It was damned hot for a fall morning, Vaughn thought to himself as he looked up at the intensely blue sky and wiped the sweat trickling down the back of his neck. He'd nearly worked himself into a heatstroke, but at least he'd managed to finish all his chores before lunch, which would be early that day due to yet another festival. He'd never been to a town with so damned many festivals, he thought sourly as he trudged back to the farmhouse. He arrived just as Rio vaulted over the pasture fence, racing towards the porch in spite of the heat. As she ran up, her shirt and hair damp with sweat, she grinned at him and he returned her smile. She'd never been one to sit still, and she was always at her best when she had plenty to keep her busy.

She threw together a couple of sandwiches, grabbed some fruit from the fridge, and opened a jar of refrigerator pickles. She poured two tall glasses of iced tea, and they went outside to sit on the shady porch to eat, hoping a little breeze might blow up from the river. Rio wolfed her meal and gulped her tea quickly, finishing her meal well before Vaughn. Standing up, she looked at him apologetically. "If you'll excuse me, Vaughn, I have to hurry and get cleaned up and ready for the festival. I try to look halfway decent when I'm competing."

Vaughn shook his head slowly as he stared up at her, a half smile curling into one corner of his mouth. "Goddess, Rio. You look more than halfway decent now. You just never could see it."

She rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him, though she blushed at the compliment. As she dashed back into the house, he called after her, "I'm going to go back to the inn to take a quick shower myself as soon as I'm through. I'll see you at the fairground."

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour or so!" she shouted from the back of the house, and he settled back down to finish his lunch before going on his way.

**************

Vaughn strolled up to the gate just as Rio was coming along the road, leading a large Holstein cow behind her. He did a double take when he saw her, and said, "What the hell? How can you stand to wear that in this weather? You're gonna give yourself a heat stroke, you know."

She shrugged, wiping a trickle of sweat from her forehead as she stopped before Dunhill's table to register her cow for the competition. "I'll be fine. Really. I'm used to it." Then she turned to Dunhill, who slid the entry card across the table for her to fill in.

Vaughn said, "Well, whatever then. I guess you know what you're doing. I'm gonna go take a look around. Good luck." She nodded and turned her attention to the forms. Hesitating just a moment as he scanned the crowd, Vaughn took a deep breath and went on in. Although he'd been in the village for a while now, he wasn't sure he'd ever get used to the number of people these fairs seemed to draw.

It still surprised him, how many tourists came each time, some of them from some pretty far-off places, too. And judging by the number of people milling around the grounds, the Cattle Show was one of the town's most popular events. Spotting Allen and Rod standing together talking nearby, he sauntered over.

"Hey, what's with Rio's get-up? What the hell is she thinking, wearing something like that in this heat?" Vaughn asked, looking back to where she bent over the table, filling out her form as she fanned herself with her cap.

"Can't you guess?" Allen asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking in amusement.

"Nope. I wouldn't ask if I could," Vaughn said, scowling at him.

"Well, just think about it. What kind of festival is this? And who is she currently locking lips with? You get it now?"

Vaughn scowled at the phrase 'locking lips', but shrugged. "Don't see then connection."

Rod spoke up in his chipper voice. "Well, it's like this. When she first moved here and started entering competitions, no one really cared how she looked, because she lost anyway. She could have been naked and no one would have said a word. But before the year was over, she started to win—and win pretty consistently. Now, no one really thought anything of it when it was crops that were being shown, seeing that Emma judges those festivals and she's not interested in girls. But the first time she won an animal festival—in fact, I think it was the Cattle Show, wasn't it, Allen?—some old biddy made a big ol' fuss, claiming she only won because she was young and pretty and showing more skin than was decent. Which of course she wasn't."

"No one believed her, naturally," Allen continued. "But it wasn't very pleasant for Rio, especially after all the hard work she put in raising that animal. Then, once she and Neil started dating—"

"Since Neil's the animal judge and all—" Rod interrupted.

"She felt like she had to do something to try to quell some of the gossip. It bothered her enough as it was, but she didn't want Neil to be affected by it any more than could be helped. He's an excellent judge, and she didn't want to jeopardize his role. There's really no one else so well-qualified to do it in the area, and if Neil had been compelled to step down, the animal festivals would suffer as a result. Naturally, some people still grumble simply because they're dating, but nevertheless she makes an effort to show as little skin as possible at the animal competitions, no matter what the weather."

"Well, she's succeeded. She looks like a biker or somethin'," he said, eying her crimson jeans, black leather boots, jacket, and gloves, and her studded black leather belt and cap.

"Yes, she does a bit, doesn't she? But at least no one accuses her of flashing too much skin now," Allen said with a smirk.

"Maybe so, but she's still damn sexy," Vaughn said, shaking his head as he watched Rio leading her cow off towards the stock barn along one side of the grounds. On the opposite side was a community hall of sorts, and the show stage was set up in between and near the back of the grounds. To one side of the stage was the judge's table, where Neil was just taking a seat as Dunhill sauntered up to the podium to officially open the festival and announce the first competition.

Rio's cow wasn't among the entrants, but then he didn't reckon she'd be showing in the beginner class anyway. He gave the heifers lined up on the stage a quick look over from his vantage point—they were young and seemed unnerved by the crowds. Since he couldn't very well inspect them personally while they were being judged, he instead turned and headed to the barn to take a look at the remaining cattle.

Inside the barn, another eight cows and heifers were waiting their turns, including Rio's Holstein, Bessie. He strolled over to inspect the stall, and gave a satisfied grunt. It wasn't outstanding, but it would do for temporary quarters. It was large and clean, anyway, and the animals had hay and fresh water. He reached out a hand to stroke her cheek and smiled as she leaned slightly into his caress. He reserved most of his genuine smiles for animals, though Rio had succeeded in coaxing a fair number from him—back before she left and took all the sunshine with her. Then the thought that she might never return to him wiped the smile from his face, and he turned and strolled somberly out of the barn.

He didn't understand why she'd stuck with that idiot after the night of the summer fireworks. Neil had even admitted to saying some terrible things to her—things that no man should say to the woman he claimed to love. He had been sure that would be the final straw, that she would never forgive and forget. Conversely, even though he'd been hoping and praying for just such a division between them, when it actually happened, he wasn't at all happy about it. He'd been mad as hell at the sheer arrogance of Neil's accusations, and it had taken every ounce of his self-control not to beat the shit out of him on the spot. Then the following night he'd been flabbergasted to see them together at the restaurant, smiling and chatting cozily over their meal as if nothing had ever happened.

When he exited the barn, Dunhill was just announcing the winner of the beginner's class—a pretty, doe-eyed little Jersey named Bunny of all things. Neil stood solemnly next to the owner, a cute young woman with fluffy golden curls and dimples who giggled and simpered when he congratulated her on her win. She flirted shamelessly with him, even though he was obviously oblivious to her attempts. Which really didn't surprise Vaughn one little bit.

**************

Vaughn's restless pacing off to the side of the crowd caught Neil's attention as he handed the winner her prizes, causing him to lose his place in his standard congratulatory speech for a fraction of a second. He quickly recovered, though the girl looked startled when she caught a lingering trace of hostility in his eyes before he could compose himself. He flushed slightly, and with a final, solemn exhortation to her to continue to improve her skills, he turned and stalked stiffly back to his seat.

The next group was the intermediate class, then finally it was time to judge the advanced class, which included Rio's cow. Soon the competitors filed out of the barn, leading their cattle to the stage where they lined up in a tidy row facing the crowd. Rio held her cow by her halter, speaking softly to her as she gently stroked her neck. Rising from his seat, Neil thought to himself that she really had an amazing talent with animals—while the other farmers were still getting their cattle settled down, hers had stood quietly all the while, looking serenely out across the sea of faces before her as she patiently chewed her cud. He took a quick look at the crowd, too, and grimaced inwardly when he saw Vaughn watching her intently.

Dunhill arrived just then, though, and Neil stepped forward to join him. "Well, now, it's time for us to begin judging for the Advanced Class in our annual Cattle Show! First, let's meet our four contestants. First, from Sunnyvale Farm, we have Rick and his Holstein, Cookie! Second, from Oak Lane Farm, we have Dana and her Jersey, Sugar! Third, coming all the way from Riverview Ranch, is Clarissa with her Holstein, Darla! And last—but not least—from our own Echo Falls Farm, is Rio and her Holstein, Bessie! Give them a hand, ladies and gents, give them a hand!" He waited for the applause to die down, then he turned to Neil. "And finally, let's not forget an extra big thank-you to our judge here, Neil Swanbeck!"

**************

Vaughn stood nearby, watching the proceedings. He didn't pay much attention to the announcements, though, lost in thought as he was. That is, until he heard the name 'Neil Swanbeck' shouted above the boisterous cheers from the crowd. He turned and stared at the young man through narrowed eyes as he began to carefully examine the animals on the stage, taking notes on each entry.

And he wondered....