Page 137 of Things I Wish I Said
“Everything okay?” she asks, noticing the shift in my mood.
“Sure, yeah. It’s fine,” I say, wishing it were true.
Once our flight lands and we collect our bags, we make a quick stop at the hotel where they graciously offer to hold them until our room is ready, then catch an Uber.
Ryleigh won’t tell me where we’re going. All I know is she has something planned, and it must be good because she’s practically bouncing in her seat with excitement when we get in the car.
“Look at it here,” she says as she motions to the passing palm trees outside her window. “It’s beautiful.”
I have to admit, the scenery is pretty great. The streets are teeming with people walking below a clear blue sky. Someone skates by on a set of rollerblades. A biker rings their bell, and the pedestrians on the walkway part like the Red Sea. We pass so many shops I lose count. Restaurants and a theater on our left blur outside my window.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going,” I say, ducking my head to stare out the windshield as if I might find some clues.
“It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises,” I grumble.
Ryleigh laughs. “How about I give you some clues, and if you guess correctly, then I’ll tell you.”
I smirk. “If I guess correctly, you won’t have to tell me. I’ll already know.”
“Smart boy.” She grins, and I shake my head. “Okay, let me see . . .” She taps her lips, and I want to kiss them. “The colors are red, white, and blue.”
I frown. “That sounds . . . patriotic. Is it some kind of museum?”
“Nope.” She grins wider. “The food where we’re going will most likely be outrageously priced, yet low-key. I’ll probably eat a hot dog and my weight in nachos.”
I narrow my eyes to pretend I have it, but I don’t. I don’t know much about Los Angeles, but I certainly can’t think of one place, other than maybe an amusement park, that has cheap junk food at high prices. “Okay, give me more,” I say.
“It’s outside.”
“Is it an amusement park?”
She shakes her head. “This will be my first time going, not just to this particular place, but any of its kind.”
“Have I been somewhere like it?” I ask, completely clueless.
“Oh, I can almost guarantee it.”
I groan. “Come on, Sinclair. You’re killing me.”
“They won the World Series in 2020.”
My eyes widen, a thrill racing through my veins as my head jerks toward the window, and suddenly I see it. The towering walls of the stadium. Lights stretching into the sky and the Dodgers logo as we come around to the front entrance.
“Holy shit! We’re going to a Dodgers’ game?” I glance back over at Ryleigh to see her smile eating up her face.
“Bingo.”
I take my baseball cap off and rake a hand through my hair while excitement sends my heart racing. “Are you sure this is what you want to do on your first day here? This is your trip, Sinclair.”
“I’m sure. You deserve something for you.”
“But—”
Ryleigh presses a finger over my lips. “I wanted to do this for you.”
I stare into her hazel eyes, more golden than brown or green in the sunlight streaming through her window, and realize I’d give it all up for her. Every. Single. Thing. Baseball, drinking, smoking, college. I’d give up everything for her to just be okay. To live another day.
