Page 96 of Just Like That
We moved through the crowd until we reached the edge of the beach, and Teddy’s excitement grew with each step. To the right, more tents with snacks, crafters, food, and beer and wine tastings dotted the small parking lot.
I spotted Charles Attwater. His table was lined up with women clamoring to taste his wine and soak up his attention. He seemed to be doing just fine. As we passed, his gaze lifted and stopped on us. JP’s eyes narrowed, and I watched as Charles visibly gulped, diverting his attention back to the blonde in front of him.
Up ahead, the pier jutted into Lake Michigan, with the lighthouse at the end. To the left, along the stretch of sandy beach, were stacks of wood, dotted along the shoreline.
Royal was already claiming a circle of logs and organizing them into a seating arrangement. When JP caught his eye, he grinned and jogged over to us. “Hey, fam.”
My heart rolled at the casual way he greeted us.
JP shook his hand and laughed. “What the fuck are you wearing?”
Royal looked down as though he was surprised at what he had on. His flannel shirt appeared homemade and was a patchwork of various gaudy mismatched plaids that were haphazardly sewn together. His shirtsleeves were rolled, putting his extensive ink on display.
“What?” he asked.
JP laughed and shook his head. “Nothing, man.”
Royal looked down at Teddy. “Nice bow tie, kid. I wish I would have thought of that.”
Teddy beamed and stood taller as JP asked, “Is Veda here?”
Royal grinned. “Of course. She’s meeting up with the hens for a drink while I set up for the fire.” He looked back down at Teddy. “Hey, Big Dog. Come by after you check out the rides. I’ll save a s’more for you and tell you about the time your dad puked on the Tilt-A-Whirl.”
Teddy buzzed with excitement. “Thanks, Uncle Royal!”
“I did not puke.” JP looked at me with a serious face. “I didn’t.”
My lips pressed together to hide my laugh. “Okay.”
After saying goodbye to Royal, we started heading toward the carnival. Crafters and exhibitors were selling everything from Sullivan Farms jam to handmade quilts. One man had an ornate display of antiques for sale.
I stepped up to run my fingers along a brass candlestick. A trill of excited mischief danced through me. “Excuse me, sir?”
The man turned and smiled.
“Do you by chance have any haunted amulets?” I turned toward a stunned and confused JP. “Don’t worry. I’m getting the spell reversed.”
A wicked grin lifted the corner of his mouth as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and playfully tugged me away from the table. “You’re such a brat,” he whispered in my ear and tingles danced along my spine.
Messing with JP brought out a playful side of him that I craved. With his arm still around my shoulder, we walked through the crowd, stopping at any booths that looked interesting. JP bought a few jars of jam from Duke and we’d gotten a beer from the tent set up for Abel’s Brewery.
Teddy tried a hot apple cider and an apple doughnut. His cheeks were coated with cinnamon sugar. I had bent down to help wipe his face when I spotted JP’s aunt Bug making a beeline toward us.
“Oh, thank goodness. I’m glad you’re finally here.” She smiled and winked at Teddy and then looked directly at me. “We desperately need your help.”
Confused, I looked around and pressed a hand to my chest. “Me? Okay ...”
Bug swatted the air between us. “Oh, well, it’s always something. Mabel was supposed to hire a fortune teller for the fair, but now Ms. Tiny has her granny panties in a bunch because she swears she recognized the woman as—and I quote—the charlatan from Chicago who scammed her out of talking to her late husband Slingshot. Madame Claire overheard, and the two got into a tizzy about the fact Tiny’sfirsthusband had come through the reading, and that was not her fault. Ms. Tiny ran her mouth, and now Madame Claire is refusing totap into the other side.”
My eyes went wide. “That’s ... a lot.”
Bug released a frustrated exhale. “You have no idea. Can you sit at the booth for a little bit while I try to calm Madame Claire down? You can use some of those magic cards of yours and entertain the locals. An hour, tops.”
I glanced at JP. “I mean, I do have my tarot deck in my bag ... I guess I could help.”
JP grinned and shrugged. “Sounds like your special talents are needed.”
“Perfect.” Bug put her arm around my shoulder and tried to guide me toward the row of white tents on the north side of the beach. “This way. Let’s go. The fools are waiting.”