Page 82 of Falling for Keeps

We lock up as the sun is all but gone, the sky twilight and cool. Penny is fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist, walking ahead of us like she knows right where to go.

“Any better today?” Mom asks.

“It was still slow, but more people are signing up for consultations. I think it’s possible it could pick up over the next few months.”

“Don’t give up, Carson. I’m sure it’ll flourish soon. You need to give it time.” Mom rubs my arm, giving me an encouraging look.

“Now that I have a lucky giant plush tooth, I’m sure things will be great.”

Her smile grows. “That was so sweet of them.”

“Until they tried to tell me that Emma and Seth are dating. Am I that obvious?”

Mom tugs on my arm. We’re in the center of Main Street while people mill around, checking out the booths. Penny crossed the road to the petting zoo and is leaning over the fence to pet the big Highland cow. “I haven’t heard any gossip about the two of you, so maybe they were fishing for information.”

“They were successful, then. I practically handed them my feelings on a gold platter.”

“What feelings, honey?” Mom is watching me so earnestly, her blonde brows pulled together in concern. “Last we talked, you weren’t going there.”

I look into her deeply concerned eyes and wish I could shut my emotions off like a valve, like I could hit a big off switch so I don’t have to feel the things pulsing through me right now. Ignoring them hasn’t worked. Treating Emma like a friend only makes me want to be around her more. I’m in a bad spot, and I put myself there, so I can’t even blame it on anyone else.

Especially not Emma. She’s been nothing but wonderful.

“For what it’s worth,” Mom says now, lowering her voice and leaning in. “Emma is nothing like Jen.”

My eyes shut, like closing out the world might hold off my problems, too.

“Did you see the llamas, Nana?”

I focus sharply on my child.

Mom nods. “They look big.”

“So big!” Penny agrees.

“Let’s go get some cream puffs,” I say, taking Penny’s hand and heading in the direction of the Maple Farm booth. Emma and Seth are nowhere to be seen when we reach it, but James is selling baked goods with his mom, so we buy a little of each to try.

“See you tonight,” James says, handing over the cream puffs last. “Might want to start layering on some Chapstick.”

“I was thinking a protective barrier of Vaseline?” I say. “I have some when you need to borrow it.”

James laughs. I lift my hand in a wave while walking away.

Penny devours a maple cookie. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

We get stopped in the street by one of my mom’s friends, who admires Penny and how big she’s gotten, then move on until we’re stopped by another one. Living here for the last few decades has given my mom a solid community and friend circle. The people she goes to church with, has lunch with, paints her kitchen with—they’ve all stepped up and become a part of her life, which is clear by how they all know who Penny and I are before we introduce ourselves.

To be fair, I’ve known some of them for most of my life, but not all.

“We’d better head toward the petting zoo,” I tell her after we leave a particularly chatty Mayor Monroe. Is the man trying to date my mom? He always talks to us, but I don’t remember the last time he gave my mom so much attention. It’s been an hour since we had those cream puffs and the event is getting close. “I need to check in with Emma and learn what my responsibilities are.”

Penny runs off with Mom to check out the pigs and try to figure out which one is getting a smooch tonight. The teenaged FFA kids let them inside to pet the animals after making them wash their hands. At this point, Penny is probably considered a regular, but I’m not mad.

A crowd is beginning to gather around the microphone area, the speakers facing away from the animal pens, and Emma is standing next to a giant jug chock full of money.

She’s so beautiful, arms crossed over her chest while she nods along to whatever Seth is telling her. Her auburn hair glows red under the streetlamps. She pulls her jewel green sweater tighter around her, showing off her curves while she tries to keep warm.

I could probably warm her up.