Free Billionaires Don't Like Nice Girls (A BWWM Romance) by Mia Caldwell Page B

as badly.
    A large crowd, filled mostly with members of the Jones family, began to follow them around. They were a boisterous cheering section, and a distraction, but at least they helped carry all of the competitors’ loot.
    The scene at each booth grew increasingly rowdy as the spectators took sides and placed bets on the outcomes. Phae watched Kent as he teased and joked with everyone, but she could see how seriously he concentrated whenever it was his turn to play.
    This man was used to winning, and he hated to lose.
    By the time they completed seven rounds, full dark had fallen.
    Bright lights flashed colorfully while the delicious smells of popcorn and cotton candy wafted on the night-cooled breeze. A cacophony of music from the amusement rides couldn’t completely overpower the shrieks and squeals of the thrill-seeking riders. Farther away, one could hear the muffled applause of the audience attending the judging in the fair barns.
    But on the midway, few people noticed these other sights, smells and sounds. On the midway, everyone’s attention was firmly on two large piles of stuffed animals, plastic trinkets and cheap appliances.
    The crowd circled the piles. tightly packed adults jostled for a view while children crawled around, under and over their elders to catch their own glimpses of the tantalizing goodies.
    Phae stood aside while the adults argued over which pile was largest.
    Sylvie sidled up and shouted, “Our pile is bigger than theirs!”
    “I don’t know. They look pretty even to me. And what do you mean ‘ours?’”
    “Hey, I contributed at the duck pond. We kicked their asses there.”
    Phae had to admit it was true. Sylvie had told Phae and Neesa which ducks to pick, and they’d actually been good ones. They got lucky, she told herself. Sylvie would be crowing about her psychic ability for weeks, though, and Phae had to ask herself if the win was worth it.
    Nearby, James argued hotly with his mother. Kent stood relaxed in the midst of the pandemonium, his thumbs tucked loosely into the pockets of his trousers, an amused expression on his handsome face.
    Phae began to fear they’d never finish the challenge when Uncle Leon and Aunt Meg pushed their way into the center of the circle, calling for everyone to quiet down. They were both forceful, strong-minded people, and Phae was confident they could bring some order to the situation.
    “I said simmer down,” Uncle Leon shouted.
    Aunt Meg pointed at James. “Especially you, young man. You’re the sheriff, now get yourself together, apologize to your mother and act respectable.”
    Phae and several others in the crowd chuckled when James immediately snapped to attention and asked his mother to forgive him.
    He somewhat spoiled the effect, however, when he mumbled, “My own mother and she’s siding with the enemy.”
    Most of the Jones clan was split on gender lines in this contest.
    Uncle Leon and Aunt Meg declared they’d be referees in the final round and everyone agreed to obey their verdicts. They surveyed the two piles of cheap prizes, murmuring to one another and looking dutifully official.
    After several minutes of contemplation, Meg turned to Phae and asked, “What’s the next game?”
    “The basketball booth,” Neesa answered before Phae had a chance.
    Phae frowned. She hated that game. And it was rigged. “No, not that one.”
    “Yeah, yeah, everyone knows that one’s rigged.” Neesa looked out over the crowd and raised her voice so everyone could hear. “We all know the basketball game is extra hard to win, right? Because of all the stuff they do. The ball is smaller than regulation and the rim is barely big enough for it. And the backboard is tilted wonky. And sometimes they have hidden springs where the rim attaches to the backboard so the ball won’t bounce into the basket like normal.”
    Phae was impressed. “Did you know about all that?” she asked Kent and James.
    They agreed they had.
    “Basketball it is,