Throngs of people bustle by, but nobody offers us a second glance, each engrossed in absorbing the festive magic. It’s an effort to take it all in, my senses on overload. Row upon row of charming chalets. Gingerbread, mulled wine, ornaments, sparkling baubles. Scented candles and intricately carved wooden figures. Chocolate fountains and marshmallow sticks.
Victoria’s eyes shine with excitement as she points out each and every attraction. The Cirque Berserk. The carousels. The Ice Bar.
Frankie and Pierce linger a couple of feet behind us as promised. Nobody would even guess they’re with us. It’s so surreal.
Victoria stops at a mini fudge factory, reaching into her purse to purchase some but Archie pushes her hand away, instead buying her an overflowing assortment that he carries as if he really were her dutiful date.
We spend hours exploring the stalls and sights. Gazing around, I realise we’re no different from anyone else here, well apart from the superstar amongst us of course. The one whose body huddles against mine. The one who’s taking my hand and slipping it inside his coat pocket so his fingers entwine with mine.
He looks down to meet my stare. ‘What next?’
I gather he means at the Winter Wonderland because if he’s talking about us, I have no idea.
‘The Ferris wheel!’ Victoria squeals and Ryan grins.
‘Still hate heights, Sasha?’ he whispers into my ear, warm breath skimming over my cold earlobe.
‘I see you haven’t lost your memory in your old age.’
‘Old age? Sweetheart, I haven’t even hit my prime yet.’ His breath tickles my ear again and I’d almost swear his tongue flicked over it too.
‘Is that right?’ It’s a battle to form a coherent sentence when he’s this close.
‘Play your cards right later, and I might even show you…’ He winks and I use the hand that’s not in his pocket to slap his shoulder.
‘Been there, done that… Thankfully, I don’t have the t-shirt because I never quite made it to one of your concerts.’
‘We’ll have to rectify that,’ he says, dragging me towards the queue for the Ferris wheel.
Pierce intervenes, ushering us to a side entrance again, skipping the queue of probably hundreds of people. He nods to another security guard who leads us directly to a carriage.
My heart plummets. Ryan had it in one. I’m petrified of heights. The helicopter was one thing, but this hazardous transportable machine is another thing altogether. What if the damn thing gets stuck up there? What if the hinges snap and we plummet to the ground? My shaky breath presses tightly against my chest.
‘You don’t have to do this,’ Ryan whispers into my ear as Victoria and Archie hop in first. Her face is a picture of excitement. She’s glowing like I’ve never seen her glow before.
I can’t let her down.
I won’t let her down.
‘I’m fine,’ I lie, hopping in across from them.
Ryan slides in beside me and asks the security guard for something. I can’t hear what.
He squashes against me, wrapping his huge arm around my shoulder, forcing me into his chest. I’m not complaining. It was once my favourite spot in the whole world.
Who am I kidding? It still is.
The guards returns with a woman who looks about twenty. She carries a tray containing a bottle of Dom Perignon and four champagne flutes, which she places on the small metal table in the centre of the carriage.
‘So this is what it feels like to be a VIP…’ I manage to mutter in Ryan’s ear as Archie takes the bottle. The delightful cork pop is usually one of my favourite sounds in the world but today it sends me hopping further into Ryan’s arms.
‘Sasha, Queen of the Castle, you already know what if feels like to be a VIP,’ he teases straight back. ‘But you haven’t yet found out what it’s like to bemyVIP…’
My stomach flips and this time it has nothing to do with the Ferris wheel that’s slowly beginning to rise in the air.
Christmas songs blast from speakers everywhere.
Archie hands us each a glass of champagne. I eye Victoria’s with an arched eyebrow, but she arches one straight back, deliberately glancing between Ryan and me. I’m only grateful she hasn’t taken a picture and sent it to Chloe because no doubt she’ll have a lot to say about this development.
