Chapter 10 #3
“Yeah. It was a bit of a challenge to see which guy was the first to get a girl on the Ferris wheel and…you know…make out. It was stupid and we were just kids, but every time the carnival comes to town, even after all these years…”
“You all still revert to being kids and try to get the girl on the Ferris wheel.”
All he did was nod.
She looked back at him and did her best to hide her amusement. “And you didn’t want to take me on the Ferris wheel because…?”
He rolled his eyes. “I know it sounds stupid but…everyone’s already watching us and I knew how you felt about that, so I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire and make you uncomfortable.”
“Ashlynn was right.”
Devin looked at her quizzically.
“You are the sweetest.” Standing on tip-toes, she kissed him softly on the lips. Then, grabbing his hand, she tugged him toward the Ferris wheel. With a quick look at him, she shrugged. “Let’s give them something to talk about!”
There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that the festival was going to be a lot of fun. But seeing it all right now through MacKenzie’s eyes was kind of fun. Her excitement was infectious, and he admired her sense of wonder over the little things.
It was the most carefree he’d ever seen her.
They had gone on the Ferris wheel–and the kisses they’d shared had him harder than he thought possible.
As soon as their feet were back on the ground, MacKenzie took him by the hand and dragged him over to the haunted house.
He’d been through it a time or two over the course of his life–well, not this one, but haunted houses in general – but this was the first time he’d been tempted to simply run through it so he could take a girl home with him.
She was turning him inside out, and the constant state of arousal she had him in was getting uncomfortable.
But in the best possible way.
When they stepped back outside, MacKenzie glanced toward the mountain coaster and that’s when he had to put the brakes on.
“Not yet,” he teased, kissing her on the nose.
“The line’s a bit long. Between that and the zip line, I don’t think we’d get to do anything else today.
We’ll check back in an hour and see which one looks like it’s moving faster. ”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Hand in hand they walked around, chatting with everyone and maybe it was just wishful thinking but…she fit. MacKenzie simply fit in with Sweetbriar Ridge, and the thought of her leaving was really getting to him.
Just like Will said it would.
On the practical side, Devin told himself he was being crazy. They’d only known each other for a week. This was infatuation. Lust. But when MacKenzie turned to him and smiled, his heart would squeeze in his chest, and he knew it was becoming more. So much more.
And it scared the hell out of him.
He wasn’t the type of guy who did this sort of thing.
He’d already broken one of his own rules by getting involved with her when he knew she was leaving.
Casual relationships weren’t his style. But to add to that by falling in love with her like this, so fast?
It was mind-boggling. And…he just wasn’t sure what he was going to do about it.
“Hey, are you okay?” MacKenzie asked softly as he suddenly stopped walking. “You look a little pale.”
Devin was sure he did. He was in love. With MacKenzie. The girl who was going to leave him in a matter of days.
He had to put a stop to this.
Had to protect himself.
“I knew we shouldn’t have gone back for that second round of cotton candy,” she said and gave him a helpless smile. “Come on. Why don’t we tour the resort? I think they said a new tour starts on the hour and it’s just about that time.”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
So they toured the newly renovated resort and he listened to her chatter on about how she’d never stayed in a place this nice and wished she could afford to, even if it was just one night.
It was on the tip of his tongue to offer to get them a reservation sometime in the next few weeks, but had to stop himself.
After the tour, they rode the mountain coaster and he listened to her laugh like she was having the time of her life.
As soon as they got off, she took him by the hand and dragged him over to the zip line–because the line was short.
He did his best to simply live in the moment and stop obsessing about what was going to happen in the next few days, and for the most part, it worked.
When the sun started to go down, they joined the masses to find a place to watch the fireworks. He knew leaving was going to be a nightmare when there was the mass exodus, and when he mentioned it to MacKenzie, she had a brilliant suggestion.
“Let’s watch the fireworks from the bed of your truck! This way, once the show’s over, we’re already in the car and can be one of the first out of here! What do you think?”
“Can’t argue with that logic. Come on, let’s grab some snacks and then go and get comfortable.”
Twenty minutes later, snacks in hand, they snuggled together in the bed of his truck.
And when the fireworks started, he found himself more interested in watching her reaction than actually watching the show.
She watched in total awe and when it was all over, she looked at him with such complete and utter joy before kissing him soundly.
“Thank you for the absolute best day!”
He nodded, but couldn’t seem to make himself speak.
“Uh-oh…you look beat,” she said. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
When she asked if he was okay to drive, he’d nodded. They drove in silence back to his house while his mind raced. The longer she stayed, the harder it was going to be for him when she left. And asking her to stay–particularly this soon–just might scare her off and he didn’t want to do that either.
Rock? Meet hard place.
So what were his options? How was he supposed to protect his heart when it was already out there and seemingly willing to be broken?
“Come on,” MacKenzie said quietly when they parked in the driveway. “Let’s go inside and just relax. Sorry if I overdid it on the food. It was all so good.”
Inside the house, Devin watched as she fluttered around–kicking off her shoes, going to the kitchen to see about making tea or soup or anything to soothe him. She didn’t know that her presence was enough for that.
She looked good in his house.
She fit in with his beloved town.
He just had to figure out a way to have her come to realize that on her own.