realized his mistake. He whipped
into the police station parking lot. Quickly, he jogged around to
open the door for Willow but found her pulling her suitcase from
the back of the truck, her dress leaning against the dusty truck
bed.
“Wait! You’ll get your dress dirty!”
Too late. The front of her dress was
streaked with dust. Undaunted, Willow began beating on it and
brushing the filth from it as though thistledown from a dandelion.
“Does the bus come here?”
“No it parks behind the Fox Theater, but
there’s a street fair tonight. I forgot about it. They have one
every year on Flag Day weekend.”
“I didn’t realize anyone celebrated that
holiday. Mother always said it was just a way to point out
significant things on a calendar.”
Chuckling, Chad took her suitcase from her
and gestured toward the street. “Most places don’t, but Fairbury’s
founder, Thaddeus Fairbury, was born on June fourteenth, so we have
a street fair with a founder’s day theme every year. Anything to
bring in the tourists.”
“So the bus coming in should be full?”
He answered affirmatively before they
continued up the street. Her observations never ceased to amaze
him. Willow Finley was the most irritatingly unique and interesting
person he’d ever met, and he still didn’t know what he thought of
her.
As they strolled down the street, he kept an
eye on his watch but tried to let her enjoy the sights. She’d never
seen a Fairbury street fair. Considering Willow was a lifelong
resident of Fairbury—so to speak—that fact astounded him. She
fingered handcrafted jewelry and beautiful woodwork. As familiar as
Chad had become with her facial expressions, he felt reasonably
confident in knowing when something impressed, amused, or
disappointed her.
Wayne Farrell at the Pettler handed her a
daisy and smiled at her truly delighted expression. “Have a happy
day, miss.”
“Wasn’t that kind of him? I feel like I
should pay for it but—”
The florist’s delight in her appreciation
reminded him of what a nice town Fairbury truly was. It was easy to
forget that in the press of everyday living. “Did you see the
barrel of daisies?”
“Mmm hmm.” Already, Willow was engrossed in
her flower and the sight of a fruit stand.
“He gives one to everyone who passes by.
It’s his thing. I even heard once that he gives twins two.”
“I’ve never really cared for daisies, but I
love this. It’s bright and fresh. The ones we grew were orange and
ugly. These might be my new favorite flower.”
Around the corner from the Fox, a small
ticket vending machine stood waiting for her to insert her credit
or debit card to purchase her ticket. “I don’t have a card. I just
have cash.”
“I’ve never used the bus, but you can
probably pay the driver.”
They sat on the bench, Willow growing more
nervous every second. “Where is everyone? What time is it? What if
he won’t take my money and I can’t go?”
Without a word, Chad stood, went to the
vending machine, and purchased a ticket for her. Though he knew he
couldn’t relieve all her concerns, this was something he could fix.
“Here. You’re at least safe until you get there.”
Willow glanced at the ticket price and
pulled her mother’s wallet from the tote bag she carried. As she
reached in to retrieve the fare, Chad’s hand clamped over hers.
“Not now. Who knows how much money you’ll need in Rockland? You can
pay me later if you like. Keep your cash for an emergency. And tell
Franklin to get your ticket home.” He glanced up and saw the twenty
passenger shuttle-like bus pull slowly into the parking lot. “Call
me when you find Franklin, ok?”
Willow nodded, feeling oddly like she should
hug him or something. She picked up her suitcase and waited for the
bus full of passengers to exit. After the last passenger stepped
off the bus, she moved to climb aboard.
“Oh, and call me when you’re on your way
back so I know what time to pick you up,”
into the police station parking lot. Quickly, he jogged around to
open the door for Willow but found her pulling her suitcase from
the back of the truck, her dress leaning against the dusty truck
bed.
“Wait! You’ll get your dress dirty!”
Too late. The front of her dress was
streaked with dust. Undaunted, Willow began beating on it and
brushing the filth from it as though thistledown from a dandelion.
“Does the bus come here?”
“No it parks behind the Fox Theater, but
there’s a street fair tonight. I forgot about it. They have one
every year on Flag Day weekend.”
“I didn’t realize anyone celebrated that
holiday. Mother always said it was just a way to point out
significant things on a calendar.”
Chuckling, Chad took her suitcase from her
and gestured toward the street. “Most places don’t, but Fairbury’s
founder, Thaddeus Fairbury, was born on June fourteenth, so we have
a street fair with a founder’s day theme every year. Anything to
bring in the tourists.”
“So the bus coming in should be full?”
He answered affirmatively before they
continued up the street. Her observations never ceased to amaze
him. Willow Finley was the most irritatingly unique and interesting
person he’d ever met, and he still didn’t know what he thought of
her.
As they strolled down the street, he kept an
eye on his watch but tried to let her enjoy the sights. She’d never
seen a Fairbury street fair. Considering Willow was a lifelong
resident of Fairbury—so to speak—that fact astounded him. She
fingered handcrafted jewelry and beautiful woodwork. As familiar as
Chad had become with her facial expressions, he felt reasonably
confident in knowing when something impressed, amused, or
disappointed her.
Wayne Farrell at the Pettler handed her a
daisy and smiled at her truly delighted expression. “Have a happy
day, miss.”
“Wasn’t that kind of him? I feel like I
should pay for it but—”
The florist’s delight in her appreciation
reminded him of what a nice town Fairbury truly was. It was easy to
forget that in the press of everyday living. “Did you see the
barrel of daisies?”
“Mmm hmm.” Already, Willow was engrossed in
her flower and the sight of a fruit stand.
“He gives one to everyone who passes by.
It’s his thing. I even heard once that he gives twins two.”
“I’ve never really cared for daisies, but I
love this. It’s bright and fresh. The ones we grew were orange and
ugly. These might be my new favorite flower.”
Around the corner from the Fox, a small
ticket vending machine stood waiting for her to insert her credit
or debit card to purchase her ticket. “I don’t have a card. I just
have cash.”
“I’ve never used the bus, but you can
probably pay the driver.”
They sat on the bench, Willow growing more
nervous every second. “Where is everyone? What time is it? What if
he won’t take my money and I can’t go?”
Without a word, Chad stood, went to the
vending machine, and purchased a ticket for her. Though he knew he
couldn’t relieve all her concerns, this was something he could fix.
“Here. You’re at least safe until you get there.”
Willow glanced at the ticket price and
pulled her mother’s wallet from the tote bag she carried. As she
reached in to retrieve the fare, Chad’s hand clamped over hers.
“Not now. Who knows how much money you’ll need in Rockland? You can
pay me later if you like. Keep your cash for an emergency. And tell
Franklin to get your ticket home.” He glanced up and saw the twenty
passenger shuttle-like bus pull slowly into the parking lot. “Call
me when you find Franklin, ok?”
Willow nodded, feeling oddly like she should
hug him or something. She picked up her suitcase and waited for the
bus full of passengers to exit. After the last passenger stepped
off the bus, she moved to climb aboard.
“Oh, and call me when you’re on your way
back so I know what time to pick you up,”
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