Page 16 of Searching for Sadie
"Some call it a gift, others call it intuition. I've been around a long time, and I can just tell these things. I see yer here with the youngest Fipp brother?"
Sadie followed her gaze. Although all she saw was the sight of a small town carnival. A handful of rides, some games, a music stand with a DJ, neighbors chatting and kids running around with cotton candy. She could actually go for some cotton candy,come to think of it. But as charming as the sight was, there was no Lucas Fipp in sight.
Then she spotted him, and he was walking right towards her. His tall frame and wide chest made her want to snuggle right into him. The way his dark blond hair fell over his eyebrow only for his hand to sweep it away made her feel something she was not quite ready to be feelings. That was not why she came to Mystic Falls. Although admittedly her reasoning for coming here might not have been the best. Still, she couldn't take her eyes off him.
As he continued to move close, she noticed he was waving. She looked behind her to see who he was gesturing at, only to find Bridget looking at her with a grin like a cat who just ate a canary.
"He is a handsome fellow, isn't he?" Bridget said.
"Ohh, umm." That was all her brain could get out with Lucas smiling right at her shaking his head with a gentle amusement.
"Hey," Lucas said as he finally made his way over. "Sorry about that. I'm done for the night though."
The look on his face settled somewhere deep in her. It was a place she was trying to close off, a place that had all too recently caused her way too much pain.
"I was just reading the cards of our town's newest member," Bridget said.
"Oh yeah? I've heard you have a way with those cards, Bridget."
"That's what they say. I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of reading yers?"
An easy laugh bubbled up from him and the crooked grin covered his face. "Some other time. I'm showing Sadie around. Like you said, she's new and she doesn't know to stay away from Vivian's punch."
"Well, have fun, you two."
A warm breeze blew through the crowd carrying the sweet scent of cotton candy and the sound of laughter from the welcoming crowd around them. While this was by no means her first carnival, there was something about this one that felt special. She didn't know if it was the town or the people she'd met, but something about it told her she would be just fine here in Mystic Falls. And frankly, that was a pleasant surprise.
"Where to?" Lucas asked, smiling down at her.
"Would you think I was totally lame if I wanted to ride the Ferris wheel? I don't think I've done it since I was a kid."
"Yeah, let's do it."
They wove their way through the crowd and Sadie couldn't seem to help the smile that spread across her face as they got to the line. As they waited for their turn nerves bubbled in an effervescent way she hadn't felt for a long time.
"So, your dad owns the market in town?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah, he has for years. My brother is taking it over once my dad retires, which he's been saying he was going to do for years now, but he's still there. He just can't seem to let go."
"You have a brother?"
"I have two brothers. I'm the youngest. What about you? Do you have any siblings?"
She nodded, sadly the thought of her sister was enough to dampen the nervous joy and snap her back to the reality of her situation. "I do," she said, holding back a sigh. "I have an older sister."
"Are you guys close?"
Were they close? That was a question that was hard to answer these days. A small crease found her forehead as she tried to think about how to answer that question.
"Don't answer that if you don't want to," he said quickly, seemingly picking up on her change in energy.
"No, it's fine. We used to be, but we had a bit of a falling out before I left Nashville."
Relief washed over her as the line moved, and it was their turn to get on the ride. Lucas reached out and held the seat steady as she climbed on. She scooted across the hard plastic seat making room for him. The seat rocked as Lucas sat down next to her and the attendant shut the bar over them.
The attraction she'd been fighting was front and center as they sat in this seat slowly making its way to the top. Neither of them were small, so his leg pressed against her as they climbed higher and higher. The gentle rocking and the setting sun had her wishing he would slip his arm around her shoulder and then her head could find that inviting nook between his chest and shoulder. At that thought, she had to give her head a little shake. She was going to get swept away in another fake fairytale if she wasn't careful.
As they hit the top she could see all of their sleepy little town against the backdrop of a picture-perfect sunset painting the sky with pinks and gold.
