ShegivesJacea quick kiss on the lips, and he says, “I’mnot here officially yet.”Heholds up the garish case a bit, which doesn’t match his, well,everything.Clothes, personality, you name it. “Ihave to get this back to the agency so they can start analyzing some things.”ThenJaceturns to us. “Mackenzie,I’dlike to introduce you toOllieandDaisy.OllieandIwent to school together—he’s the reasonImade it throughAPCalculus.OllieandDaisy, this is my fiancée,Mackenzie.”
“Impressive,”Mackenziesays as she shakes my hand. “It’snice to meet you.”Thenshe shakesDaisy’shand. “Andyou, too.Oh,Ilove that necklace!Itlooks so cute on you!”
Jacesays, “Andthis is my sister,Charlie, whoI’msure you remember from school, her roommateReese,Mackenzie’sbest friend,Livi, andZoe, who is mybrother,Ledger’s, well, not fiancée, officially.Butwe like to pretend she is.”
Eachof them nods or waves, butIdon’t catch most of their names becauseI’mcurrently pretty blown away by the fact thatJacehas a fiancée and that his family is here.Imean, it makes sense thatJaceis engaged.Theman is oozing with confidence.Ijust hadn’t exactly pictured an intelligence operative being surrounded by loved ones while attending a town festival.
Everyonestarts chatting, andIhearZoesay, “Idon’t understand this ride.Whatis it supposed todo?” at about the same timeIhearReesesay, “Ididn’t see a single booth selling honey.IthinkIshould rectify that for the next fall festival.”
Ihaven’t even found my bearings whenLedgerjoins the group, along with someone wearing a surly expression thatIdon’t know but who has to be an older brother.He’sholding the hand of a toddler who is trying to eat ice cream, but it’s dripping all over the cone and onto her hand.Ledger’scarrying so many food items, and he looks marginally less intimidating when his arms are laden with food.Itdoes show off arm muscles, though, that are even more impressive than they were in high school.
Hestarts calling out food items that he got for different people and handing each one to them.Thenhe says, “Andguess what?Ifound a booth that was selling cheese!”
Zoeperks up. “Cheese?”Sheslides on over to him and gives him a kiss before taking the cheese like it is precious and should be revered.
Daisycrouches down to the toddler’s height, takes the napkin that is tucked into the collar of her shirt like a bib, and helps the little girl clean up her hands and the cone.ThenDaisyturns the cone around so the toddler is licking off the side that is melting the quickest.
AsIwatchDaisyhelp the little girl,Istart picturingDaisyhelping our kids, andI’malready falling in love with that mental image.ThenItell myself to back the truck up.Ican’t start picturing her with our kids untilIat least manage to ask her on a first date.
ThenLedgernotices me. “Oh, hey, it’s theOllie-nator!”Hecomes near me to shake my hand, now that he has one free, and he seems to get taller as he nears.He’stowering over me by what feels like a foot when he shakes my hand and says, “It’sbeen a while.Youare looking better than ever.Howare you doing?”
Yeah.He’sstill intimidating. “I’mgood,”Isay. “ThisisDaisyMaxfield.”
Heshakes her hand, too.
Jaceputs his hand inMackenzie’sand gives it a squeeze. “Youall enjoy the festival.I’llbe back before long.”Thenhe comes over to us, and we wave at everyone before we turn and start walking with him, away from the carousel.
“Youtwo did some great work.Thankyou.”Thenheturns to me and says, “Andyou took some good risks today.”Hepauses for a moment, then adds, “Don’tstop.”
Inod.Iwant to take his advice.Whenwe first handed him the case,Iwas feeling pretty great.ButthenIdon’t know.Somethingabout all the people and everything going on has made me crawl back into myself andI’mnervous all over again.
Jaceveers off toward wherever he parked, andDaisyandIstart meandering toward the edge of the park, heading to nowhere in particular, all while a flock of hummingbirds on caffeine have congregated in my gut.
Nowis the perfect time to ask outDaisy.Rightat the end of a successful mission where we worked together pretty fantastically and seemed to have a lot of fun.Icould ask if she wants to stay at the festival with me and grab something to eat, then actually wander around and look at the booths that we missed when we were only watching for suits.
Butwhat if she was only in it for the excitement of a secret mission?Yesterday, after we planted the bug, she said we should do it again sometime.Asin, go on a spy mission sometime, not go on a regular date.Whatif going on a regular date with me doesn’t sound fun to her at all?CanIhandle her saying that she’s not interested?I’mnot so sure thatIcan, andIdon’t happen to have any secret spy missions up my sleeve to offer.
Daisystops walking and seems to be waiting in anticipation.
Askher out!Askher to stay at the festival with you!
Icould.Icould simply say the words, “Doyou want to stay longer and check out more of the festival?”Thatwouldn’t be too hard.OrIcould say what’s on my mind, which is more along the lines of “Doyou want to date, get engaged, get married, start a family, and grow old with me?”Ha.Likethat would ever be wise to say.
Iwaffle back and forth, deciding what exactly to do for too long, though.Daisysays, “Congratson a successful mission today.Ithink we did good work together.”
“Wedid,”Isay.
Thenshe hikes a thumb over her shoulder. “Myapartment is only about a block in that direction, so it’d be quicker for me to walk home from here than to walk back to your car on the other side of the park.”
Likean idiot,Inod and say, “Thatmakes sense.”
Soshe turns and starts walking.Aftera few steps,Icall out, “Thanksfor your help today!”
Shelooks at me over her shoulder, smiles, and then waves.Ijust stand there, hands in my pockets, and watch her walk away.
CHAPTER 12
COFFEE, KITES, AND CONFESSIONS TO A CANINE
