He blinked. “Oh yeah, hi,” he said, faintly recognizing her. “Is Carmen here?”

This was the second time Skylar had heard this tonight and she wasn’t thrilled. “Oh, she should be around somewhere,” she said. “Now, I really particularly enjoyed the beetle section . . .”

“Thanks,” said Oke, but he was miles away. He met a lot of women, but he didn’t give himself away easily. He couldn’t; his values wouldn’t let him, and he traveled so much, it often was not fair.

But . . . He remembered her running around the fair with the children, laughing her head off, her dark hair flowing in the wind. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Nothing could be less practical, of course. But he had been asked, if he liked, to extend his teaching another term; he was wildly popular with his students.

Skylar eyed him up shrewdly. God, Carmen was just man-crazy, it was pathetic. First flinging herself at Blair—she, on the other hand, understood Blair on a spiritual level, which Carmen was obviously completely incapable of. And now this doctor was looking for her, when Carmen was barely educated and worked in a shop. It was ridiculous. She should do him a favor.

“Yes, poor Carmen,” she said, grabbing back his attention.

“Why, what’s wrong with her?”

“Oh,” said Skylar, putting on her most pitying face and letting her rosebud lips turn down regretfully. “She got a teensy-weensy crush on my boyfriend.” She stroked Blair’s arm, while he ignored her. “Well, quite a big crush actually! I can’t really blame her. But it’s been tough on her. She’s just been after him so desperately for ages.”

“Really?” said Oke, frowning.

“Oh yes, she’s been desperate. He tried to turn her down politely, but she wasn’t having any of it. Anyway.” Skylar made her eyes go wide. “I really, really hope she’s okay.”

Just as she said this, the curtain to the stockroom opened and Carmen emerged with Mr. McCredie; she was slightly pushing him forward, and a loud cheer went around the room for him, slightly brought on by the alcohol and the general cheer of a jolly Christmas party, as well as much natural affection for Mr. McCredie and some relief that his shop was still standing.

He wasn’t expecting it and went quite pink, Carmen smiling broadly as she looked at him.

Then her attention was caught as, right in front of her, Blair looked up from where he was signing for someone else, met her eye, and stuck his tongue straight out at her.

It was so unexpected a gesture that Carmen started and instantly blushed; it was entirely surprising he was here, bigger and cheekier than ever. He kept eye contact.

She didn’t even see Oke, who was standing behind Blair and therefore had not seen the face he made; neither did Skylar.