Page 34 of Forever Home

“You can’t live your life in fear, Sam,” I finally say, watching as her eyes lift to mine. “You have to let go and let love in again. You're just not cut out to be a cat lady.”

My words cause her to scoff with amusement as a small smile litters her lips and Kylie joins in with her own slight chuckle. I do have a point though, Sam is definitely not cut out to be a cat lady.

Me on the other hand… That’ll end up being my future.

Chapter Fourteen: Madison

Afew hours later and the three of us are entertaining ourselves at the carnival. People are pouring in from all over town. The sounds of laughter, music, and carnival employees echo all around us as Sam and I continue to lose badly at a water gun game that Kylie seems to be an expert at.

“Noooo. No way you’re winning again!” I fuss, still trying to win even though it seems impossible.

“Want to bet me ten dollars on it?”

Glancing at Kylie, I roll my eyes. “Hell no… I’ll lose ten dollars.”

Just then, the guys roll up.

“Damn, girl. Remind me not to piss you off. You got game.” Jaxsons’s deep, sultry voice wraps around me as my gaze is pulled from the game ahead to the delicious man next to me. He slings his arm around Kylie’s shoulders just in time to make her lose concentration. Her winning streakslows and she finishes off worse than before, only winning a stuffed polar bear.

His eyes slide to me for a split second, making me clear my throat as I lay the water gun down, suddenly flustered by his presence.

I try my hardest not to let him see that his presence affects me, but unfortunately… It’s hard. Though obviously not as hard as the tension currently echoing between Asher and Sam. The small side glances and smiles that they are giving each other instantly let me know that they need time alone.

As Kylie receives her stuffed polar bear, I turn to Jaxson with a mock-serious on my face.

“Jax, you dipshit! You made her lose her concentration!” I draw him and Kylie away. The destination isn’t important, just giving Sam and Asher the space they need. “Come on, you owe Kylie a bigger stuffed toy, and by God, you’re going to get it for her.”

Jaxson laughs before giving a shrug of his shoulders as he begins to eye the different booths and prizes. “Alright, what is it that you want, Kylie? Madison says I have to make it up to you.”

“Hmmm… let me think.”

With Kylie and Jaxson preoccupied, I glance over my shoulder to find Knox not getting the hint. A heavy sigh escapes me as I stop in my tracks, watching him catch my gaze. “Come on, you’re being a third wheel.”

Knox scratches his head, his eyes widening as he seems to get the idea, before turning to Asher and Sam to exchange a few words. As soon as he is back at my side, I nudge him with my shoulder causing him to laugh. “What? I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Clearly,” I snort. My eyes drift over to where Jaxson and Kylie stand by a milk bottle booth, the size of the large monkey hanging from the rack letting me know exactly what Kylie is after.

“What the heck is Jaxson doing?”

“Trying to win Kylie the monkey since he fucked up her last game,” I chuckle, as we approach the two of them just in time to watch Jaxson knock the last bottle over. Kylie squeals with delight as she picks out the large blue monkey hanging at the back of the tent.

“Nice throw,” Knox tells Jaxson, the two of them exchanging words as Kylie turns back to me holding her monkey with a yawn.

“Don’t tell me you’re tired?” I sigh. “It’s not even five yet. The night’s only just begun!”

Kylie smiles, rolling her eyes. “I’ll stay out a bit longer.”

“Only a bit?”

She doesn’t get a chance to reply when Knox interjects, “So, I don’t know about you guys but I really want a funnel cake.”

I can’t help but scrunch my nose in disgust at the thought. When we were younger, I was obsessed with funnel cakes. It was something we always made sure to get, but the last summer before we graduated, Jaxson, Sam, and I ate so many of them that I made myself sick. And ever since then, I can’t look at them.

“I’m good,” I reply, shaking my head. “No funnel cakes for me.”

“Really? But you loved them,” Jaxson says, catching my attention. The fact that he even remembered that I liked them taking me by surprise.

“‘Loved’ being the key word.”

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