“Maybe. The pace is so different. Relaxing. And the people…”—he looks at me meaningfully—“are pretty great too.”
I feel my cheeks warm. “I think you’d love living there.”
“Come on,” River says, standing and offering me his hand. “Let’s ride that roller coaster before we lose our nerve.”
The roller coaster is intense—all loops and drops that leave us breathless and exhilarated. Afterward, River points to the Ferris wheel.
“One more ride?”
I can’t help but remember a scene in one of the books I have read in which the main characters kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel. It was so magical. Maybe we need a redo.
I smile at him. “Perfect ending to the day.”
We climb into our car as the sun is starting to set,painting the sky in shades of pink and orange. The wheel begins to turn, lifting us higher and higher until we can see the ocean in the distance.
“This is beautiful,” I say, looking out at the view.
“It really is,” River agrees, but when I glance over, he’s looking at me instead of the scenery.
The Ferris wheel suddenly stops with a slight jerk, leaving us swaying gently at the very top.
A voice comes over the speakers. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re experiencing a brief technical delay. Please remain seated and enjoy the view. We’ll have you moving again shortly.”
River laughs. “Well, this is perfect timing.”
I look at him, feeling a flutter in my stomach. We have the romantic setting, and he’s been so good to me all day. Our last kiss had been so awkward and disappointing. But maybe it was just nerves. Maybe if I tried again…
“River,” I say softly.
He turns to me, and I can see something hopeful in his expression. Before I can lose my nerve, I lean toward him and press my lips to his.
For a moment, I think it might be different this time. River responds gently, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. But as the kiss continues, that same hollow feeling settles in my chest. It’s nice, but it’s just… nice. There’s no spark, no electricity, none of that breathless excitement I’ve read about in books or seen in movies.
I pull back, trying to keep the disappointment off my face.
“Cricket?” River searches my expression. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I say quickly, forcing a smile. “Of course. Just… enjoying the moment.”
But even as I say it, I can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. River is wonderful—kind, interesting,handsome, successful. He should be perfect for me. So why does kissing him feel like letting the air out of a tire?
River smiles at me, and I can’t help but feel like he enjoyed our kiss, and I’m the only one who can’t feel any sparks. He looks genuinely happy to be with me.
The Ferris wheel starts moving again, and I’m grateful for the distraction. As we descend, I paste on a bright smile and try to push away the growing certainty that whatever is going wrong with our kisses is my fault.
CHAPTER 18
Cricket Jenkins
Saturday, November 28
An hour later,we’re sitting in River’s rental car outside my house, and I can’t shake that hollow feeling in my chest. River stops the engine but doesn’t get out of the car. Instead, he turns to look at me.
“Okay, what’s wrong?”
Does he feel it too? I turn to him. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been quiet since the Ferris wheel. You seem… I don’t know. Distracted. Is something bothering you?”
