’ve been a real lifesaver today.”
“At Strings Attached this morning, we were swamped until people went outside to listen to the bands over lunch. Then we slowed down to nothing except for our knitting and crochet classes,” Aimee explained as she checked a text on her phone. “Happy to lend a hand since I’m not in charge. It’s kind of like taking a break.”
Tara laughed. “I’m just glad we could still get in. This has been a terrific day for us.”
“Thank you!” Aimee said to a woman as she bagged up the two books she bought for her young children, whose cheerful faces were covered with sticky blue cotton candy. Laughing as they walked away, she added, “Great idea to stock these tables with children and young adult books today.”
“Once they told me this side of the square was going to be ground zero for all the children’s games, I figured parents would want a less-sugary impulse buy for their kids.”
“Smart thinking.”
Tara checked her watch. “Steve and Emerson should finish their shift pretty soon. Plenty of time to check out a bit of the festival, then see the fireworks.”
Aimee snapped up from texting someone on her phone. “They’re coming back?”
“Yeah.” Tara furrowed her brow at Aimee’s question. “Remember? They’re going to help break this all down so we can close up for the night.”
“Oh. That’s right,” she said, looking back at her phone with a giggle. She texted back furiously and dropped it in her pocket.
Tara smiled conspiratorially, thinking of how Steve had mentioned something earlier about how Emerson had a thing for Aimee. “Texting someone special?”
Aimee bit her lower lip. “Maybe?”
They both giggled, as girls are wont to do when relationships are new.
The country music band on the carousel stage finished the last song of their set just as Steve and Emerson returned to change out of their uniforms, then break down the tables and help take everything inside so they could close up the shop for the day. It was only seven o’clock, but the sun had already sunk well below the horizon as nighttime descended upon the town.
“I’m ready to call it a night,” Aimee exhaled as she packed the last of the books in a box to take back inside. With both their hands full, Tara used her foot to hold the door open before following her inside. Fortunately, Emerson and Steve were happy to do all the remaining heavy lifting, so they finished in no time flat.
“Thank you all so much for your help today.” Helen turned to hug her daughter before hugging Aimee, Emerson, Steve, and Lydia as well. They all helped for a much longer-than-usual day.
Tara and the others waved goodbye to Lydia and Helen, who each went home after the shop closed. Wrapping her arms around Steve’s waist, she took a few seconds to lean into his chest and breathe in his musky scent. “I’m exhausted.”
He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” She pulled back. “We’re getting something to eat. Who’s coming?”
“I could eat a horse,” Emerson responded.
“Me, too,” Aimee chimed in with raised eyebrows. She looked up from her phone and giggled. “Okay. Maybe not a whole horse.”
“Come on.” Steve grabbed Tara’s hand and led them through the children’s corner and into the center of the square, where they could all get a better feel for the festival atmosphere.
Tara smiled as they all took in the different styles of music coming from three corners of the square, the bells combined with the cheers of the game-winners and the laughter at every turn as they wandered through the crowded pathways of the park.
After hitting up the food truck with the shortest line, they sat down at one of the tables near the acoustic stage and dug into dinner.
“So when do the fireworks start?” Steve asked between bites of the street tacos.
“A little after nine,” Emerson responded, while chewing his quesadilla.
“Are you both going to go?” Tara asked Emerson and Aimee.
Emerson appeared hopeful while taking a sip of his drink.
Aimee nodded as she wiped her mouth with the paper napkin. “Yeah. It’s always an impressive display. Better than July fourth.”
Tara watched Emerson’s face light up.
“Yeah.” Emerson pointed toward the park. “They shoot them off across the river. You live above Tara’s bookstore, right?”
“Yes,” Steve answered.
Emerson laughed. “Hell. You can probably see them from your apartment.” He and Aimee stood up to throw away their empty dinner containers.
Tara observed them interacting with each other. She elbowed Steve and leaned in to whisper. “So what’s up with Emerson and Aimee?”
“He really likes her and is dying to ask her out, but hasn’t yet.”
Aimee checked her phone and smiled as Emerson said something.
Steve added, “He just hasn’t yet worked up the courage.”
They were too far away to hear the conversation, but Tara read their body language. “Think he’s asking her now?”
“Might be.”
“Uh… oh.”
Aimee shook her head, held up her phone, and pointed behind her. Appearing contrite, she said something to Emerson, then turned and jogged off while Emerson stood there, staring at her back.
“Shit.” Steve dropped his chin. “She turned him down.”
Emerson took a few steps back to the table, then turned and headed in the opposite direction.
Tara saw Aimee in the crowd on the other side of the music stage. She squeezed Steve’s arm and pointed. “Look over there.”
Steve followed where she pointed and saw Aimee with her hand looped through the arm of a tall man, who leaned in and kissed her. “That explains a lot.”
“I didn’t know she was seeing anyone.”
Steve wrapped his arms around Tara’s waist. “Anything you want to tell me about?”
She held up her right hand. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
Steve raised his brow and leaned in so his lips brushed against her ear as he spoke. She swallowed when his warm breath sent heat down her spine.
“What about me, Sugar?” With his fingers, he tipped up her chin and kissed her. “Ready for some fireworks?”
Tara grinned. “Sure am.”