Chapter 29
29
Nataly
“I can’t believe we’re here!” I squeal, my excitement bubbling over.
He grins. “I’m happy you’re happy.”
“Are you kidding? We’re on Main Street . In Disneyland Paris . This is absolute perfection. I can smell Disney bakes. I want to live here!” I say, bouncing on the balls of my feet like I’m five years old again.
He just laughs, eyes sparkling at my excitement.
Main Street in Disneyland Paris is pure magic. Every single detail. The hidden Mickeys. The storefronts with their whimsical signs. The scent of baked goods floating in the air. And the music—it’s what ties it all together. It matches the vibe so perfectly that it feels like warm cookie dough came to life and turned into a place.
“I feel like Buddy the Elf —my own version. First, we’ll go on rides for two hours, and then we’ll go get Mickey-shaped pizza, then we’ll eat cotton candy as fast as we can, and then, to finish, we’ll snuggle watching the fireworks.” My grin is so big.
I spotted cotton candy at the Bake Shop, and I’m determined to get some before the day ends. It would make for such a cute photo by the castle, too!
He flashes his lopsided grin. “Sounds perfect. Throw in some chocolate donuts though.”
“Done, and done.”
After a few dreamy photos by the castle, we head for our first ride: Hyperspace Mountain.
What I love about Disneyland Paris is that it feels like someone cherry-picked the best rides from Disneyland California and Disney World Florida and dropped them right here. Sure, some people say it’s not “as good” as Florida—but do I care? Nope. Not one bit. This place is perfect to me.
And it has something neither American park has: Crush’s Coaster.
I’m ridiculously excited to try it out when we hop over to Walt Disney Studios later. The parks are so close that it’s easy to bounce back and forth all day.
Now we’re in line for Hyperspace Mountain.
My birthday’s on September 2nd. As a kid, I hated that—it always meant school had started, and I was the oldest in my class. But as an adult? It’s a dream. It means that all the kids are back in school, so wherever we go, prices are lower and places aren’t as packed. Win-win. So the lines here are relatively short today. We only have to wait 20 minutes to get on and it’s just the start of the day.
We’re drawing nearer to the front of the line. I see the roller coaster take off.
“I think my stomach already left the building,” I say. “I love the adrenaline, but it’s our first ride of the day and my stomach’s like, ‘No thanks, I’ll wait outside.’”
He chuckles. “I think my motorbike accelerates faster than this. ”
“Well, when you put it that way...”
We get on. The anticipation is real.
Three.
Two.
One.
Blast off.
“Ahhh!” I’m one hundred percent a screamer and laugher on rides. I just can’t contain my giddiness. It’s too fun and my stomach keeps bottoming out every time.
The ride is over so quickly— too quickly for my liking. Can we just go on again?
We head to the photo screen to check out our ride pic. I don’t make it a habit to buy them; I’ve only ever bought one before: on the Hulk ride at Universal with my childhood bestie from Atlanta. Iconic. But I still love seeing them.
And there we are: me, screaming like it’s my full-time job. Nathan, just grinning .
I love it.
“What’s next? Indiana Jones? Big Thunder Mountain?” I ask, giddy with excitement.
He chuckles. “I love how excited you get,” he says with a grin. “Whichever one you want.”
I pause for a second.
“Are you happy to be here? I know it’s probably not your favorite place in the world…” I trail off, thinking.
He could be anywhere else. He doesn’t even have kids to use as a Disney excuse.
“I’m happy because you’re happy,” he says softly. “I love seeing you light up. The rides are just a bonus.”
And just like that, I melt like ice cream on a July sidewalk.
“Okay! Yay! Let’s go check out Big Thunder. If the line’s long, we’ll do Indiana Jones.”
The next few hours are a blur of rides, shops, Mickey-shaped snacks, and the kind of laughter that makes your cheeks hurt.
Eventually, we head over to Walt Disney Studios.
“The two we have to go on are the Tower of Terror and the Rockin’ Roller Coaster. I loved them both when I was in Florida. They are next level!” I say. I’m bouncing again.
He raises an eyebrow. “Tower of Terror’s the only one I’m not totally sure about.”
Gasp.
“What do you mean? Nathan Jennings , scared of a ride?” I put my hand dramatically to his forehead. “Are you okay?”
He laughs. “It’s the free fall. I’m not great with heights. It’s like the feeling you get when you fall in a nightmare.”
“But it’s not like you can even see the height, except when the doors open at the top.”
“It’s fine, I’ll go. It’s just not my favorite.”
“Okay, well let’s check it out. OH—wait! We have to do Crush’s Coaster too!”
“Let’s check the board for wait times.”
To our surprise, Crush’s Coaster doesn’t have much of a line. We start there, then hit all the other rides, one by one.
It’s so much fun. And for me, it’s more than just rides. It’s a glimpse of home. I grew up visiting Florida every few months, and sometimes we’d go to the theme parks with our family friends. Being here brings that nostalgia rushing back.
Time flies. Before we know it, it’s almost time for fireworks.
We grab cotton candy (yes, for the photo and the sugar rush), and then we find a spot on the grass.
Nathan wraps his arms around me from behind, but I turn to face him.
“Thank you for today,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck, holding him tight. “You’ve made it so special.”
“Anything for you, Nat,” he says, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “I love seeing you smile. It’s worth it all.”
He pulls me in and kisses me—deeper this time. His arms tighten around my lower back, pressing me close. My hands trail up his neck as he brushes his tongue along my lower lip and tugs it gently between his teeth. He smiles into the kiss .
“I love you,” he murmurs.
“I love you too.”
I think about how he champions me. How he doesn’t just love me, he sees me. Encourages me. He pushes me past the little zone of comfort I sometimes find myself clinging to. If there’s a door I want to knock on to open, he encourages me to kick it through. I love that he wants me to be the most real version of myself—someone who’s not held back by fear, like I have been for so long throughout my life. It’s not something I’ll unlearn overnight. In fact, I’m sure it’ll be a lifetime of grappling with the choice of faith over fear. Of choosing to step out, when it’s not guaranteed to be okay. He supports me in every way, and wants my dreams to come true. I love that he wants to give me the whole world.
It’s been three months. Just three months.
But there’s not a doubt in my mind.
This isn’t just for now. I love that I never settled for anything less. Fear tempted me to, but I would’ve missed out on so much more . Nathan makes me a better version of myself.
This is that forever kind of thing.
I glance at Nathan, warmth flooding my chest.
Is this the kind of love that has me head-over-heels, butterflies-for-breakfast, writing-his-name-in-my-notebook?
You bet.