Page 26 of Rust and Stardust

Beau's cheeks flushed a light pink, but his smile didn't falter. “I reckon I'm startin' to see that,” he said, his voice warm with affection.

We sat there for a moment, just looking at each other, the sounds of the fair fading into the background. I felt a pull towards him, an urge to lean in and kiss him right there, consequences be damned. But before I could act on it, a familiar voice called out.

“Beau Turner! There you are, sugar!”

We quickly pulled our hands apart as an older woman approached our table. Mabel wore an expression that was both friendly and stern at the same time as her long gray braid swung behind her. Her well pressed polka-dot dress was a bit rumpled, and I had a feeling that was our fault for disappearing without warning.

“Hey Mabel,” he called back, wincing as he waved back to her.

“We wondered where y’all had gotten off to! I was worried!” Her tone hinted she was a bit annoyed as well, but didn’t want to show it in front of company.

“The truck stalled for a moment, but we got it back on the road,” Beau explained, reworking his original lie. “When we got here, we didn’t see ya, so we came down to get somethin’ to eat hopin’ we’d run into you.”

“Well, I see you at least found the food,” she replied, one hand on her hip. She glanced at me. “And what did you think of Marge’s tacos?”

“Best I’ve ever had,” I smiled.

“Glad to hear it.” She turned back to Beau. “Now, finish your food and get over here! You know it’s tradition we ride the ferris wheel as a family. And you’re coming too, Lucas.”

Beau and I exchanged a quick glance before he nodded, a forced smile on his face. “Sure thing, Mabel. We'll be right there.”

As Mabel walked away, satisfied with our response, I leaned in close to Beau. “You okay with this?” I whispered.

He let out a soft sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Don't really have much choice, do I? It's tradition.”

I nodded, understanding the weight of expectations all too well. “I can make an excuse if you want, say I'm not feeling well or something so I don’t intrude. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything.”

Beau shook his head, a determined look settling on his face. “Nah, it's alright. Besides,” he added with a small, genuine smile, “might be nice to have you there.”

My heart fluttered at his words, and I couldn't help but return his smile. “Alright then, cowboy. Lead the way.”

We disposed of our empty baskets and made our way towards the towering Ferris wheel. As we approached, I could see Mabel standing with Frank and Jack. They were chatting animatedly with another couple, all of them laughing at something Jack had just said.

Beau tensed beside me as we drew closer. I wanted to reach out and squeeze his hand reassuringly, but I knew that wasn't an option. Instead, I leaned in close and whispered, “Just breathe. You’ve got this.”

He gave me a grateful look before plastering on a polite smile as we reached the group. “Hey, Pa,” he greeted, nodding to the older man.

Jack turned around, still smiling. “There you are! Thought we’d lost ya there for a minute!” He clapped me on the shoulder, pushing me toward the ferris wheel. “Hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

“My apartment is on the forty-third floor of our building,” I smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

Our conversation continued, all five of us clambering into a single booth on the biggest ferris wheel I’d ever seen. Jack, Mabel, and Frank took one side while Beau and I sat on the other. As theFerris wheel slowly began to turn, I found myself pressed against Beau's side, our thighs touching in the cramped space. The warmth of his body was a stark contrast to the cool evening air, and I had to resist the urge to lean into him further.

The others chatted amongst themselves as we ascended higher, the fairgrounds spread out below us in a dazzling array of lights and colors. I couldn't help but marvel at the view, the rolling prairie stretching out to the horizon with no end in sight. Despite its beauty, my eye was inextricably drawn back to Beau. The flashing lights reflected in his blue eyes as he glanced at me, my heart skipping a beat.

When we reached the apex of the wheel, we came to a stop. The others were all looking over the side, snapping pictures or waving at their friends down below. For one brief moment we were alone, no eyes on us and the rest of the world far below. I reached over, putting my hand on Beau’s knee and giving it a squeeze.

“Sure is beautiful up here, cowboy,” I whispered, never taking my gaze off him.

He tilted his head down, those blue eyes barely visible under the brim of his hat as he whispered back. “Sure is.”

Chapter 11

Lucas

The moment I stepped into the room, Logan knew something was off.

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked, standing up from his bed and giving me a good once over. “Why do you look like you’re on cloud fucking nine right now?”

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