Page 12 of Rust and Stardust

“For the fair of course! I want you to be able to enjoy yourself and take some much needed time off.”

I wasn’t convinced.

“And,” he added, pulling a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket, “You’re signed up to do the barbeque competition this year. Time for you to defend your title!”

My stomach twisted into a tight knot in an instant. That was the last thing I wanted to do.

“Pa…” I began, trying to figure a way out of this mess.

“Now, now, don't you start arguin' with me,” Pa cut me off before I could protest further. “You've won that competition three years runnin', and folks are expectin' you to show up. You got your year off and you can't let 'em down again, can we?”

I bit back a groan, knowing there was no way out of this. When Pa got an idea in his head, it was like trying to move a stubborn steer - damn near impossible.

“We?” I shot back. “You got a mouse in your pocket or somethin’?”

Pa put his hands on his hips, giving me that look I knew all too well.

“Fine,” I conceded, turning back to Willow and running the brush along her flank with perhaps a bit more force than necessary. “But I'm not promisin' anything fancy. Just my usual recipe and nothin’ else.”

Pa chuckled, the sound warm and familiar in the quiet of the stable. “That's all anyone's askin' for, son. Your 'usual' is what keeps 'em comin' back year after year.”

I sighed heavily, giving Willow a gentle pat on her neck. She nickered softly, sensing my frustration. “Alright, Pa. I'll do it.”

“That's my boy,” Pa said, his voice filled with pride.

“But this is the last time,” I added. “If I win that trophy again, you’re gonna leave me be, alright?”

My father smiled, clapping me on the shoulder. “As much as I think you’re wastin’ your talent out here mending fences, I’ll leave you be if you win. And I know you will too.” As much as he liked to meddle, I knew he did it out of love. I couldn’t fault him for that. “Now, why don't you come on inside? Mabel's made her famous pot roast for supper.”

The mention of Mabel's cooking made my stomach growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. “I'll be right in. Just gotta finish up with Willow here.”

Pa nodded and headed back to the house, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more. As I finished brushing Willow down, my mind wandered back to Lucas. The thought of seeing him at the fair made my heart race and my palms sweat. How was I supposed to focus on the barbecue when I was so caught up with trying to resist him? And then there was the problem of possibly running into Amber May. Clearly Mabel was still trying to set me up with her, which I knew I didn’t want. But what I wanted from Lucas… well, I knew I couldn’t have it.

Caught between what people expected of me and what I wanted that I couldn’t have made me feel like a caged animal.

I gave Willow one last pat and headed towards the house, my mind still swirling with conflicting thoughts. The smell of Mabel's pot roast hit me as soon as I opened the back door, making my stomach rumble again. I washed up quickly at the guest bathroom sink before joining my family at the dinner table.

Mabel beamed at me as I took my seat. “There you are, sugar! I was startin' to think you'd run off and joined the circus or somethin'.”

I forced a smile. “No ma'am, just lost track of time out in the barn.”

“Well, I'm glad you're here now,” she said, ladling a hearty portion of pot roast and vegetables onto my plate. “You're gettin' too skinny. Need to fatten you up before the fair.”

I tried not to wince at the mention of the fair. “You plannin’ to show me as your prized hog or somethin’?”

She smacked me on the shoulder playfully, chuckling lightly. “No. But I wanna make sure you look healthy for a certain somebody that might wanna see you again.”

“And who would that be?” I asked, lifting a glass of water to my lips.

“Amber May of course!” Mabel beamed. “I hear she’s gonna be one of the judges this year in the barbecue competition!”

I nearly choked on my drink. Sputtering and coughing, I slammed it back on the table and grabbed my napkin. Everyone sat there, watching me like I was going mad or something. Mabel was the only one that stayed by me, her hand still on my shoulder.

“You okay, sugar?”

“Y-Yeah,” I choked, trying to clear the water from my lungs and lie at the same time. “Wrong pipe…”

“Well, try not to hurt yourself before the fair, sugar,” she laughed, patting me on the back. “We need you to win that competition!” She gave me a sideways glance. “And maybe win a lady’s heart at the same time?”

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