“I wonder if my aunt will be here tonight. You said the whole town usually comes?”
“I don’t know about the whole town,” he said, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw her.”
Too bad Goldie didn’t know what she looked like. She’d asked her mom to show her pictures, but that worked about as well as a car without keys.
A large tiger was painted on the outside of Two Pines High School, along with bold, white letters identifying the school and its mascot. It appeared to be about the same size as her own school had been. Single level, brick, made for a small student body.
The parking lot was filling faster than Hobby Lobby on a Saturday afternoon. Goldie noticed Chase’s car parked a little ways off, while Chase and Kimmy waited for Mrs. Bear to exit from the back.
“Your mom didn’t have to come early to set up?” Goldie asked.
“She set up earlier today, and then had a crew do the rest for her,” he said, getting out of the car.
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Goldie said, grateful he couldn’t hear her. The Bear family owned a substantial ranch with a bed and breakfast, land, horses, and multiple houses. They drove insanely nice cars and ran fundraisers to support needs in the town. Their son went around rescuing stranded women in cabins. Just who were these people?
“I hope you’re hungry,” Adrian said, standing beside her with his hands rumpling his suit jacket to tuck into the pockets of his slacks. The night was cool but not chilly, not like the mountain air had been. Still, she hugged her arms around her stomach. If she were being honest with herself, she still wasn’t sure how to act around this suave new acquaintance.
“Famished,” she admitted. She hadn’t eaten anything since his oatmeal earlier. “Are you sure I can’t contribute tonight? Pay for my ticket or something?”
“I’m sure,” he said, offering an arm. Right. Date. Fake boyfriend.
Goldie met his gaze before hesitantly sliding her arm through to rest on the crook of his elbow. He’d smelled amazing during their drive here, but now, standing close to him, his scent wafted right to her. He smelled like bottled masculinity, like musk and cedar, wind and trees.
She had to admit, while the newness of this trip overall was off-putting, she was enjoying herself. How many times had she dreamed of a night just like this, entering a stunning event in a pretty gown on the arm of an incredibly handsome guy? Wasn’t this every girl’s dream? And she’d stumbled into it completely by accident.
Soft jazz music hit her ears and warmth sank into her cheeks the moment they stepped into the high school’s main area. The lights were low. Candles and white, twinkling light strands trailed along the hallways and decorated fake trees on either side of a table.
“Hey, Mr. Bear,” a girl sitting behind the desk said. Her hair was in two braids and freckles sprayed across her nose. “We just saw your mom and Chase.”
“Perfect. We’re taking two seats.” He offered tickets from within his jacket.
He already had the tickets? An uneasy feeling lodged in her stomach. Why would he have two tickets already if he wasn’t already planning on bringing someone? He’d seemed insistent otherwise, but had he meant to invite whoever this Danica was after all?
The girl inserted the tickets into an open box and then gestured to the table beside her. “Want to get in on the raffle? There are tons of amazing items inside, made by people all over town.”
Adrian looked to Goldie, as though the decision were up to her. “I didn’t bring my purse,” she said.
“It’s on me. You’re my date, remember?”
She really disliked him insisting on doing so much for her. Letting her stay at his very expensive bed and breakfast free, paying her way in, now raffle tickets? Who could afford one luxury after another like this?
Thoughts of a carnival flashed in her mind, a memory she’d long forgotten. Goldie had been nine years old when her school had thrown a Halloween carnival. She’d begged to go, but her parents insisted they had no extra money for any of the games with prizes. Eventually, she’d managed to convince her dad to take her, but it had turned out worse than if she’d just stayed home. Instead of getting to play the games, she’d had to stand aside and watch others win and lose, until eventually all the prizes were gone.
“I’m okay, but if you want to get some…”
“We’ll take one hundred.”
Goldie’s eyes widened.
“Yes, sir,” said the girl, obviously pleased. Adrian pulled a hundred dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it over as the girl counted out red raffle tickets and tore them from their large spool.
“You planning on winning everything here?” Goldie joked, doing her best to push aside her discomfort. Adrian folded the tickets and stuffed them inside his inner jacket pocket.
They made their way into the gym. Tables lined the walls and were filled with homemade goods, from hand-knitted scarves and hats, to goat’s milk soap in colorful bars and fragrances. Bath bombs, washable bibs for babies, and handcrafted wall-hangings with clever sayings were also among the displays. Goldie also noticed wreaths for every holiday, cake pops and candies, cookies, beautiful paintings, and stunning quilts she could never hope to make on her own.
“I like to be generous when I can,” Adrian said. “The town needs this event. Too many people are counting on it.”
Goldie eyed him. “Kimmy said this might be the last time you’ll hold it.”
Adrian shook his head. “We can’t let it be the last one.”
The thought warmed her. For someone who claimed impartiality to his home, he at least cared for the town and its citizens.
He waved to several people wandering through the rectangular arrangement of tables. “Where would you
