Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
CHRISTINE
“Get him, Mom! Get him!” cries Casey.
“No!” Jacks’s head whips around in her and Fletcher’s bumper car, sizing up the narrowing distance between us. She repeatedly taps Fletcher on the shoulder as he steers. “Stand your ground! Stand your ground!”
He swerves to avoid getting stuck in the corner, but that just gives me the perfect opportunity to T-bone him.
Jacks lets out a little shriek as our cars collide and theirs spins in a full circle. Casey laughs and claps beside me. I don’t at all like that look in Fletcher’s eyes as he smiles up at us.
“Go!” cries Casey. “Go, go, go!”
I steer us away, the neon lights drenching the rink flashing before my eyes as we swerve in and out of other cars.
“No!” screams Casey, right before they crash into us from behind, shooting us forward into the wall.
The buzzer goes off, announcing our time’s up, and Casey sighs.
“We can get in line to go again,” I say as we climb out. “But I thought you wanted to try the slides?”
His eyes light up and he grabs my hand to drag me to the exit.
The massive rainbow slides are just next door, and a group of teens speeds down on their burlap sacks as we approach, screaming and laughing. I gulp audibly as I stare at the stairs that lead to the top.
Fletcher crouches next to Casey. “So are we racing, or do you want to go down with me? I think your mom should stay here so she can get a good picture of you.”
Casey blinks up at me. “Is that okay?”
I can’t help my relieved smile. “Of course.”
“I’m going to sit this one out too,” says Jacks. She waits until Fletcher and Casey start up the stairs before adding, “Last thing I want is rug burn on my ass.”
I snort out a laugh. “I’m really glad you decided to come with us, Jacks.”
Her smile turns a little shy. “Me too.”
Not only does Fletcher seem happier with her here, but she and Casey have gotten on surprisingly well too, despite the big gap in their ages. To be honest, I think Casey might have a bit of a crush on her.
I whip my phone out as Fletcher and Casey inch toward the front of the line. They settle together on a sack—Casey in front, Fletcher’s arms around him—and the sight of it has my heart aching in a way I don’t quite understand. Casey grins from ear to ear the entire way down, no trace of fear to be found.
If I’d gone up there, someone would’ve had to shove me down. Seriously, where did this kid come from?
“Can we go again?” asks Casey as soon as they reach the bottom. “I want to race this time!”
Fletcher smirks. “Sure thing.”
I turn to Jacks. “You hungry?”
She shrugs. “A little.”
I nod at the stand across the walkway. “Want to grab some funnel cake?”
Another shrug, but I think that’s a hint of a smile on her lips now.
“We’ll be right back!” I call to Fletcher, and he waves to let me know he heard me.
“I’ve never had one of these,” Jacks admits as we get in line.
“Haven’t you ever been to the fair before?”
“Once, with my boyfriend. But we really just did the rides.”
My eyebrows shoot up, but I try not to let my excitement show on my face. Despite how much time we’ve been spending together these past few weeks, she hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with many personal details, especially things about her past. And I haven’t wanted to push her. So her voluntarily offering this information can’t help but feel like a win.
“Boyfriend?” I ask innocently.
She winces. “Ex, I meant.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
I hand over my card for the food, but I don’t miss the way her expression darkens. “Don’t be. He was an asshole.”
“Well, that ”—I smile at the cashier and lift the funnel cake between us so Jacks can try it first—“I can relate to.”
She eyes the plate before cautiously breaking off a piece. I wait, gauging her reaction as she chews. Her eyes snap to mine.
“Good?”
She breaks off another piece.
I smile as we head toward the slides. “Well, I hope he’s not still giving you trouble, your ex.”
“Oh, no. I don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
“Mommy, did you see me?” Casey sprints toward us. “I won!”
“I’m gonna need some of this for my wounded pride,” laments Fletcher as he breaks off a piece of the funnel cake.
Luckily, there’s enough to catch Casey’s eye that keeps us on the ground for the next hour—the ring toss, the teacups, the water gun race. I’m beginning to think I’ll make it out of today alive when Casey stops in the middle of the walkway—the teddy bear wearing a cowboy hat that Fletcher won for him clutched to his chest—and cranes his neck to take in the massive rollercoaster overhead.
“That one.” I watch him point his little finger as if in slow motion. Then he turns his best puppy dog eyes on me. “Will you do this one too?”
“Oh, Jacks or I can ride with you,” Fletcher starts.
Casey stays focused on me.
And somehow, I find myself saying, “Yeah, let’s all do it.”
Fletcher’s gaze snaps to me, and I force a smile. Jacks looks between the two of us before directing her attention to Casey.
“Will you ride with me, Case? I’m a little scared.”
Casey smiles and tries to make himself taller. “Okay!”
The two of them head into the line first, and Fletcher lays his hand on my arm as we follow. “Are you sure about this?”
I nod, faking far more confidence than I feel. “I think it’ll be good for me to do at least one before we go.” That had been the original plan, after all, before Fletcher and Jacks joined. If it were just me here, I’d have no choice. I can do this. I can.
He links his fingers through mine and squeezes. “All right.”
The coaster looms in front of us as we inch along in line. Fletcher never lets go of my hand, even though it’s definitely clammy now. My heart is already pounding in my chest and we’re not even on the damn thing yet.
He leans close and murmurs in my ear, “You’re allowed to change your mind.”
I give a firm shake of my head, and he chuckles under his breath.
“Good to see where Casey gets his stubbornness from.”
I glare at him, but that easy smile never falters.
All too soon, it’s our turn. Jacks and Casey take the seats in front of us, and I focus on my breathing as the teenager working comes to pull the bars over our heads. I immediately grasp the handles.
I know I must look ridiculous, but Fletcher doesn’t laugh. He rests his hand on my knee and strokes his thumb back and forth.
Then we start to move backward. Casey giggles, and I try to focus on the absolute joy radiating from him rather than the ground rapidly growing farther away from us as the coaster prepares to slingshot us forward.
“You’re doing great,” Fletcher says.
“How are you so calm right now?” I manage to squeeze out, my eyes already shut as tight as they can go. “It doesn’t bother you at all being up this high?”
There’s a slight pause before he admits, “Okay, so it’s a little high.”
My response turns into a scream as we fall.
I think I black out. All I know is my stomach is in my throat, my hands are cramping from holding on so tightly, and I don’t open my eyes a single time.
But I hear Casey’s laughter and delighted screams in front of me, and that alone makes it worth it.
When it’s finally over, Fletcher has to pry my hands from the bars.
“You can open your eyes now,” he murmurs.
Casey and Jacks climb out first, both grinning with their entire faces. Casey’s practically jumping up and down as we head down the ramp and back to the rest of the park.
Fletcher throws an arm around my shoulders and tugs me in close as we walk. “You all right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
His breath stirs my hair as he kisses my temple. “Knew you could do it.”
“Just don’t ask me to do it again.”
He chuckles. “Come on. That Strength Tester has my name all over it. Let’s get you a bear like Casey’s.”
I turn to him with wide eyes. “Maybe I wanted the mermaid.”
He nods seriously. “Mermaid it is.” He presses his face against the side of my neck and takes a long, deep breath before letting it out on a sigh.
“What?” I ask.
A bemused smile tugs at the corners of his lips, but when he meets my eyes, there’s much more than amusement burning behind them.
“One of these days,” he says, almost too low for me to hear, “I’ll have some alone time with you again.”
My blood heats, but I keep my expression impassive. “Oh, so that whole taking it slow speech really was all talk, huh?”
His smile turns crooked like he sees right through me. “If you’d prefer, we can keep on?—”
I tighten my fist around his shirt and give it a small tug. “I absolutely do not prefer.”
He chuckles and presses a kiss to the top of my head. “You. Me. Tomorrow. I’ll pick Jacks up from studying. She’s starting her new job at the movie theater tomorrow night, so I’ll have the house to myself. And Casey will be with his dad. I’ll cook you dinner, and…”
I grin and lift my eyebrows at him. “ And… ?”
He brings a hand to his chest in mock offense. “And nothing. I have absolutely no ulterior motives.”
“Uh-huh.”
He squeezes me tighter to his side. “So is it a date or what?”
I slide my hand into his back pocket and bite my lip to keep from grinning. “It’s a date.”