Addison is working the booth for almost the entirety of the festival. I told her we could work out a different schedule so she could enjoy some of the activities too, but she insisted that she was fine doing this and didn’t have any interest in wandering. She’s definitely got a bit of Travis’s antisocial tendencies in her.

Or maybe that’s just a result of her divorce. Who knows what she was like before her ex cheated on her. I imagine that would mess anyone up.

“As much as I know you’re enjoying this craziness, somehow I don’t think that’s why you were smiling like that.”

“Well, you’re wrong,” I say, leaning into the lie, even though I’m sure she won’t believe me. “I can’t help that I love my town.”

She gives me a skeptical look. “Uh huh, right. Are you sure it doesn’t have something to do with a certain flannel-wearing man that you were prancing all around here with yesterday?”

“Wha-who? N-no,” I stutter. “We’re just... I had to drag him here. I thought it’d be good for him to get out and socialize every once in a while. Wouldn’t want him to turn into a scary hermit. Grow his beard too long, drive off in his truck and disappear into the mountains, never to be heard from again.”

“Okayyy...” Addison’s now looking at me like she’s actually concerned for my sanity. Which is whatever. People look at me like that a lot. “I’m only saying I’ve seen you two when he’s been around the inn. Lately, you get this moony-eyed look on your face when you’re with him.”

“I do not get moony eyes!” I argue. Because that can’t be true. Maybe lust-drunk eyes, but that’s all.

“You do,” she says flatly. “It’s annoying.”

I laugh a little at that. “There’s nothing wrong with liking someone, you know. What about you? Don’t you think you’ll ever want to date again?”

She scoffs. “Ew. No. I’m done with that nonsense. You can’t trust anyone these days.”

That sounds like a hard way to live, not trusting anyone. Though I can’t judge her for it after what she went through. Not everyone has a Travis in their life, someone they know they can always trust.

“So you’re okay with being alone forever?” Maybe that’s a shitty thing to ask, but I’m honestly wondering. I hate the idea of being alone.

“Why not?” she says, shrugging. “I prefer my own company to most other people’s.”

“Hey!” I feel like I should be offended by that.

She rolls her eyes. “You’re all right, I guess. In small doses.”

That might not sound anything like a compliment, but believe me, coming from her, it’s a big one. I wind up grinning ear to ear.