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I’ve never had such fancy food at a carnival before, but I can’t serve all these rich lawyers and judges hot dogs made of pigs’ arseholes.
Another ten minutes, right on time.
The event is running well. Laughter drifts through the warm evening air, followed by applause. We hit the jackpot with the weather.
I head towards where Eric is performing. All eyes are on him, and choruses of ‘wow’ and ‘incredible’ make my heart fly. The entertainment is a hit, as is the food and drinks. Two cocktails were made for tonight, both of them delicious and heavy on the alcohol.
Reggie watches Eric’s Lycra-clad body very closely. To be fair, most of us do because the man is hung, and he must have a sixteenpack, I swear.
I spot Casper talking to three men. His eyes find mine, snapping up like he senses that I’m here. There must be a radar in his head—something that tells him exactly where I am at any moment. Or is he actually tracking me? Not sure either would surprise me.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the pace at which my heart beats whenever his steely eyes meet mine.
Rudely, he walks away from the other men without a word.
“You were talking,” I say as he approaches.
“Yes, but you’re my favourite, remember?” He pulls me into his arms. “I’m so glad your house was broken into.”
“What an odd thing to be grateful for.”
“We wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t. You would still hate me, I would be here alone and miserable, desperately trying to figure out a way to make you see me differently.” He looks over as three women are thrown up into the air in perfect synchronicity. “I’m so proud of you. Look around. Look at all of this. Everything you’ve done, you’ve done it yourself. You’re amazing, Ainsley.”
For a moment I can’t speak. “Casper,” I whisper as my heart trips. It’s all I can manage to say.
Rather than make a fool out of myself by rambling, I kiss him.
Casper’s control slips, one hand sliding down my back, the other tangling in my hair. It’s a quick slope from kissing to clothes ripping when he pulls that move. Our lips never part, moving torturously slowly.
Pulling back, I give him a warning look. “Hey, stop doing that. I don’t want us to be this year’s gossip.”
Chuckling, he says, “I couldn’t care less.”
“I need to check on the desserts and make sure the guests are okay. I’ll be back soon. Go talk to the people you just ditched.”
“The desserts and the people will be fine. Stay with me.”
“I’m sure you’ll be okay for fifteen minutes. Look, your mum and dad are over there on a table. Go sit with them if you’re bored of everyone else.”
“Fifteen. Minutes.”
Grinning, I shoo him away while I dash into the kitchen.
Reggie looks up when I walk in. He got back in here fast, but Eric has finished his performance so there’s no reason for him to stay out. “Busted.”
“You’re in here, too,” I tell him.
“Desserts look ace,” he says. “Let’s go back out there.”
“But I just need to…” I look over his shoulder and see that the desserts are on platters, ready to go out. Everything is taken care of.
Reggie pulls my hand, leading me out of the kitchen. “We did good, Miller.”
“Yes, we did, McBride.”
“We should talk after graduation.”
We walk slowly down the stone steps and back outside. Laughter carries on a gentle, warm breeze, extinguished by a round of applause for whoever is currently performing.
