Kashi felt herself fighting off a scowl, hefting a few chairs under her arms. What was he doing there? She'd been hoping the fair would be a good escape from her mystery but if Jeremy Hughes was here… could she really afford letting his presence go? She could find out information almost undoubtedly. Hughes didn't seem the kind to go around purchasing pumpkin butter, betting on horse races, and snapping cute family photos at the photo booth. But there he was dressed in plaid and cowboy boots standing by the entrance to the kiddie corn maze.
Matthias noted her stare and his face shifted into a grimace when he noted his father loitering on the fairground. "What is he even doing here?"
Kashi's mind flew through conversations she had with her Auntie Cee. something familiar. She frowned deeper as she put the pieces together.
"...Finally able to get a couple fair rides." Her Aunt had said when they'd been discussing decorations for her booth.
When they'd been figuring out how to get the chairs and tables to the fair. "...purchase new tables to hold everyone."
"Yeah thanks to that benefactor." she'd said at the dinner table.
"He's the fair's main sponsor." Kashi blurted to Matthias. "We've had a good fair every year now but this is definitely bigger. Does your dad have enough pocket change to spice up a little shindig here?"
"Oh absolutely. He could fund seven of these without batting an eye," Matthias grunted, lifting more chairs from the bed of the truck to set up under the white tent. Kashi followed suit. "I don't know what he's planning. I've never known him to spend money without some ulterior motive, personal or otherwise."
"I know we were supposed to relax and take a break today but—"
"No, we don't want to miss this opportunity." Matthias said. "If he's here spending money in a place he clearly is none too thrilled to be in there is definitely another motive."
"You also can't tell—"
"Carr." Matthias sighed. "Trust me I know my brother. We were close pals for years. He is as stubborn as they come and if he doesn't want me helping out…" He shrugged as if in emphasis. "But I'll still help you on the side. If we take my dad down I'm absolutely going to break it to Carr that I was a major player."
Kashi rolled her eyes as he took one of the chairs and curled it, flexing his muscles to do so. "If we nail him you can have credit." Kashi agreed, setting up a folding chair with a heavy clunk as it snapped into place. "Have fun setting up the rest of the chairs, I have to go saddle up Mr. Sparkles for horse rides."
Kashi walked away, leaving Matthias to laugh about the name. Mr. Sparkles was an older horse, docile and sweet as horses could be. He'd once been owned by a young child, but considering his sweet persona, her uncle had kept the name when he'd purchased the horse. He was one of Kashi's favorites. He was only 13 hands high, hands being a measurement Kashi had grown up with all her life. A hand was somewhere around four inches making Mr. Sparkles small for a horse. But his disposition and size was perfect for little children.
Kashi would be leading him around a little course with a delighted child holding onto the saddlehorn beside her. It was better than driving around a tractor for hay rides. She'd done that last year. No, one shift with Mr. Sparkles was infinitely better.
Kashi wandered over to where the horse was standing, her uncle rubbing its neck, smiling slightly. Mr. Sparkles huffed.
"Hey Uncle."
"Hey Kashi. You ready?" her uncle asked, turning to her.
"We still have an hour," she chuckled, looking at the time on her phone. There was a message from Carr. She'd check it later.
"No I know, but we still gotta get all the gear together and fill up his water bucket and finish the rest of the path here by putting up the fence." He continued rambling, pulling Kashi over to help complete the tasks he'd just listed.
She was lugging two yellow buckets towards the little arena when she spotted Matthias talking to his dad. She'd thought they were going for subtlety but whatever worked, worked. Hopefully Matthias would come back with more information about his dad's business. It would also be best if his dad didn't know Kashi had been befriending Matthias. She often worked with him, but her uncle hadn't ever seen them interact before, so there was a chance that Matthias had an "in" with his dad.
Mr. Sparkles kicked the bucket that was halfway filled with water, drowning the grass it was sitting on. "Really my dude?" She asked, addressing the horse with her hands on her hips. "That's your drinking water. It's going to be hot today."
Mr. Sparkles rubbed her sweater with his nose.
"No, I'm wearing a sweater in the spirit of Fall, not because it's cold out you troublemaker." But Kashi grinned anyway. "Let's get ready for the fair boy."
Kashi was helping a little boy off of Mr. Sparkles later in the morning when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
After setting the boy down on the ground, she turned around to find Carr leaning on the other side of the fence. "If you want to ride the horse, you have to wait in line." Kashi smirked at her boyfriend, gesturing to the long line of children with their parents, eagerly looking at Mr. Sparkles.
"Funny." He said, straight-faced. "Did you get my message?"
Oops. "No I didn't, did you need something?" Kashi asked, letting Mr. Sparkles take a drink of water.
"We'll talk after, how's that?" Carr suggested, tapping his watch. "There's a chili booth that opens at noon. I'll grab us some bowls when you're done."
Kashi watched him walk away, the muscles in her forehead knitting. He definitely seemed to be tense. Maybe it was something about Hughes? Something definitely had him worried.
Kashi helped a little girl into the saddle, forcing a smile onto her face. "This is Mr. Sparkles. Ready to ride him around the course?"