Beautiful Disaster

Part Eighteen

"Officer Brigley! I didn't know you were coming to the fair." Izzy ran toward the burly officer and hugged him tightly. Officer Brigley was in civilian attire, munching on a pretzel he'd just bought from one of the stalls.

"Actually, I'm working here. Keeping an eye out on things," he replied while leaning closer to Izzy's ear, as if conspiring with her. "Just don't tell anyone I'm eating on the job, okay? The boss might sack me."

Izzy knew he was joking. Officer Brigley was the only big boss of the town's station, and he loved being in that position. He wasn't a strict man, but he was still careful with his job. This is why even if it was supposed to be his free day, he was still half on watch. Izzy raised her crossed fingers over her heart. "I won't. Pinky swear."

Brigley grinned when he saw who was running towards them and trying to catch up with Izzy. "Ah! If it isn't boxers boy. How are you doing, old chap?"

"All I can say is it ain't freezing anymore." Hugh wasn't even panting when he arrived at Izzy's side. He was as fit as a fiddle and too happy to be embarrassed by the officer's greeting. Even the circumstances by which he and the cop had first met were forgotten in the presence of Izzy's vibrant energy.

"Good for you. I heard from a little birdie the other day. You two are..."

Izzy looked like she wanted to correct Brigley's misconception, but Hugh grabbed her arm and gave it a little squeeze before she could say anything. "Not engaged, like what other people are saying, but we're definitely going out. Only time will tell if this becomes serious."

"Hugh..." Izzy whispered.

Officer Brigley hadn't heard her and was instead taking Hugh's hand to shake it. "I must say, I kind of expected the story to change. In a little town like this, you can't keep anything hushed up. Or completely accurate. Congratulations, anyway."

"Thanks," Hugh replied.

"Now, I've got to get myself to the other side of the park. There's no telling which naughty boy is shoving sweets in his pocket again. And I'm not talking about the candies he bought, but the ones he grabbed without telling anyone."

Izzy and Hugh waved as Officer Brigley walked away to check on several stalls situated at a park corner. Those stalls stood near the clowns giving away free balloons to kids and the concert stage. The other stalls were closer to the gaming arena, where some events had been arranged to take place during opening day.

Izzy and Hugh continued to walk. They soon passed the life-sized nativity scene and the costumed Santa being crowded by kids who wanted to ride in his horse-drawn sleigh. Pretty town lights dangled and blinked from the boughs of the leafless trees.

Izzy would have stopped beneath them and asked for a picture, but her mind was too preoccupied with what Hugh had done earlier. "Why didn't you tell him the truth, Hugh?"

Hugh looked down at her and grinned. "And spoil all the fun? No way! I like being your pretend boyfriend."

"But what will people say when this is all over, and you're going away for good?"

Izzy almost stumbled when Hugh stopped walking and faced her. He took her hands in his bigger ones and said something that stunned her. "What if I don't want to go away after this case is shut? What if I stay a little longer?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked breathlessly.

"I want to spend a little more time with you, Izzy. I want to get to know you more."

The look on his face was stern, and it rocked Izzy to the core. Hugh? Want to get to know her?

She unconsciously tightened her fingers around his. Her breaths grew shorter as she gazed into his dark eyes. If she said yes, if she allowed both of them to be foolish enough to get to know each other, she might end up getting hurt again.

But Hugh didn't seem like the type to hurt women. What's more, she'd never thought some man might become interested in her again. She'd prepared herself for a long and lonely life in Towdee.

This sudden turn of events confused her. But before she could tell Hugh that she'd think on it, another person crashed in on them. "Hey, you two! Thank goodness I found you just in time!"

Hugh let go of her hands and saluted the woman that was running towards them. "Good morning, Ma'am."

Izzy greeted her friend as well. "You look like you just ran a five-kilometer race, Heather."

Heather was panting by the time she stood in front of them. She didn't even mind Izzy teasing her because she was too excited by the invitation she wanted to give them. "There's going to be a sack race in three minutes, Izzy. I thought you two would like to join."

Izzy was a sucker for games. She'd been the limbo queen in elementary school, and though she hated ball games, she'd once joined a game of dodge ball simply because Ella and her friends wanted to play it. "Great! I'm joining."

Hugh grabbed her hand before she could follow Heather and frowned at her. "Izzy, that's not a good idea. You'll be out in the open."

"But I want to join," Izzy said stubbornly. This was the one time in the year she could make a fool of herself without anybody making fun of her or her parents complaining.

Hugh saw the raw desire in her eyes too. He didn't want to blow out the fire he saw there. Izzy had been sweet and even-tempered all morning because of the fair and the surrounding celebrations. "Fine. But be careful."

Izzy squealed in delight, jumping up and down before winding her arms around his neck and giving him a tight squeeze.

"Hold up, Izzy." Heather studied them both. "I forgot to mention an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weenie detail. It's a couple's sack race. You need a partner."

♥

Continued

Please stay tuned for more parts. And please tell a friend if you think they might enjoy this type of story. Thank you for reading!