“Thank you,” Becca said. “Don’t tell Raylen.”

“You’ll tell him when the time is right,” Liz said.

Becca left and Liz pinched her nose between her thumb and forefinger for a full minute before she flipped the switch under the table that turned the door sign to ENTER.

***

Liz applied cold cream to her face after she’d removed her costume. She had shut down the fortune telling business at ten and took a long look out across the midway: not much happening there. The Ferris wheel was still, and only the Tilt-A-Whirl was operating. There weren’t twenty people milling around, and no one had looked like they were interested in palm readings or crystal balls. She stomped her bare feet down into cowboy boots and headed straight for the gyro wagon.

She ordered two sandwiches and a Diet Coke, found a seat under the awning, and sat down for a late supper. Before she could remove the paper wrapping and take a bite of the first one, Blaze had parked himself right beside her.

“Thought I’d find you here. Hope it picks up tomorrow night, or we might as well pack it up and go on to west Texas,” he said.

“Oh, no!” she protested. “You are coming to my house on Monday and staying until Thursday. Tuesday is rest up day and Wednesday night we’ve got a Christmas party in the barn. It’s all planned, and invitations have already been given.”

“Who all has been invited?” he asked.

“All the O’Donnell family. They’ve been good to me. And Ace and his hired help which is four guys, and Wil and Pearl and their foreman. Austin and Rye are coming with their baby girl, and Slade and his wife and girls and his granny and aunt. You’ve got to meet Ellen. She’s the grown-up, eighty-year-old version of the women you like,” Liz said.

Blaze smiled brightly. “Darlin’, I wouldn’t miss your party for anything. Now talk to me about this O’Donnell family some more.”

“The family or Colleen?” she asked.

Blaze’s smile almost chased the dark clouds away. “You know me too well.”

“Yes, I do,” she agreed.

“And I know you just as well. You are in love, but is it real love or are you in love with the idea of being in love? That’s the question you need to ponder in the crystal ball.” He pushed his wet hair back. That night he’d shaved smooth, and Liz caught a whiff of his most expensive shaving lotion.

“So who’s the lucky lady who’ll be picking you up at midnight tonight?” She looked around.

“Could have a date. Don’t have a date. Catching up on sleep tonight. Maybe tomorrow night someone will come along that takes my eye,” he said.

Liz polished off her first gyro and unwrapped the second one. “I don’t know if she’s coming or not. Did you see Gemma tonight?”

“Yes, with your boss lady. They rode the wheel twice and ate Indian tacos and cotton candy. I heard her tell Jasmine that Colleen was going to love the tacos tomorrow night.” Blaze grinned.