Chapter 15
Ripley
‘Did you get that?’ Brett whispers to the camera operator. ‘That first kiss is gold. Desiree is a perfect co-star.’ Everyone gives nods of approval.
If they were asking me, I wouldn’t say Garrick looked like he enjoyed it very much.
But maybe that’s just because I’m starting to see a crack in the facade.
That opaqueness of his persona is wearing away to show the real Garrick underneath.
Or maybe he did like it, and I’m just hoping he didn’t.
That cheesy grin he’s sporting might not be the mask I think it is.
Perhaps Desiree’s boldness is exactly the type of thing he’s into.
Which is absolutely, completely ludicrous.
I want him to like it. He needs to enjoy it for this to work.
I shove my hands into my pockets, squeezing them into fists to keep warm.
My brain is still foggy from last night.
I opened the door and let Garrick slide past the barrier I should have made more solid between us.
I’m letting him seep into my everyday life; my hormones or whatever are trying to trick me.
Garrick is a flirt with everyone. I just need to remind my brain that none of it means anything and he’s just trying to get a rise out of me.
I picture Mom crying after her last divorce and throwing out everything in the house that reminded her of him.
Or the times Anna was left waiting at the movies when Mike said he’d be there, but canceled last minute – or worse, showed up and made the Anna I know shrink into herself as he controlled every aspect of the night.
OK, feeling better. I’m centered now.
Nathan is once again presenting as an elf.
I hope Mom is paying him for this – I should double-check to make sure he’s getting a fair deal.
Nathan is living his best life, becoming the figure skating commentator of his dreams by giving a play-by-play.
I haven’t seen Melika this morning. She’s off with Yvette, getting set up for the elimination tomorrow.
‘Go check on the oldest.’ Mom startles me with a nudge, and I yelp. I’d been so absorbed in the aftermath of the kiss, studying the reactions of the other girls and Garrick, that I didn’t notice her coming up alongside me.
‘What?’ I push my earmuffs back to hear better. They’re almost as good as noise-canceling headphones.
She nods to Ivor, standing a few feet away from the rest of production, arms crossed as he judges the scene. ‘These Waltons are very hands-on. Go put the fire out before it starts. I’m sure Barth sent him here to report back.’
‘I mean, it is their park,’ I say cautiously.
‘And it’s our show, Juliet. Will you please do as I say?’
I lick my chapped lips. Then I remember that the lip gloss Ellie gave me is still in my pocket. I slip it out and apply a thick layer. ‘Yes, Mother.’ I give her a salute before walking to Ivor.
‘Hey.’ I offer a polite smile. I haven’t spoken to him much other than when we first arrived with the crew.
‘Hello.’ He’s brisk but polite, barely glancing at me before returning his attention to the rink. Out of all the Waltons, he comes off the most reserved, probably because he’s six years older than Garrick and Tristian.
‘It’s really exciting, don’t you think?’ I ask, then add when he frowns in confusion, ‘That we’re finally shooting.’
‘Oh, yes.’ He nods.
‘Garrick is a natural.’ How long do I have to stand here for Mom to be satisfied?
Ivor’s jaw muscles clench.
‘OK, so just let me know if there are any concerns. I’m happy to help.’
Ivor looks over at me for the first time.
‘Fairytale Gardens has been a part of my family for the last twenty-five years since my dad designed every aspect of it, from the turnstiles to the castle’s stained-glass windows.
I hope you and your mother understand we have a legacy to maintain.
’ His tone is firm, but I can see the worry in his eyes.
‘You’re aware of the incident last summer?’ His words are measured.
‘I read up on it, yes.’
He twists his hands in front of him. ‘Well, as I’m sure you also read, it had a ripple effect on our attendance and investors.’
A business magazine did a whole spread on the rise and fall of the park. Despite the smiling face Fairytale Gardens presents to the public, it seems like behind the scenes it’s been a different experience.
‘I can’t go into details, for obvious reasons,’ he continues. ‘But just know that this whole endeavor isn’t just a gimmick for good press. Its success will heavily affect the future of FTG, and my family.’
The heaviness in his voice makes me worry, too.
This park is their whole lives. The last thing Mom needs is a forlorn Walton walking around making her even more anxious.
I offer him some much-needed reassurance.
‘We’d never do anything to compromise the park’s integrity.
’ I might not have a theme park to protect, but I want to ensure Beeloved succeeds.
‘Or my brother’s.’ He nods toward Garrick, who is seeing how many marshmallows he can shove into his mouth at once. He and the girls are at the hot chocolate booth next to the rink while they take a break from skating.
‘He seems like he can handle himself.’
‘Garrick’s the life of the party,’ he says dully, making it sound like the worst thing someone could be. ‘If it’s up to him, he’ll make sure it never stops.’
‘OK, well, um …’ I have no idea how to follow that up. ‘Like I said, let me know if you have any concerns and I’ll address them right away.’ I offer a quick wave before heading back to Mom.
Nathan grabs my arm before I reach her and pulls me toward the ice. ‘Come on, Ripley, let’s use it while they’re busy.’
Riya offers to show us a few moves and I’m stunned by her skills. She’s doing jumps and twists I could never even attempt. But she is nice enough to offer us newbs some pointers.
I haven’t ice-skated in years. I went with Anna when she was in high school because she was in love with one of the hockey players who trained at the rink.
All I remember is falling on my butt and having a massive bruise for the next two weeks.
But I’m so cold, maybe a little ice-skating will warm my body.
‘First rule,’ Riya says, gliding backwards in front of us. ‘Don’t be afraid to fall. It’s going to hurt, and you will for sure have bruises, but it’s going to happen. So, you can’t let it stop you.’
Never the worrier, Nathan takes off and promptly falls, nearly doing the splits in the process. I cringe, inhaling sharply, worried we’ve lost our elf, but his shocked face transforms into laughter and I breathe a sigh of relief.
‘See, the first one is out of the way.’ Riya takes his hands as they practice going in large circles. ‘That’s it. Great job. Try not to look at your skates. Keep your chin high.’
‘Ripley, hurry up!’ Nathan calls as they move further away.
I’m like a shaky newborn giraffe as I try not to faceplant in front of everyone. ‘If we’re going to keep doing this,’ I say to Nathan, who is already spinning circles around me, ‘I’m going to need to watch about a thousand TikTok tutorials.’
I’m the kind of person who always wants to have my best foot forward. So, I do all the research I can about the situation before it arrives.
‘Ahhh,’ I scream as my feet slip out from under me. Luckily, I was next to the wall, so I slide down the side of it and plop on to the ice rather than slam down. But it still stings. It’s good my coat is so fluffy because it caught some of the impact.
‘Juliet!’ Mom yells from the side. ‘We don’t have time to take you to the hospital. Stop messing around.’
I wave my hand in the air from my spot on the ground. ‘I’m fine, thanks for asking.’ A hand reaches down to help me. I grab it before I realize whose it is.
‘Milady, are you OK?’ Garrick yanks me up, his voice light, but I see a worry line between his brows. I don’t know how he got over here so fast.
I clear my throat, wiping excess shards of ice and snow off my coat. ‘Don’t you have enough ladies to play knight in shining armor with? Do you really need to be over here?’ Embarrassment colors my cheeks, the flush creeping down my neck.
We’re still holding hands, and I quickly yank mine away, heading off the rink.
‘Ripley, I will always be where I’m needed.’
I keep my gaze down as I unlace my skates. Why does my stomach feel like butterflies are slamming into every available space? He’s just a boy. He’s not a knight. He’s occasionally charming, if a bit over-the-top. But that doesn’t mean anything.
When I finally look back up, Garrick has moved on to talking to Zoya and those butterflies suddenly fall still.