Forbidden by Lori Adams

Author:Lori Adams
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780345549259
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2014-04-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

One Hot Dog, Heavy on the Miracle

It’s Saturday, the final day of the Harvest Festival. Rides and booths open at ten. The square is inundated with people from surrounding towns, schoolkids bussed in, and shuttles full of tourists; it is by far the busiest day of the celebration. Final competitions, trophies, and ribbons will be awarded. A decent band takes the stage and fills the air with cool music. Every few hours the bands rotate, and I capture photos of each. I’m forcing myself to keep busy. I’ll do anything to avoid thinking about last night and the car accident that never happened or the strange conversation with Dante. He hasn’t mentioned it and I am not willing to either.

By noon, I’ve maneuvered in and around the entire square numerous times. My memory card is nearly full. And Dante’s been at my side for the duration. He seems extremely patient, never bored or interested in anyone but me. Too interested sometimes. He keeps trying to kiss me, like he’s desperate to win a bet or something. I’m strategically keeping the camera between us.

It’s around five o’clock when I notice Dante’s reluctance to go near the Farmer’s Market where Mr. and Mrs. Patronus are working. Dante will follow me up to the wooden carts with colorful fruits and veggies, but when Michael’s parents approach, he turns on his heel and strolls away. This happens not once but three times, while I’m rearranging flowerpots for a particular shot. Michael’s parents haven’t spoken to Dante or given more than a stiff glance, but I can sense the tension, and it blooms into a full-fledged fascination for me.

Since I’ve taken most of the photos on Miss Minnie’s list, and because I’m overly curious, I decide to test my hypothesis.

Dante follows me to the pie-throwing contest, where I line up shots of Mr. Cummings getting it in the face. I ask Dante for a banana from the Farmer’s Market. He brings back a chocolate-dipped banana from Rachel’s dessert booth. Later, I request a Granny Smith from the market, and he delivers apple pie à la mode from Bailey’s pie booth. A bottled water comes back as a pink slushy.

All subsequent scientific experiments are cancelled due to an upset tummy.

I’m exhausted and shaky from too much sugar and too little protein. I stare at the crumpled, sticky photo list I’ve been handling all day. One booth left to shoot: the pony ride, the one I’ve been postponing because Dante has been stuck to me like a dryer sheet. Not that it would matter; Michael hasn’t been there all day. So I trudge over with all the excitement of taking the SATs, and stop dead in my tracks.

Michael is there.

I suck in a breath and hope that Dante doesn’t notice my reaction. Fumbling with my camera, I pretend to check the battery to stall for time. I peek through my lashes and see Michael and Duffy loading kids on the ponies. I’m more than fifty feet away and feel none of the unusual—or should I say the usual—second heartbeat.

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