Leave Tomorrow Behind (Stella Crown Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

my waist and kissed me, right there on the fairway. “So, my sweet girl. Ready to go home now?”
He was lucky I didn’t slug him.
 
 

Chapter Six

Zach held his hands up as we approached his stall to say goodbye. “I didn’t do anything, I swear. Please don’t kill me.”
“Nah,” I said. “I’ll just kill Randy.”
Randy stepped behind Zach, as if he were really afraid.
Austin sauntered over from his stall, wiping his hands on a rag. “Can I watch?”
I made a gun with my fingers. “I’ll let you know time and place.”
“You mean it’s not right now?”
“I enjoy the anticipation.”
He gave me a thumbs-up.
Randy didn’t.
“Barnabas doing good?” I reached into the stall to rub the calf’s head. He butted up against my hand, and I kneaded harder as he pushed forward. I almost expected him to start purring, or to flop on the ground so I could rub his belly.
Zach laughed and patted Barnabas’ back. “He’s great. Seems pretty happy.”
“He’s always pretty happy. Aren’t you, sweetie?” Barnabas looked up at me with bright, liquid eyes, and I rubbed his ears.
“We’re heading out,” I said to Zach. “You need anything else?”
“I’m good. Thanks for bringing me and Barnabas over.”
“You got it.”
“You coming to the concert tonight?” Opening night of the fair always featured a local country artist, this time Rikki Raines, a girl who’d grown up in the county and had started to make a name for herself in the surrounding areas. The teens seemed to be fans, from the different T-shirts I’d glimpsed throughout the day, proclaiming the wearers to be “Rikki’s Rowdies.” I’d even seen several bright white wigs, which emulated the long, bleached locks of the singer.
I glanced at Nick, and he shrugged. Country wasn’t exactly his glass of milk, but it was always a good time to see people. I’m not always a people-person, but when it came to the fair, I was “fairly” assured of seeing people I liked. At least, some of them. “We’ll see what we feel like by that time. If not, we’ll be by tomorrow.”
His eyes shifted sideways, and I turned. Bobby had come up, accompanied by a girl. This girl was completely different from anything we’d seen so far. Not a farmer, like Claire, but also not the obscene mannequin we’d experienced at lunch. This girl was cute. Bouncy, but in a good way. And a real way, from what I could tell. She looked like an actual teenager, tallish, with good bone structure. Her long, shiny hair was sort of an auburn color, and a smattering of freckles dusted her nose. She wore sparkly flip-flops, bright pink shorts, and a white blouse, tied at her waist. If she wore makeup, it was expertly applied, so all I noticed were healthy skin and bright green eyes. She was the real deal.
“Hey,” Bobby said into our silence.
Zach nodded, his eyes still on the girl.
Uh-oh.
“This is my cousin, Taylor,” Bobby said. “She’s from Doylestown, and, um, she’s doing that pageant thing this week. Taylor, this is Zach. He’s the one staying with us this week.”
Nick made a noise, and I elbowed him, but I looked at the girl. “You’re bunking with Bobby and Claire, too?” Because that could be trouble.
“No,” she said, exhibiting perfect teeth. “I won’t be staying overnight here at the fair. I don’t have an animal to take care of, so…” She shrugged prettily. If shrugging can be described as pretty. “I’ll leave the hard work up to these guys.”
Oh, she knew how to work it.
“That’s Austin,” Bobby said. Austin had—geez, what a coincidence—come back over to rejoin the conversation.
Austin smiled. “Hey, Taylor, nice to meet you.”
She returned his smile, then moved toward Barnabas. “Is this your calf, Zach? Ooo, he’s so cute!”
Yup, definitely working it.
I glanced at Nick, and he winked. “You ready now?”
I turned to say goodbye to Zach and give him a “have fun and be careful” speech, but—what a surprise—he wouldn’t