Page 58 of My Book Boyfriend
And she grins and waves as she sees me.
I smile back, relieved that she is happy to see me.
She joins me. “I love bumper cars. I hope they don’t hit really hard, though. I once did bumper cars in Amsterdam, and I think they have different safety rules there. Those hits hurt. But I’m glad you suggested this.”
“It looked fun.”
We’re ignoring the garden issue. That works for me.
I show our tickets to the guy at the gate, and he lets us into the waiting area.
They announce that the ten minutes are up and call for the current participants to exit the ice. They smile as they depart. Then the guy demonstrates how the cars work and explains the safety measures. And then we’re allowed in. It’s a little slippery on the ice, but Lily and I each climb into a car and buckle up.
“Watch out,” she says. “I’m not going to go easy on you.”
“Watch yourself.” The cars start, and I pull my lever back and reverse into the arena. But Lily comes right for me, and I grimace as I wait for the hit. But it’s a side bump—not front-on. More playful than painful.
“Argh. I was aiming straight for you, and then it veered,” she yells.
“No killer instinct.”
But she’s definitely hitting hard with the negative press coverage of the planned demolition of the garden.
I aim for her, but I also end up going slightly sideways when I hit her donut tube.
No killer instinct either.
Isn’t that what Uncle Tom says?
Isn’t that why Percy Anderson will be a better CEO?
Another guy hits me hard on my back bumper.
Lily is aiming straight for me again, her face tightened with a look of determination. She is adorable. All I want to do is kiss her.
She’s pushed the lever all the way forward. She hits me front-on, but still, the impact is a small jolt. I careen off to the side, bumping into another driver.
She shouts happily, “Got you that time.”
I push the lever forward, chasing after her. She tries to escape to the other side of the ice, laughing, as she darts a glance over her shoulder at me. Bumped by another car, she is pushed even farther away.
Argh.Another car hits me, and my tube streaks straight for the side bumpers, spinning around. I look behind me. She’s escaped. Three other cars are in the way. I turn myself around and head back toward her.
“And your ride has come to an end. Please park your cars by the west side wall. We hope you enjoyed your ride!”
She raises both hands above her head with her fingers forming a V. She’s certainly not shy about rubbing it in.
She carefully steps on the ice over to me as I wait for her.
“That was fun.” There’s that huge smile that got me last time. The second time around is no less gut-punching.
“How was your day?” she asks.
“I wished I’d woken up next to you, but other than that, it was fine. I played squash and did some work. Yours?”
“Good.” She smiles at me. “I missed you too, but I caught up on sleep after Thursday night. And then spent the day helping out at the library.”
“I made a reservation at Le Ciel on 42ndStreet. It’s a French restaurant.” No half-assed date attempt here. “Or we can eat sushi at Hatsuhana?”
