"Not like this," I said. "Just small ones at school, where you get to dunk a teacher in the dunk tank."
"We have a dunk tank." Riley gestured over to the park. "We might convince Connor to let us dunk him."
"Fuck off," Connor said over his shoulder. "We can dunk you though."
"You say that like I wouldn't willingly climb in," Riley said. "It's for a good cause." He turned to me and added, "The moneyis split between charity and town improvement projects. Who could say no to those?"
"Not me, but you're not going to ask me to be dunked, are you?" The evening was too cool to get that kind of wet.
"Not if you don't want to," he said. "But tell me you'll let me win you a teddy bear. I've always wanted to win one for someone I care about. Connor won't let me win one for him." He glanced down at the ground as if suddenly shy.
"If you want to win me a teddy bear, I'd love that," I said. "I might give it to Sarah though."
He looked back up, his brow creased. "No, you have to keep it. That's the point. For you to have a teddy bear that makes you think of me when you look at it."
"You're not forgettable," I assured him. "Okay, a small one then." One that would be cute, sitting on a shelf, or on the mantelpiece.
He grinned. "Deal."
Connor headed back from the food van, carrying three plates. He handed us ours, before starting on his own crêpe.
"This is good," I said around a mouthful of crêpe and chicken. It tasted even better out here with the music, company and deepening sky.
They hummed their agreement and led me across to the park, where amusement rides and games were set up. Tinkling music and shrieks of excitement contrasted with the band, who played off to one side.
A couple of young boys ran past with cotton candy on sticks, waving them like they were Olympic torches.
"Come on." Riley took my empty plate and threw it and his in the trash on the way past. He grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the Strongman Game, where players had to hit a hammer and hope they hit it hard enough to make the bell at the top of the game ring.
"How hard can it be?" He rubbed his hands together, his biceps threatening to break the seams of his dark blue Henley.
"Show them what you've got," Connor told him. He looked as though he was ready to be impressed or amused as fuck, depending on how well Riley did.
Riley slid him a sly grin.
"I don't mean your dick, idiot." Connor rolled his eyes.
"Shame." Riley picked up the hammer and hefted it a couple of times. He turned side on to the game and raised the hammer, slamming it down onto the round target on the base. The hammer connected with a clang, sending the marker flying toward the bell.
It stopped a centimetre from the bell and fell back down.
Riley grunted. "That was for practice." He raised the hammer again, bringing it back down harder than before. This time, the marker hit the bell, making it ring out.
The crowd who gathered to watch him try his luck cheered and patted his back to congratulate him. He muttered his thanks, humble for once, before gesturing toward the display of teddy bears.
"She'll take the biggest one you have," he declared.
"I don't need a huge one," I argued. "Teddy bear," I added quickly.
I had a funny feeling I could protest all I wanted, I was going to get handed an enormous bear.
That was confirmed a moment later when the blue-haired young woman in charge of the game pulled a huge, bright blue teddy bear down from the shelf and handed it to me. She gave me a grin and a wink as if to congratulate me for my company.
I smiled back and held the plush bear close to me. I thought I'd outgrown my teddy bear days a long time ago, but there was something comforting about this one. Something sweet about Riley needing to show off his strength to win it for me.
"I'll have to think of a name," I said.
"Looks like you." Connor looked the bear up and down, then glanced at Riley.
