"Because there isn't one." Connor took my bag and swung it over his shoulder. "Riley and I are exceptional."
"Hey!" Riley looked at him as if he thought Connor said something offensive. Only the crinkles around his blue eyes showed he was joking.
Connor slid him a look. "Right, I'm exceptional. You're okay." He elbowed Riley playfully as he walked past, heading back out the door.
"I should have taken ‘exceptional’ when it was offered, shouldn't I?" Riley asked me.
"Probably," I agreed. I pulled the door closed behind me and made sure it was locked. In case any honest people walked by.
"How did all your tours go today?" With the increase in visitors for the festival, they were busy all day. Jacob had insisted he had enough help at the Frosty Brew, leaving us to enjoy the festivities, and the night off.
"No one died," Connor said.
"That's a bonus," I teased.
"It's a bonus for you," Riley said. "Otherwise you'd be spending the rest of the night doing the paperwork."
"Is that what you hired me for?" I fell into step beside him. "So I could clean up your messes?"
"We don't make those kinds of messes," Connor said. He walked close to me, close enough I could feel the heat radiating off his body.
"Right, we make good messes," Riley agreed. "Do we really want to go to the festival tonight?" He looked back over his shoulder at my cottage, a hint of longing in his expression.
"I do," I said. "I've never been to one before."
Hearing Whitney and the others talk about it, I couldn't help being excited. I'd spent a couple of hours this morning with Fiona and Sarah, walking through the food and craft stalls, buying a couple of things here or there.
Holly had a table selling homemade preserves. She'd been nice enough to let me leave a couple of my paintings there, in case any visitors wanted to buy them.
From what Whitney said, the fun really came in the evening and at night. As we walked towards Main Street, I could already see, hear and smell why.
The sound of music came from the park, which was decorated with twinkling lights. The smell from various food cooking on grills, or staying warm in food trucks made my mouth water.
The sky was purple, the stars already visible. A carpet of thousands of them, twinkling with lights of their own.
"This is magical," I said softly.
Groups of people gathered here or there, talking and laughing. Enjoying each other's company. Kids ran back and forth around them, giggling and playing. No one seemed deterred by the chill in the air.
"You're magical," Riley said, lacing his fingers through mine.
"No one's ever called me magical before," I said.
"I don't know whether to be disappointed in them or relieved to be the first," Riley said. "I think I'll go for both."
"People are dickheads," Connor remarked. "That's their loss."
"Exactly," Riley agreed. "Too bad for them."
I thought about my question to Whitney, but now wasn't the time to bring it up. Right now, I wanted to enjoy the festival and their company. The time for deep and meaningful conversations was later.
"What do you feel like?" Connor leaned toward me, so close his shoulder pressed against mine. "Pizza? Poutine? Burger? Crêpes?"
"Crêpes sound perfect," I said. "With chicken and avocado."
He nodded and headed over to the van to place our order.
"You really never been to a festival like this before?" Riley asked.
