My Lucky Groom (Summer Grooms Series) by Ginny Baird

reached for another crab, then met her gaze. “You’re planning to have me do this all night, aren’t you?”
    Mary wrinkled her brow and asked weakly, “Do you mind?”
    “Nope.” He leaned forward to give Mary a quick peck on the
lips, and her whole world brightened. “Not one bit.”

 
    Ventura and Richard glided down the path with Elisa seated
on the back of Ventura’s bike and Ricky situated behind his father. As they
approached the water, Ventura spied a whole host of rides up ahead of them.
There was a merry-go-round, a mini roller coaster, and even a Ferris wheel, its
bright lights twinkling in the twilight. Cheery music played as groups of
families ushered children into lines, many of them holding big puffs of cotton
candy.
    Ventura paused her bike, and Richard dismounted beside her.
    “What’s going on?” she asked, admiring the pretty display
reflecting in the Potomac before them.
    He got Ricky off his bike, then steadied Ventura’s so she could likewise dismount and help Elisa down.
    “It’s the summer carnival.” He stared at the scene a bit
wistfully. “Vicky and I used to come down here sometimes. I’d forgotten all
about it until just now.” He’d planned a simple outing for the four of them, an
evening picnic in the small park bordering the river. But maybe this was even
better.
    “Can we go?” Ricky asked, his gaze hopeful.
    Richard glanced uncertainly at Ventura. “I don’t think
Ventura had planned to stay that long.”
    “But I want to get my face painted.” Elisa tugged at
Ventura’s hand with a pleading look. “Puleeze, Ventura?”
    “Pretty please?” Ricky begged.
    Ventura’s face brightened as she looked from one of them to
the other. “I’d love to,” she said with smile.

 
    Ventura, Richard, and the kids wound through the crowd past
a stage where musicians played. The children had painted faces and held helium
balloons.
    “I think I’ve had about all the fun I can handle,” Richard
said to Ventura. “How about you?”
    “But we haven’t done the Ferris wheel!” Ricky protested.
    “Yeah!” Elisa said.
    Richard glanced at Ventura, and she shrugged in agreement.
“No fair’s complete without the Ferris wheel.”
    Richard held up a hand. “All right. I can see when I’m
outnumbered.”
    A few moments later, he held back the door to the small
compartment. “Okay, kids, hop in!” They scrambled aboard. “Ventura?” he
prodded, politely waiting for her to board next.
    “Oh no, I wasn’t planning to ride,” she said. “I’ll just
watch from below.”
    Ricky and Elisa begged together, “But you’ve got to come. Pu-leeze? ”
    Richard wryly twisted his lips. “Now who’s outnumbered?”
    “Okay,” she said with a laugh, “you’ve got me. But I’m going
to warn you, I’m a little scared of heights.”
    “No worries,” Richard said, meeting her eyes. “You’ll have
me right beside you.”
    Both kids sat together, which meant
Richard would have to join Ventura on her side.
    Ventura grinned tightly and tried not to think of that movie
where the entire Ferris wheel broke loose and rolled into the ocean. Of course,
this was just the Potomac River here.
    She uncertainly climbed inside, and Richard joined her,
pulling the compartment door shut until it latched.
    Suddenly, the Ferris wheel lurched, sending their car
swinging sideways.
    “Whee!” Ricky and Elisa cried as they began to rise into the
air.
    Ventura clutched her seat with both hands, fearing she might
faint.
    “It’s all right, I’ve got you,” Richard said, bringing his
arm around her. He gave her shoulder a light tug and motioned with his chin.
“Look over there.”
    Now that the sun had set, the view of the carnival reflected
in the water was even more magical.
    “I see a boat!” Elisa cried.
    “Two!” Ricky echoed.
    “Those are dinner-cruise ships,” Richard explained.
    The scenery took her breath away. “It’s beautiful.”
    Richard turned his face toward hers,