Page 38 of Matched with Her Runaway Groom

It takes some maneuvering but I finally edge around Tiffany and give the cart some gas to catch up to the other two. My feet might have the gas pedal to the floorboards, but I pass Roman with ease. He must be along for the ride, but it seems like Isabella is out to take on the course just like me.

A curve approaches and the car tucks into the ground a bit more as I swerve around it. A little back and forth and I’m finally free of Isabella, ramping up the speed by a whole two miles per hour as I take off down the track.

There is something so freeing about this moment, allowing me to get out some of my aggression while in a controlled environment. Just like the waterslides, the go-kart track loops off the side of the ship, but it’s guarded with a higher section of fence, which helps ease my worries that I won’t somehow be thrown overboard.

I slow down some, enjoying the moment. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt settled in anything. While my life is pretty much a wreck right now with so many uncertainties, I’m amazed I can still find a moment of peace. And it doesn’t come because of anything I’ve done or people I’ve talked to. It’s because I’ve taken risks to stretch myself.

Maybe having this time on the cruise to refresh will do me good. It’s a great idea until I see Landon waiting in the wings as I whip around another curve. It’s like my head is trying to tell me to be careful, but my heart never got the memo.

The half-smile he’s wearing as he stares out at the ocean leaves everything inside me fluttering. I like to picture dragonflies instead of bees. Bees hurt people, and while Landon hurt me, I get the impression it wasn’t entirely on purpose. Like he was trying to shield me from something. But what?

I drive around another loop, revving the engine as hard as it’ll go, when Isabella creeps forward again.

We’re smiling like two kids who’ve been given the keys to their daddy’s car.

By the time we make it back to the checkpoint, we’re neck and neck. There is nothing I can do to make the car go faster; the pedal is already pressed against the bottom of the car. We both pass the line at what looks to be the same moment and slow down a few feet later.

As I come to a stop, I lean my head back, enjoying the adrenaline rush pulsing through me. My chest heaves up and down in an attempt to gain air.

“That was a pretty good race,” Isabella says, stepping out of the car. She’s got her helmet in her hand and the other is working to tuck the small wisps of hair flying to the sides. The woman is a polished gem, but it’s nice to see her hair is unruly, just like mine.

I unbuckle and take off my helmet, brushing away the static cling of hair covering my eyes.

“Definitely.”

“I didn’t think you’d be into driving, but you surprised me.”

I purse my lips, trying to figure out what she means by that. “What impression do I give you?”

It’s the first time I’ve ever asked someone’s opinion of me. My mother always gives me her thoughts even when I don’t want to hear them, and strangely, I’m curious to see what this woman says.

“First impressions don’t always stick, but from dinner last night, I was going to say you’re a mild-mannered, quiet woman.”

I laugh at that, because it’s what I’ve been taught to be growing up. “And now?”

“I think there’s an adventurer inside you just waiting to break free.”

We walk over to the sidewalk and meet with Tiffany and Roman. “How was the drive, Love?” Roman says, kissing Isabella on the cheek.

“Exhilarating.” Isabella grins at me and reaches over to squeeze my hand. “We’ll have to meet up to do something else on this trip.”

The two of them walk away hand-in-hand, and I sigh, unable to keep the longing from crashing against me like waves. I know every relationship has its ups and downs, but there has to be a way to get past those and end up like them.

“You were a speed demon out there,” Tiffany says, thrusting out her hip to hip check me.

I grin. “As in I maxed out the car at five miles per hour? It was good. I needed that drive. I might even go again.”

I make it around the small building where they must store a lot of the gear and nearly bump into Landon, who’s holding onto his helmet in one hand.

“Did you have fun?” he asks, and I nearly trip over a helmet Tiffany just set down for the manager.

A strong hand grips my bicep and keeps me from propelling backward. I glance up and give Landon a grateful smile. “Thanks for that.” I bite my lip as I try to think about what to say to him. “It was, uh, really good.”

He gives me a partial smile, the one he used to give when he was thinking long and hard about something. Why would driving be something to concentrate on?

“No woman attached to you today. How’d you manage to get away?” I ask, unable to keep in the jab about Savannah.

Landon’s eyebrows pinch together for a minute and he says, “You mean Savannah? Oh, I don’t know where she is. We’re not together. Um, what are you up to for the rest of the day?” He runs a hand through his hair and I can now see he’s flustered.

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