Page 82 of Broken Hearts
“He really likes you,” she says, looking over my shoulder. I follow her line of vision to Rhett. “And so do I.”
She hugs me and then bounces off to Heath. Rhett’s headed back with a Cheshire cat grin.
“Rhett, this is the nicest thing. I love it really. Thank you.”
“It’s not over until we ride all the rides, angel.” He holds up a long string of tickets.
I scan the carnival. Tall rides that spin and rock. We’re standing next to the octopus and a girl is screaming loudly while she holds her hands over her eyes. My stomach dips with unease.
“Let’s do this,” Maverick calls, heading off toward the rides.
“I think the Ferris wheel is about all I’m good for. Go with your friends. I’ll watch.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m not leaving you to ride shit with my friends.”
“I can’t—”
He stops me with a kiss. “Trust me.”
“We’ll meet up with you guys later,” he tells Adam, and we head in the opposite direction. I’m not paying any attention to where we go. My stomach aches and I’m upset that I can’t do the things he wants. That’ll always be the case and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“All right.” He drops my hand and rubs his palms together. “What’ll it be first, the roller coaster or the slide?”
I glance up to see we’re standing in the kid’s section. A roller coaster made out to look like a caterpillar and one of those slides you go down on a burlap sack.
I can’t help but laugh and the knot in my stomach loosens. Rhett has a charming, knowing grin on his face.
“Rhett.” My voice cracks.
He steps forward and cups my cheek. “I know it isn’t the same, but I figured we could try it out anyway. It’ll be good for a laugh.”
“It isn’t the same,” I agree. “This is better because of you. And also because fifteen-year-old me wouldn’t have had the balls to tell you that I’m so going to beat you down that slide.”
“You wish.” He scoffs as we rush to the line.
We climb up a tall staircase, smiling and laughing.
“On three,” he says when we’re in position.
I nod and he starts to count. “One, two—”
I push off, giving myself a head start. He roars behind me and then chases me down.
Giggling as I finish, I look over at Rhett expecting him to threaten a do-over, but he’s smiling just as big.
We go on every single kiddie ride, which is particularly hilarious when Rhett tries to squeeze his long legs into the mini rollercoaster. He’s so large we can’t even sit together. He wins me an orange unicorn at the horse races, and I win a goldfish which I give to a little girl at the ping-pong toss.
I’m eating my second cotton candy of the night when we wander back over to meet up with his friends. I can’t stop smiling.
“Thank you.” I kiss him.
He wipes a hand over his mouth. “Sticky.”
I kiss him again, but this time he captures me and holds me tight as he devours my mouth.
“Now we’re both sticky.”
He smooths a hand down my hair and pulls me farther onto him so my head rests in the center of his chest.
