April nodded. "We definitely can go," she said, squeezing Crunch's arm. "It'll be good, spending time together as a family."
My dad was being completely manipulative, suggesting June would go to the town birthday with someone else, especially when it had been a town tradition for years. Which meant that it had been me and June's tradition too. It was a transparent attempt to make me jealous, incite me to go to the fair.
And it had worked.
The One Hundred and Forty Seventh West Bend Birthday Bash was nearly the same as the way I'd remembered the earlier versions, the main road through the middle of town blocked off to traffic and crowded with people. Lights were strung from one side of the road to the other, crisscrossing and anchored to the historic buildings, lending a romantic vibe to the historic town. Vendors lined the edges of the street, selling handmade crafts and local food. All of that was just like any other country fair. It was the huge white tent in the grassy lot beside the old Baptist church, housing the band and dance floor, that held the memories for me.
"Are there rides?" MacKenzie jumped up and down, pulling on the sleeve of April's shirt. "Can we do rides? Can we?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" April said, scooping Mac up in her arms. "But let's let Mr. Austin show us around a little bit first, okay? This is really nice, Stan."
"Cade used to love it, growing up," my dad said. "Of course, it didn't used to be crowded like this, either. Now you've got people from the bigger towns coming in, tourists too. Not just locals anymore."
When we were kids, the town celebration was all about the carnival rides. In high school, it was all about coming here to dance under the huge open tent, an excuse to hang out and flirt with girls. For me, though, it was always about being here with June, slow-dancing in the summer evening, her body pressed up against mine.
I had no desire to go inside. It wasn't the same, being here without June. I wanted to go tell her I'd been wrong, that more than anything, I wanted to be with her. But that wasn't good for her.
"No, I don't want to go dance," MacKenzie said, beside me, her nose wrinkled. "Where are the rides?"
"We should go on rides," I agreed. "I think there must be some around here somewhere."
It was a while before we'd exhausted MacKenzie enough on rides for my dad to pull us back toward the tent, where the adults tended to congregate. He craned his neck, trying to see around the crowds. "Cade," he said. "You remember Mr. Hendricks, your old shop teacher? He wants to say hi. I told him I'd bring you by. And a couple guys from down at the VFW want to say hello."
"Dad," I said. "No VFW stuff, no socializing. We're not meeting up with everyone in town. We're trying to stay low." It had been over the top when I'd come back here, after I'd gotten the Silver Star. I didn't need a big production being made again. Especially now, under these circumstances.
I knew it was a bad idea, coming here.
"It's a couple people. I'll find them, bring them over quietly," dad said. "I'll be back." He ducked inside the tent and disappeared.
"Mommy," MacKenzie whined. "I don't want to go in there. Just one more time in the bounce house?"
"Only if daddy says it's okay," April said.
"Please," Crunch said, turning toward me. "Please, don't make me do the bounce house again. Let me go where there's beer."
I sighed. "Fine. Let's go in."
"Oh, I see how it is," April protested. "Now I'm stuck with the bounce house and the screaming kids?"
"You mind, babe?" Crunch asked.
"No, you boys go," she said. "I'll just be outside with the hordes of children hopped up on cotton candy."
"Yay! We can have cotton candy, too!" MacKenzie grabbed April's hand and pulled her toward the rides.
Crunch looked up at the tent. "You're gonna show off your dance moves, right?"
"Fuck you, man," I said.
No sooner than we were inside, did I hear, "Well, as I live and breathe. If it isn't Cade Austin." I turned to see - oh, what the hell was her name, anyway? Meghan. No, it was another M- name. Melanie, that was it. Nothing like forgetting a girl you once hooked up with. She approached us, hips swaying, tits barely squeezed into her top, teetering on heels too high for a country dance. Sauntering toward us like she owned the place.
"Melanie," I said. "How are you?" I looked behind her, scanning the crowds. Looking for June, not sure if I wanted to find her or know where she was so I could avoid her.
"You're a sight for sore eyes, Cade," she said, putting her hand on my forearm. I flinched at her touch.
Crunch raised his eyebrows. "Hi."
Melanie took a sip from her plastic cup, and I could smell the alcohol. She looked Crunch up and down, then dismissed him, turning her attention back toward me. "You're looking good, Cade."
"Thanks, Melanie." You too would have probably been the polite thing to say, but, let's face it, I didn't want to encourage her any more than the alcohol was already doing.