Page 176 of 10 Rings I Hate About You
She smiled at me and cuddled in closer, her head finding that spot that felt like it was made just for her. We had maybe two minutes before we both had to run off to take care of our various responsibilities.
By ten o’clock, the Commons was full in a way I hadn’t anticipated.
The social media push that Grace had engineered over the past week had reached beyond our town limits—there were cars in the parking lot with out-of-state plates belonging to people who had driven an hour or more because they had seen something online and wanted to be a part of it.
Theo moved through the crowd with an expression I recognized—gratitude and hope in equal measures, neither one quite winning. I understood it completely.
The vendor tables lined the perimeter—local businesses and artisans. Ellie had gotten most to say “yes” with a few phone calls and spades of her considerable charm. Alice and Maddox had called on their food truck friends, and the vehicles were all positioned at the north entrance with lines that had been building for two hours. Maddox had left his cousin managing traffic and working the crowd when things got bottlenecked, and needed to be sorted out.
The animals’ pens were right in the center of everything, exactly where Theo had designed them to be. He’d set it up like he could see three steps ahead—pathways that flowed naturally, sight lines from multiple angles, the shelter volunteers stationed to facilitate introductions, and enough room for the animals to move around.
Noble was already holding court near the fence, launching himself toward anyone who came close enough, with enthusiasm and butt shaking. A family crouched in front of him, their kid gripping both of his ears and telling him somethingwith intense seriousness. Noble held perfectly still and listened as though it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever heard.
I snapped a picture and sent it to Grace. She’d have it posted on our social media platforms before I could lock my phone. She was a big reason why we had so many people in attendance today.
To the right, the yoga demonstration had drawn a small crowd. Mats were arranged in a wide semi-circle, and Cheryl stood at the center, grounded and steady, her movements unhurried as she guided the group into position.
Delaney moved through the space, adjusting a shoulder here, nudging a stance there, checking posture, and offering quiet encouragement that made people stand taller. She and Cheryl had a running commentary that kept earning laughs from the group. They worked well together with the efficiency of two people who had developed a shorthand and instinctively knew what the other needed.
The current class just finished wrapping up when Delaney caught Cheryl’s eye. They stepped close, speaking in low tones, and I watched Delaney gesture at their makeshift space. Whatever she said next made Cheryl go still for half a second before her face lit up. She wiped tears from her face as Delaney hugged her.
Cheryl had made her final decision. They both had.
I checked my phone out of habit. Still nothing from the grant committee. Not surprising since it was Saturday—I hadn’t expected anything today, but the checking was involuntary at this point.
I looked back up, and my attention shifted to the pen. The damn gate was open.
Chaos stood inside, staring straight at me. Calculating and offended. He was angry that he was being penned up like a common pet.
I took a cautious step forward. He leapt instantly, angling himself closer to the opening. I stopped. He froze. We held eye contact across the distance, both of us pretending he wasn’t about to make a very bad decision.
Then I tried to inch forward again, which was clearly my mistake. The devilish gleam in his eyes exuded pure confidence as he lowered his head and took off running, shooting through the gap like he’d been waiting his entire life for that moment, hooves hitting the ground in rapid-fire succession as he made a break for it.
“Shit—Chaos!”
He veered left, straight into the vendor row, locking onto Alice’s food truck as a point of interest, and attempted to access it. He made a bold attempt to enter her side door before Alice popped her head out the window and clapped her hands sharply. “Absolutely not. Not today,” she snapped.
Chaos let out an indignant “baaaah”and pivoted.
I took off after him.
He darted through the artisan market section, skidding slightly as he zeroed in on the Lewis twins’ display of handmade scarves. Before either of them could react, he snagged three pieces in his teeth and yanked them free like he was curating his own collection.
“I’ll pay for them,” I called over my shoulder, not slowing down.
“You better!” One of them yelled back.
Theo came in from the right, timing his move perfectly, and had just about intercepted him too, if Chaos hadn’t swerved at the last second and gone right through his legs.
Theo stumbled. Chaos did not.
And then—of course—he found the yoga demonstration.
Which was likely his original destination since it brought him to Delaney.
Cheryl was mid-flow, one arm lifted as she guided the group through a transition, when Chaos trotted into the center of it wearing two of the three scarves, and with what I could only describe as supreme confidence, as he pranced around and shook his head.
He moved through the space like he belonged there, stepping over mats, hopping lightly when someone got in his way, and headbutting a guy who’d bent forward at the exact wrong moment.
