As we start moving through the fair, I notice how Katty positions herself. Always on Lilly's outside, eyes constantly roaming the crowd. She's protecting my sister.
And just like that, in the middle of the Sweetheart County Fair, with the smell of funnel cakes in the air and children screaming on rides, I feel something I haven't felt in years.
Interest. Dangerous, unexpected interest in a woman who clearly has her own kind of strength.
I push the feeling down, lock it away. I'm not here for that. I'm here for Lilly, to handle a problem that needs handling.
"So, this Dylan character," I say as we weave through a cluster of teenagers. "What's his deal? Lilly hasn't told me much besides that he won't leave her alone."
Katty's eyes meet mine over Lilly's head. There's a heaviness there, a silent communication that my sister is downplaying things.
"Dylan Thomas," Katty says, her voice dropping to ensure only we hear. "Local boy who thinks the town belongs to him because his daddy's the biggest real estate developer in the county. Dated Lilly for six months. When she broke it off, he didn't take it well."
"Didn't take it well is an understatement," Lilly mutters, her earlier cheerfulness fading. "He shows up everywhere. My work, my apartment, even followed me to yoga class. Left notes on my car saying we're 'meant to be together.'"
My fists clench at my sides. "You file a restraining order?"
"Tried," Katty answers for her. "Sheriff's office said there wasn't enough evidence of an actual threat. Plus, Dylan's father plays golf with the sheriff every Sunday."
Of course. Small town bullshit. Some things never change.
We stop at a food stand, and Lilly insists on buying us all lemonades. I watch as she chatters with the vendor, putting on her brave face. She's always been good at that, pretending everything's fine when it isn't.
"She didn't tell you the worst parts," Katty says, standing close enough that her arm brushes mine. "He slashed her tires twice. Broke into her apartment while she was at work and rearranged all her furniture. Left a dead rose on her pillow."
Heat floods my system, that familiar rage building. "Why the hell am I just hearing about this now?"
"Because she knew what you'd do," Katty replies, her eyes steady on mine. "And she was trying to handle it herself. She only called you when she found out he bought a gun last week."
The cup in my hand crumples slightly. "A gun."
"Yeah." Katty takes a sip of her lemonade, her throat working as she swallows. "That's when I told her she needed to call you. Some situations require a... specialized approach."
There's something in the way she says it. Not judgmental, not fearful, but matter-of-fact. Like she understands exactly what kind of man I am and what I'm capable of.
Lilly returns with her lemonade, forcing a smile. "They added extra sugar for me. The guy remembered from last year."
I drape my arm around her shoulders. "You always did have a sweet tooth."
We continue walking, passing game booths where carnies try to entice passersby to throw darts at balloons or knock down milk bottles. The fairground is getting more crowded as evening approaches, the lights of the rides growing brighter against the darkening sky.
"He texted this morning. Said we needed to 'talk things through' and that the fair would be 'the perfect romantic setting to reconnect.'" Lilly tells me.
"That's why we're here," Katty adds. "Plus..." She hesitates.
"Plus what?" I ask.
"Plus I knew you were coming," Lilly finishes. "And I wanted him to see that I'm not alone anymore."
Using me as a deterrent. Smart. But if Dylan's unstable enough to buy a gun, seeing me might just push him over the edge.
"What does he look like?" I scan the crowds with new purpose.
"Tall, but not as tall as you," Lilly describes. "Dark blonde hair. Usually wears polo shirts. Has a small scar above his lip from a fishing accident."
"He'll be easy to spot," Katty adds. "He sticks out here like—"
"Like a biker at a county fair?" I finish for her, the corner of my mouth lifting slightly.
