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And now, today is his only day off, and he’s offering to take me out. I’ll never get over how sweet he is.
“What did you have in mind?” I ask.
“I was thinking we could hit up the Fall Festival.”
“That’s tonight?”
He nods. “Yeah. We could go and get some good food and hang out for a bit.”
Although I’m not entirely sure about going into town with this huge cast on my leg, I know Shane will do his best to make sure I have a good time. Plus, he seems pretty excited about going.
“Sounds fun,” I finally respond.
***************************************
Hopping out into the living room, I do a little twirl and show my outfit to Shane. “What do you think?”
His jaw drops as he looks me up and down, and I know that I’ve nailed the look I was going for.
Since it seemed like a special occasion—our first official night on the town—I pulled out the only dress I owned and threw it on.
It’s white with tiny blue flowers all over it. It’s sleeveless and cinches right underneath my chest and flows outward, and falls right above my knees. The giant cast throws off the look a little, but I’m deciding not to worry about it.
Shane takes it all in before standing up and walking over to me. “You look incredible,” he whispers, taking my face in his hands. His eyes glance down at the low-cut top.
“Too much?” I ask, my eyes flicking down to where his eyes are staring.
“Nah. I love it.”
“Not going to be jealous that other guys can see the girls?”
“First of all, you can wear whatever you want. I’ll never try to control you. And second of all, I get to come home and get up close and personal withthe girls,so they can look all they want.”
He smiles and looks down again before adding, “But maybe wear a sweater.”
“I can do that,” I say with a giggle. It’s cute seeing him a little bit jealous and territorial, especially since he’s not over the top with it.
Half an hour later, we are pulling into town. The streets of Grady, which are usually relatively quiet, are now teeming with Autumn-themed activities.
There’s face painting, apple cider, and tons of homemade snacks. Kids are walking around in their Halloween costumes despite it being after the fact. Their parents walk after them, and everyone waves and says hello as they pass by each other.
Although small towns have their share of downfalls, one thing they have an abundance of is charm. I don’t think you ever truly understand unless you live in one. All of the little traditions make up every small town and its own individual history. The Fall Festival in Grady is one of my absolute favorite traditions, and I can’t believe it’s been three years since I’ve been to one.
The moment Shane and I start walking up the sidewalk, the scents of cinnamon bread and apple cider fill my nostrils.
Hopping around on my crutches gets me a few pitiful stares, and a couple of people stop to ask me how I’m doing, but it’s not overwhelming. Thankfully, most people are busy doing their own thing to pay much attention to me.
Shane’s hand rests on my low back as he guides me through the small groups of people.
“What do you want to do first, Sunshine?” He asks.
“Let’s just walk around and see everything,” I reply.
And we do just that. As much as I loved my college life, I have to admit that I’ve missed this too.
When I was younger, Momma would always run a booth to sell some different things she knitted. I’d help her out at the booth, and then my brothers would walk me around to enjoy all the festivities. They’d even use some of their own money to ensure I’d get any of the snacks and treats that I wanted. I wonder if I’ll see any of them here with their own kids. I’ve been so busy with Shane lately that I haven’t seen much of my family. And Momma’s had a cold, so she’s stayed away too.
As we walk around, I take in all the sights and smells, but it doesn’t take long before the crutches start bothering me. Shane takes notice as he leads me into the large building in front of us. It’s called Grady Gardens, but the best way to describe it is basically a giant barn. It’s used for all types of events around town, so the inside is always decorated with fancy string lights and pretty flowers. It’s the picture-perfect spot to hold a farmhouse wedding. It belongs on a Pinterest board for sure.
