My dad stood up and pulled me aside. “Madison, you shouldn’t of?—”
I shushed him and spoke from the corner of my mouth, making sure Grant couldn’t hear. “I wasnotgoing to let that gift float down the damn river.” I flexed my muscles. “I’m a little tougher than you think.”
Looking back and seeing me flexing my muscles, Grant giggled. “Jax, Madison has some big muscles. Show us your muscles.”
He gave him a wink before flexing his arms.Nice!I wanted those muscles to rip off my shirt and hold me against a wall somewhere. Or, just maybe, we could do that “Dirty Dancing” run and jump move, and I could be lifted and twirled in the air. Oh, yes indeedy, I definitely wanted to be all wrapped up in those later.No, stay out of those arms! They’re making your brain and heart all mushy. Departure day is getting closer and closer.
Jax and Grant joined us just as my dad was saying, “Hey, you guys should check out the Sarpy County Fair today.”
My ears perked up. “Sarpy County Fair?”
A gasp from Grant. “I looove the fair!” Grant grabbed my hand. “Do you like the deep-fried Oreos at the fair? And the funnel cakes? Or maybe the deep-fried pickles?”
I shook my head. “I haven’t had deep-fried Oreos and never even knew there was such a thing as deep-fried pickles. Is that really a thing?” I looked around to the three people who may have the answer.
“In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a fair.”
Jax shook his head in disbelief. “Really?”
I looked at my dad, whose mouth dropped open. “You’re right. There’s no county fair in New York.”
“Well, is the Sarpy County Fair like Disneyland? I’ve been there.” I pointed to my dad. “Do you remember how Zoey puked all over the little boat inIt’s a Small World? Hilarious!” I heard myself giggle-snort and quickly covered my mouth.
Laughter shot from all three of them.
Jax wagged a finger at me. “Nope. Big difference. “Disney is Disney. The county fair consists of awesome food that will likely cause artery cloggage and possibly a stroke on the way out. The rides are assembled at lightning speed by questionable characters. I literally saw a screw fly through the air while I was riding the Zipper last year.” He shrugged his shoulders. “You in?”
“Let me get this straight. The fair is full of death-defying rides, with flying screws and bolts, along with fried foods that apparently can kill you right there in the parking lot?”
My dad and Jax looked at each other while nodding in unison.
My hands flew into the air. “Heck yeah, I’m in.”
Jim laughed. “Jax, if you have any work you need to do before the fair, Grant can hang with me for a bit.”
“Actually, my little buddy was up at the crack of dawn.” He flashed a sarcastic smile. “He was such a help, I’m about done with most I had to do this morning.”
“When do we haul those four horses to Oklahoma?” My dad grabbed Grant’s fishing line.
“The fourteenth. Austin and I can do it.” Jax clapped his hands. “Grant, looks like you caught something.”
Grant started cranking on the reel, and sure enough, a fish popped out of the water while his laughter filled the air.
“Look! My fish! I’m naming him Eddie!”
“That’s a nice looking one, Grant!” My dad patted him on the back. “I bet Jax will cook that up for your dinner tonight.”
Grant’s eyes widened. “No, I don’t want him to be dead.”
“No problem. Why don’t we get a picture of you and Eddie, and you can set him free, okay?” Jax pulled his phone from his pocket. “Everybody, get close!”
After we hammed it up for the camera, my dad took the hook out of Eddie’s mouth and held him out to Grant. “Okay, say farewell.”
Grant looked at the fish and gave him a quick peck before my dad set him free. Grant spun around and wiped his lips. “He tasted gross!”
Jax threw his hand in the air. “I told you not to be making out with any fish, man!”
Grant’s amazing giggle flew through the trees, and I swore I saw it land somewhere in Jax’s heart.
