Page 45 of How You See Me
He’s close, making it hard to think or trust my own judgment. He must feel it, too, since he takes a careful step back. Although I didn’t mind, he clearly did.
“I enjoyed it. Though, you were right to back out. It was loopier than it looked from the gate.”
“Are you just saying that to ease my guilt?”
“No.” He grins and it’s too attractive for his own good. “It went upside down at least three times. I lost count after that.”
“You probably passed out from being tossed around like a rag doll.”
“It wasn’t that bad.” He tips his head toward the nearby path. “Ready for your train ride? I’d like to get back on the road before dark.”
“So ready.”
???
We claim two empty seats on the park train. Hayes insists I sit by the window like a true gentleman, and my heart swoons even though my brain rolls its eyes.
“I got you something.”
Before he can protest, I thrust a little white box into his hands.
“It’s a memento to help you remember the first stop on your road trip.”
“What is it?”
“Open it.”
He pulls off the lid and digs through the crinkled paper until his fingers land on the ceramic grizzly bear figurine.
His lights up with amusement before tucking it away. “Thank you. That was my favorite ride here.”
“Really? Over the giant steel death trap?”
“The bears had the best view.”
I snort. “How? It was all trees. The coaster probably gave you a full aerial of the park.”
With a shrug, he sets the box on the seat beside him, the conversation over.
I know I’m slow with things, but it seems he meant something else. My thoughts rewind to that ride. I picked a bear, and he chose the one behind me, his big, solid body looking like it might crush the poor metal animal. I kept turning around to laugh and tease him. Every time, his eyes were already on me.
Oh.Ohhh.
WasIthe view?
Is he—was he flirting?
The train whistle blows, and the ride begins. There’s a voice coming through the loudspeaker, explaining the history and sections of the park we pass, but it all fades into white noise. This potential new development has me off kilter.
Stop it. I’m probably manifesting something I have no business exploring. I’m not a road trip fling kind of girl. And after staying in my soul-crushing relationship with Ryder far longer than I should have for soul-crushing reasons, I won’t be dating for the foreseeable future. And I doubt if Hayes even wants that. Not that I care if he did.
But I do. I really really—
No.I don’t.
“Are you getting carsick?” he asks, dragging me out of my confusing argument with myself. “I can ask to stop the ride so we can get off.”
“Thank you. I’m okay.”
