It was past six in the evening, and the town was bustling with excitement. Tonight was the Annual Town Fair, and preparations were in full swing. Ella had explained everything to me—there would be music, dancing, and all kinds of activities. It was like Christmas, except the decorations weren't just green and red.
Ella had spent the entire day cooking, filling her stall with a variety of food and wine. She was proud of her work, and honestly, so was I. I loved food, so it was safe to say I'd be sticking around her stall most of the night.
Evans was performing tonight—actually, he, Ella, and some of the older townsfolk had put together a dance they used to do when they were young. I had gone to one of their rehearsals and nearly died laughing at their outdated moves. I knew I wouldn't stop laughing when they performed it tonight.
"Sara, I need your help!" Ella called from downstairs.
I stepped down to assist her, only to find her standing in front of a mirror, adjusting the black gown she was wearing. I had to admit, for her age, she looked stunning.
"How do I look?" she asked, turning to me with uncertainty in her eyes.
I stepped closer, pretending to assess her seriously. "Hmmm..."
She sighed. "Never mind. I knew it was bad. I'll go change—"
"Are you kidding me?" I grabbed her wrist before she could escape. "Ella, you look smoky hot right now."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
I nodded. "In fact, one thing is certain..."
"What?" she asked curiously.
I leaned in, lowering my voice to a whisper. "Evans won't be able to keep his hands off you tonight."
Her cheeks turned red as she smacked my shoulder. "Get out," she laughed. We were still laughing when the front door opened, and in walked Mr. Evans and Liam.
"What's so funny?" Mr. Evans asked, but then his gaze landed on Ella.
His eyes lit up. "Oh my God, honey... look at you." He stepped closer, spinning her around. "You look just as hot as the old days." Ella laughed, smoothing down her dress. "And you don't look bad yourself."
Before I could blink, they were kissing. I squeezed my eyes shut dramatically while Liam scrunched his nose in disgust.
"Get a room, you two," I teased.
Mr. Evans just chuckled and, without missing a beat, grabbed Ella by the hand. "Don't mind if I do," he said, leading her to their room.
I laughed. "I thought we were leaving!"
Liam rolled his eyes and walked past me, heading for the kitchen. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt with the top buttons undone, exposing just enough skin to make his intentions clear. Yeah, he knew what he was doing—another trick to get laid. Did I mention Liam had been bringing different girls home? The guy was a freaking playboy.
The doorbell rang.
I knew exactly who it was.
Greg and Trevor.
I rushed to open the door, and the moment they saw me, they shouted, "Trickster!"
Idiots. I was already used to the nickname. These two were never going to stop calling me that. Trevor's eyes scanned me up and down before he smirked. "Wow, you look hot."
He even had the audacity to bite his lip.
"Shut up," I muttered, stepping aside to let them in.
Greg's gaze flickered to my dress, his lips twitching in amusement. "Aren't you showing a little too much? Who's the poor guy you're tormenting tonight?"
scoffed. "No one."
Trevor snorted. "Oh please. That dress is a walking disaster. You take one deep breath, and boom, someone's getting a free show."
I glanced down at my outfit—a long white gown, modest from the waist down but daring from the waist up, with a deep V-neckline flashing just enough cleavage to turn heads.
Greg nodded seriously. "It's a safety hazard, really. We should alert the town council."
Liam's voice called from the kitchen. "Do you guys care to help?"
"Nice to see you too, man," Trevor replied sarcastically before they both went off to help him load the food and supplies into the truck.
I decided to help by carrying the dessert Ella made, and just as I bent down to pick it up—
Greg's obnoxious voice rang out. "Liam! Sara just showed me her boobs!"
I jolted upright, eyes wide. "No, I didn't!" I protested. Greg smirked. "Yes, you did." Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, he started singing.
"Sara showed me her boobs...
"Sara showed me her boobs..."
Trevor walked in just in time, his brows shooting up in amusement. "Really? Can I see too?"
"Oh, that's it!" I growled, lunging at them.
Trevor took off immediately, laughing as I chased him through the living room. Greg dodged past me, making a run for the kitchen.
"You two are so dead!" I yelled, kicking off my heels.
"You gotta catch us first, Trickster!" Greg taunted, vaulting over the couch.
I nearly grabbed Trevor's shirt, but he twisted out of reach and bolted toward the front yard. Greg followed, and I was right behind them.
Just as I was about to tackle Greg from behind, Trevor swooped in from the side, lifting me off the ground.
"Oh no, you don't!" I screamed, kicking my legs, but it was useless.
Greg quickly joined him, grabbing my other side, and suddenly, I was being carried like a sack of potatoes.
"This is what you get for wearing a dress like that," Greg teased, swinging me slightly.
"Put me down, you assholes!"
Trevor sighed dramatically. "Should we? I don't know, man. She's kinda light. I think we should throw her in the truck instead."
I gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"
Greg grinned. "We just might."
They started swinging me back and forth, counting.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Don't you dare!"
"Three—"
Liam's voice cut through the chaos. "If you throw her in there, you're the ones unloading all the supplies."
That got them to stop immediately.
Greg groaned. "Man, you ruin all the fun."
Trevor sighed in defeat and gently set me down. I wobbled for a second before straightening. I dusted off my dress and narrowed my eyes at them. "You two are lucky I'm feeling generous tonight."
Trevor grinned. "You mean you don't want to risk your dress slipping?"
I picked up my shoe and threw it at him.
He dodged it, laughing.
Liam rolled his eyes. "Are we done now?"
Greg and Trevor smirked at each other but said nothing as they walked toward the truck. I shook my head, slipped my heels back on, and followed.
The night was just beginning.
And I had a feeling it was going to be fun.