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Now that the sun was setting, fairy lights were lit up between the stalls until the whole town seemed to sparkle beneath them. Emile was amazed that he could recognize almost all of the buildings along the street, from the cafe to the market, the diner and the Mexican restaurant. Watching the people milling around below him, the sounds of the fair still in full swing, he felt a surge of affection for this place and the people who had adopted him without question.
None of them knew his background or where he came from; he’d gone from always questioning people’s motives — proximity to royalty made people act strangely and you could never be sure if they liked you or they just liked the idea of you — to feeling truly accepted.
He’d only been in town a few weeks, but it already felt more like home than the palace ever had done. Back in Charcieux, he had questioned everything, always looking for something bigger and better to be doing, never sure of his place. Here, there were fewer opportunities and his life felt small but he was content with the way things were, regardless. Everything made sense here in a way it had never done when he was living the life of a prince.
He could feel Kate still shaking beside him, and he felt responsible. He took her hand more firmly in his.
“Look at me,” he commanded gently. Kate tore her gaze away from the horizon and looked at him, her big blue eyes blinking up at him, even as they were seated. “I’ve got you, it’s okay.”
“Distract me, please,” she said, her voice still soft and fearful.
He wanted to distract her by pointing out everything they could see before them, but he knew that looking down probably wasn’t helping. Instead, he found himself speaking aloud everything he’d been feeling as he looked down on Miller Springs.
“Thank you, Kate. For bringing me to the fair and introducing me to pickle dogs and funnel cake. But, more than that, for all of your kindness up until this moment. I would not be here if it weren’t for you — not just on this wheel, which I realize now was a mistake — but in this town. You gave me a job and a place to live, without even knowing me, and you have been so patient with me as I’ve been finding my way. I really appreciate it. You have the sweetest soul of anyone I have ever met, and I am very grateful for us to have crossed paths.”
Kate’s eyes were wide, but she wasn’t shaking anymore.
“Emile,” was the only thing she said, their eyes still locked on each other.
She looked so beautiful in the fading light of the day, her hair windswept from being on the wheel, her cheeks a little pink. As the moment drew out between them, Emile considered kissing her again. Their first kiss had been the best kiss of his life, and he’d thought of nothing since then except doing it again. Now, with Kate blinking up at him, her hand in his and her body pressed against him on the bench, the need for her was overwhelming. Her mouth had been so soft and pliant against his, that day in the freezer, and the little moans she’d made as he’d kissed her had driven him wild. He wanted more. He wanted it all when it came to Kate.
But last time, she had completely — and legitimately — freaked out. She had been right. They weren’t just two people. They were boss and employee. Roommates. Emile was just here on some kind of strange sabbatical from his life, but this was Kate’s everyday existence. She actually lived here. Had friends here. Ran a business here. It mattered what happened between them.
Emile had been so used to just breezing through life, not really thinking about the consequences of his actions, because he could never do anything right anyway so why bother? But here, with Kate, his actions mattered. They had consequences. Consequences he cared about. So he had to change his ways, even if every fiber of his being was crying out to kiss the woman in front of him and never stop. It was for the best to abstain, wasn’t it?
CHAPTER15
KATE
Kate was very grateful to have her feet back on solid ground. Emile had to help her off the bench because she was still shaking a little, even as they got back to earth. She stumbled slightly as she got off the seat, and Emile’s hand steadied her. Were they still holding hands? She felt as though the last few minutes had been a total blur. She remembered the spike of fear as they rose up above the town, and then she had been consumed by Emile and his words, until they’d got back to ground.
When Emile let go of her hand, she could feel the disappointment rise in her chest. She had been so sure that he was going to kiss her on the Big Wheel. He’d had that same look on his face as the time in the walk-in, that same heat in his eyes and intention in his stare. He’d said such lovely things to her, about how grateful he was for her kindness. And then, the ride had finished and the moment was over. And she remained unkissed.
Which was probably for the best.
Wasn’t it?
With the sun having mostly set, there was a slight chill in the air and Kate could feel herself shivering. The buzz of the day seemed to have worn off, whether because of the aftermath of her fear of heights or because of her disappointment, or perhaps because of something else entirely. All of a sudden, she just felt really tired.
“I think I’m going to head back now,” she said to Emile, and she saw his face fall. “You don’t have to join me, the party’s still in full swing.”
If anything, the laughter and noise had amped up over the last hour or so. The live bands were just setting up and, if past years were anything to go by, the drinking and dancing would last well into the night. A brief reprieve on their otherwise strident rules around not disturbing the peace.
“It won’t be a party without you,” Emile said, looking out over the fair. “I’ll walk back with you.”
Kate felt guilty for ruining the evening for him. “You really don’t have to. I’m sure the book club girls would be happy to show you around if we can find them.”
They’d be more than happy. As would probably any of the women here — single or married, Kate thought, as a little stab of jealousy went through her.
“I want to,” Emile said firmly, and she decided not to argue further. He was a grown man, he could make his own decisions.
“I suspect that this crowd is going to need a lot of coffee in the morning.” Kate observed as they wove their way back through the various stalls and attractions. There was a definite festival vibe to the proceedings, and it was fun to see everyone let loose a little. Kate was used to dealing with people’s worries; she knew what people were carrying every day because they told her when they dropped by for coffee or a stack of pancakes. She was a listening ear, as well as the provider of snacks and refreshments. So seeing the townspeople be able to shed all that and just have fun, even if it was just for the weekend, was gratifying for her.
“You think we’ll be busy then?”
“It usually is after the Street Fair, although people come in a little later than usual so we can sleep in a bit.”
“You treat me good, Kate Acres.” Emile grinned. “Feed me a pickle dog and then let me sleep in late?”
