Chapter Twenty-Six #2
“I haven’t been to a funfair since we came when we were younger,” Indi says over the noise.
I stop walking. “Seriously?”
She laughs and nods.
“Well then,” I say dramatically, pulling her closer to me. “Let’s reacquaint you properly.”
The next couple of hours are honestly fucking perfect.
We laugh.
We kiss.
We play ridiculous games.
We watch screaming children nearly fly off rides while stuffing ourselves with unhealthy food. And somehow, despite my very confident predictions earlier, Indi absolutely destroys me at every single game.
Especially the shooting games.
I’m currently loading pellets into a stupid little rifle while glaring at the moving ducks I need to shoot down.
Three ducks in a row win the giant teddy bear.
And seeing as I’ve already lost every other game tonight, my masculinity desperately needs this victory.
“I wanna play too!” Indi yells over the music.
Turning to look at her, I raise one eyebrow. “What? Scared I’ll beat you again?”
She gives me an offended look that lasts all of two seconds before she grins. “In your dreams, rockstar!”
Chuckling to myself, I pay for her rifle as well and slide it across the counter.
The second the vendor loads both games and we wrap our hands around the wooden stocks, everything changes.
This isn’t a game anymore.
It’s a competition.
I can practically feel Indi straighten beside me, the playful smile disappearing as she narrows her eyes at the moving ducks gliding lazily across the backboard.
“Oh, you’re taking this seriously?” I murmur.
“You started it!”
A whistle blows, and the ducks begin to move.
I steady my breathing, line up the first target, and squeeze the trigger.
Ping.
The duck spins backward—a perfect shot.
A smug grin spreads across my face as I glance sideways just in time to watch Indi’s pellet sail harmlessly past her target, missing it completely.
“Oh, that’s beautiful,” I say under my breath. “Manhood restored.”
She shoots me a glare. “Oh, shut up.”
The second round slides into view, and she fires again almost simultaneously.
Ping. Ping.
Two ducks flip backward.
Indi lets out a triumphant little cheer beside me, bouncing on her toes before flashing me a grin that’s far too pleased with itself. “Yes!”
Huffing, I raise my gun, aim, pull the trigger, and…
Ping.
Smiling, I glance at the scoreboard.
Tied.
Of course we are.
The final duck glides into position.
Neither of us says a word.
The carnival noise around us seems to fade beneath the weight of one ridiculously overdramatic deciding shot.
I take aim.
Steady… steady… I pull the trigger.
The pellet whistles past the duck without touching it. “No!”
Beside me, Indi fires a split second later.
Ping.
The duck topples backward.
The vendor throws an arm toward her like he’s announcing the winner of a world championship. “We have a winner!”
I stare at the target, then at Indi, then back at the target again.
“No bloody way.” Indi bursts into laughter, bending forward so hard she has to grab the counter to hold herself up. I set the rifle down, mourning my shattered ego in complete silence. “I had something in my eye,” I mutter.
“Oh no,” she says, biting back another laugh as she pats my shoulder with exaggerated sympathy. “Poor Caleb.”
I narrow my eyes before smacking her ass lightly. She yelps and jumps while the vendor bursts out laughing beside us.
“Okay, okay. Mock the man publicly. Fantastic.”
Despite losing again, I can’t stop smiling because everything’s better when I’m with her.
Even losing.
“Pick your prize, caveman,” she says while wrapping her arms around my waist.
Scanning the prizes, I choose the giant pink teddy with a rainbow stitched onto its belly. “That one.”
Indi raises an eyebrow instantly. “I really thought you’d pick the Minion.”
The vendor hands over the giant bear, and I immediately pass it straight to her.
She laughs. “Nope, that’s yours. I won it for you.”
“But I want you to have it.”
Her smile softens.
“I know how much you love pink and rainbows.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” I grin at her. “I love you, Indi. Therefore, you deserve giant rainbow teddy bears.”
“I love you too.”
Afterward, we head toward the food stalls because I’m starving after spending hours being publicly humiliated by my tiny pixie girlfriend at carnival games, which feels mildly emasculating.
I carry the giant teddy for her while we order the greasiest, most unhealthy food imaginable before settling onto the grassy area nearby. Sitting down with my legs spread in a V, I grin when Indi immediately gets the message and settles between them with her back against my chest.
She fits perfectly.
Always has.
“Having fun?” I ask around a mouthful of food.
“Mm-hmm,” she hums happily before kissing my cheek. “Barely any clowns at all.”
I laugh softly…
Then suddenly that horrible feeling hits again—the same icy unease from the after-party.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise instantly while a cold shiver crawls slowly down my spine, like someone’s watching me. Like danger just walked into the room.
Without even thinking, I tighten my arms around Indi protectively.
Then she steps directly into my line of sight.
Sasha.