Chapter 17 #2
As if answering his question, a clap of thunder shook the tent, and it started pouring a moment later.
Although the festival was a rain-or-shine event, the stands emptied out as fast as the weather changed.
JJ and I watched from the safety of the tent as most attendees hustled toward the exit in a mass exodus.
The storm cleared in five minutes, but by then, a muddy pond had formed in the middle of the field, and the damage was done.
“I’ll be right back,” I told JJ, attention fixed on the town crier who was talking with some of the remaining competitors. In all likelihood, the rest of the tournament would be called off, but I wanted to check just in case it wasn’t.
“Well?” JJ asked when I returned.
His demeanor made me pause. Typically, JJ was like the flames of a well-fed fire—flickering, unpredictable motion—but right now, he stood with an unnatural stillness. I brushed it off as disappointment.
“Canceled. Not enough people stayed.” While not being able to finish the tournament was disappointing, I was content knowing I’d completed another item on my bucket list. “It’s too muddy anyway. Let’s get out of here.”
“Race you to the car?”
It took less than five seconds to consider his suggestion and come to an obvious conclusion—I wouldn’t win against him. Not only was I wearing flip-flops, but my legs were much shorter than his. Which meant it wouldn’t matter if I got a head start.
“Hey!” JJ exclaimed when I took off without responding. “Get back here!”
I laughed and kept running.
There wasn’t a nicely paved sidewalk for me to follow.
Most of the fairgrounds consisted of grass and packed dirt paths, but after the rain, they more closely resembled a swamp.
Halfway back to JJ’s rental, I tripped on a tree root and fell face-first into a puddle.
The tumble knocked the wind out of me, so I lay sprawled in the mud and waited for the shock to pass.
When I finally pushed myself up, JJ was laughing so hard he sounded like he needed an inhaler.
“Such a gentleman,” I grumbled as I wiped muck out of my eyes.
“Devilish rogue, remember?”
The ground was deceptively slick, and I slipped as I tried to stand. “Yeah, but some help would be nice.”
He stroked his chin while watching me struggle. “Hmm. I’m not sure if cheaters deserve help.”
“You know what?” I scooped up a handful of mud and flung it in JJ’s direction. My aim was spot-on, and I hit him square in the chest. “Take that!”
Eyes widening, JJ took a step back as if he’d been shot, then glanced down to inspect the damage. “What the hell, Cara? This is my favorite shirt!”
“Oh, is it?” I scooped up another handful and lobbed it at him.
This time, JJ ducked. The moment he broke eye contact with me, I threw myself at him, tackling him to the ground. We hit another muddy puddle with a squelch, and the look on JJ’s face was priceless.
Leaning down, I pecked him on the cheek. “Gotcha.”
A beat of silence passed, then JJ’s entire upper body started to shake.
Joy burst from his mouth like sunlight pouring through shutters, bright and unstoppable.
The sound was contagious, and I collapsed beside him in the mud, laughing until my sides ached.
Whenever I tried to stop, JJ would let out a tiny snort or half-choked gasp, and it would start all over again.
Thankfully, the laughter folded in on itself, getting smaller each time until it was just the occasional tremor in our shoulders.
When I finally caught my breath, an easy quiet settled between us.
My cheeks were flushed and damp, and I could feel my pulse everywhere: in my fingertips, in my throat, even in the space between my ears.
It was the hum of being—not thinking, not worrying, just alive—and for the first time in forever, I wasn’t afraid of what came next.
* * *
“I’m sorry about your rental,” I said when JJ pulled into my driveway later that afternoon.
We’d scraped as much muck off our bodies as possible before climbing inside, but it was no use. Dried mud now caked the once pristine interior. That plus a two-hour drive and Culver’s to-go meant the entire vehicle smelled like damp earth and burgers. The cleaning bill was going to be astronomical.
JJ turned off the car and looked over at me. “Cara, I already told you it’s not a big deal. Stop worrying.”
“Okay,” I replied, “but we do have to worry about my mom. If she finds one speck of mud in the house, we’re dead meat. Let’s go around to the backyard. There’s a hose we can rinse off with.”
Taking JJ’s hand, I led him to the tiny cobblestone patio tucked behind the garage.
The space was sheltered from view by a fence of arborvitaes on one side and our house on the other, so I got to work removing my costume.
I unpinned the crown from my head, being careful not to yank out my hair, then peeled off the elf ears.
When I finally shimmied out of my ruined dress, dirt flaked off my skin in clumps.
The squeak of the spigot drew my attention.
JJ stood next to the faucet in nothing but his boxer briefs. He held the hose loosely, thumb poised over the nozzle and mischief written across his face.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned, holding up my hands to shield my face.
He took a step closer. “But you said we need to rinse off.”
“I can do that myself, thanks.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“You’re a spoilsport,” he said but lowered his weapon.
I squinted at him, skeptical of his easy acquiescence, and JJ used my hesitation to his advantage.
He smirked and flicked his thumb, sending a sharp stream directly at me.
Cold water struck my shoulder. I shrieked and lunged forward, hands outstretched, trying to steal the hose from him.
As we wrestled for control, the spray went everywhere, ricocheting off the siding and pooling on the pavers.
It even hung in the air where it caught sunlight and glimmered.
Eventually, JJ lost his footing on the slick grass. He fumbled with the hose as he tried to regain his balance, but I managed to yank it straight from his hands. Cackling triumphantly, I turned the nozzle in his direction and… Barely any water trickled out.