Felicia wondered if there was a curse on the shirt. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Um, you’re welcome?”
The woman smiled. “I had a great festival. You were right about my booth. I got way more traffic. I hadn’t realized how many people walked by without stopping because they were eating. This time, I had a line practically all four days. It was great. I’m sorry I was so difficult.”
She turned to walk away, then looked back. “Whatever you want to do for next year? I’m up for it.”
Felicia smiled at her. “I’m happy to hear that. Thank you.”
The woman waved.
Felicia held out the shirt and grinned when she saw all the tarot cards displayed on the front of the shirt. A friendly gesture, she thought happily. Not the first of her Sunday evening, either.
Barely an hour before, two guys from different bands had stopped by to tell her that attendance had been up for their concerts, along with CD and T-shirt sales. Downloads of their music had gone through the roof. Three of the food vendors had wanted her to know they’d nearly doubled their sales from the previous years. There was still friction with the honey booth guy, but no situation was perfect and this was more of a win than Felicia had expected.
Patience and Lillie raced up to her. “Did you hear?” Patience asked. “It’s Heidi. She had a girl. We’re going to the hospital later to see her. It’s the perfect end to a perfect weekend.”
“I hadn’t heard,” Felicia said, thinking she’d only met Heidi a couple of times. The woman had seemed very nice. She had married the previous summer and was now a new mother. “Please tell her congratulations from me. I’m a tiny bit envious of her happiness.”
Patience hugged her. “We’ll find you someone. Did you go to Denise’s booth? You could talk to her about Kent. Unless you’re interested in Ford.”
“I’m not, but thanks.”
“Just as well. Despite her protests, I’m convinced Isabel still has a thing for him.” Patience glanced at her engagement ring. “This town is just so magical.”
Lillie tugged on her mother’s hand. “Mom, we need to get to the hospital.”
“You’re right.” Patience hugged Felicia again. “Come to Brew-haha soon. I want to hear all about your first festival.”
“Sure.”
They ran off.
Felicia circled the park and checked on the cleanup. The crowd had drifted away, and the booth vendors were busy breaking down their displays and packing them away. People called out to her as she moved by. She greeted them and wished them a safe journey.
She’d done it, she thought happily. Survived her first big event. It hadn’t been easy, but she’d only had a mini breakdown and she had more information for next time. She would go a little slower with the changes and explain more. She would get input and then she would move forward.
She had a plan, she thought happily. Always a good thing.
She walked toward the front of the park. Gideon had said he would meet her there. She appreciated that he was checking up on her. She spotted him as she crossed the street, then realized he wasn’t alone. There was a boy standing next to him.
The kid was maybe twelve or thirteen, with dark hair and eyes. Neither was unusual, so she shouldn’t have found herself staring at the boy. Only there was something about him. Something almost familiar.
She wondered if she’d seen him that day. Or around town. There were so many children in Fool’s Gold. He might be a friend of Lillie’s or—
Gideon spotted her. His expression of both relief and panic had her walking faster. As she approached, the boy looked at her, too, and smiled.
The smile had her stumbling to a stop. She recognized it. Recognized the shape of his mouth, his eyes.
“You must be Felicia,” the boy said. “Gideon was telling me about you. I’m Carter.”
Felicia knew, even before he said the words, but still she had to hear them. “Carter?”
“Uh-huh. Gideon’s my dad.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“YOUR DAD?”
Carter shrugged. “Yeah, I know. Weird, right?”
Felicia glanced at Gideon, but he wasn’t talking. His gaze seemed locked on the boy, and if his trapped expression was any indication of what he was thinking, she would suspect he was seconds from bolting. A sniper rifle would make sense to him. An attacker would be quickly disabled. But a son?
Carter slipped his hands into his front jeans pockets. “My mom was Eleanor Gates. Ellie. They met when my d—Gideon was stationed in San Diego. He went overseas and then she found out she was pregnant. She always said he was a good soldier and she didn’t want to get in the way of that.”
Carter looked at Gideon. “Special Ops, right? That’s what she said, but she wasn’t sure. You didn’t talk about it much.”
“Need to know,” Gideon said, then cleared his throat.
Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold #11)
Susan Mallery's books
- A Christmas Bride
- Just One Kiss
- Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold #1)
- Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold #2)
- Sister of the Bride (Fool's Gold #2.5)
- Finding Perfect (Fool's Gold #3)
- Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)
- Only Yours (Fool's Gold #5)
- Only His (Fool's Gold #6)
- Only Us (Fool's Gold #6.1)
- Almost Summer (Fool's Gold #6.2)