“Wow. You must really want to go to this, huh?”
“Yes, Mom,” Matt said, infusing the words with as much “duh” as he could safely get away with. “Kieran says it’s awesome.”
And if Kieran said it, Faith thought with a smirk, it must be true. According to Matt, the sun rose and fell based on Kieran Callaghan and his brothers. It wasn’t a bad thing, not really. She had hoped that Matt would find some positive male role models, and he had. All week he had been polite, accommodating, and suspiciously obeisant.
“They’ve got rides and games and food,” Matt said, launching into excruciating detail of each. “Come on, Mom. I’ll even pay.” Matt proudly reached into his pocket and extracted his week’s earnings.
She sighed, sensing defeat. And the Tusquannock County Fair did sound like fun. “Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. But I need a shower first.”
Matt looked like he wanted to argue, but wisely kept his mouth shut and nodded before walking back outside, cell phone in hand, obviously texting Kieran to tell him the good news.
Faith shook her head as she stepped into the shower. Truth be told, she was feeling a sense of anticipation as well. She hadn’t seen much of Kieran all week, except for the few minutes at the end of the day when she picked up Matt. He always greeted her with a friendly word and that devastatingly handsome grin, leaving her feeling a touch giddy inside as she drove home.
It was silly, she knew. Kieran had no interest in her like that, nor did she have any in him (or so she kept reminding herself). He was simply one of the first friends she had made in Pine Ridge, a kind, generous, and thoughtful man. Thanks to her job and the amount of work they were putting into their home, she hadn’t had much opportunity to make others. It was only natural that she was looking forward to seeing him again.
Plus Lacie would be there with Shane, too, according to Matt. Matt said the Fair was the site of the annual Callaghan family reunion. That was three friendly faces, more than enough to rationalize an appearance.
She washed her hair, treating herself to a conditioning rinse. After a slight hesitation, she also opted for the moisturizing, scented body wash instead of her traditional (and much less expensive) bar soap. Donning jean shorts and a forest green tank, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and regarded herself in the mirror. She wouldn’t win any beauty contests, she mused, but then reminded herself that she was not trying to impress anyone.
Matt was waiting for her downstairs, shifting his weight eagerly from one foot to the other and back again. “Ready?”
“Yes,” she answered, laughing at his youthful exuberance. “Let’s do this.”
––––––––
“Will you stop texting already?” Faith said, standing in line with Matt before the Toxic Hammer. The ride consisted of two bullet-shaped, caged vehicles that spun in a vertical circle while revolving laterally. With their similarly-colored hair and eyes, and the fact that Matt towered over her, they looked more like brother and sister than mother and son. Both were receiving more than their fair share of appreciative glances from the late teen – early twenties crowd.
Matt grinned and pocketed his cell as their turn came and they climbed into the cage.
The ride was brief but violent, and Faith was exceptionally glad that they had refrained from indulging in any of the succulent treats they’d passed beforehand. She stumbled slightly as she stepped out of the cage, leaning on Matt for support. It was another hand – a much larger one – that reached out to steady her.
Still trying to get her bearings, she found herself staring at a muscular chest shrink-wrapped in a plain men’s black t-shirt. Tilting her head up, she found Kieran’s smiling face about the same time she heard him. “Steady,” he said, grinning.
“Stop laughing at me,” she grumbled good-naturedly, directing the comment more toward Matt, who seemed to find her lack of balance hilarious. He looked at Kieran and stopped laughing long enough to snicker, “I told her she shouldn’t ride that. She didn’t quite meet the height requirement.”
The corner of Kieran’s mouth quirked.
“I can still put you over my knee,” Faith threatened, though the amusement glinting in her eyes took much of the heat out of the threat.
“Matt,” Kieran said, his voice suddenly deep and commanding. “Do not disrespect your mother.”
Matt’s smile faded immediately, and Faith looked up at Kieran in surprise. “At least not until you’re sure you’re faster than she is,” he added with a wink.