“Not a fan of heights, huh?” The guy chuckles, and it carries a mocking tone. Not a ton, but enough for me to pick up on the energy shift. He’s giving me frat boy vibes and not the good kind. My suspicion is confirmed a second later when he murmurs, “Or is it the stairs?”
Reed bristles, posture stiffening and jaw clenching. “I’m the one who doesn’t like heights. Go ahead and say that again while looking me in the eye.”
Another hummingbird sneaks into my midsection, high-powered wings and all.
After we get a sputtered apology and a stack of free drink coupons, Reed laces his fingers through mine and leads me to ourfirst-floor station.
Unable to resist, I give his hand a tiny pulse. “I didn’t know you were scared of heights.”
“I’m not. But you are. And fuck that guy.”
A dozen more hummingbirds appear inside me, making it an entire charm of winged invaders.
I scroll through my past with Reed, wondering how he knew. I can’t recall any time when he might have witnessed me losing it. “Was my reaction that obvious?”
“I already knew.”
“That I’m afraid of heights?How?”
“Because I have a working memory,” he retorts.
I may have told Reed quite a bit about my life when we were younger, but there’s no chance I confessed why I can’t stand heights.
“Okay, butwhatare you remembering?”
He pauses at the entrance to bay twelve, flashing an obscene dimple. “Kenzie’s eleventh birthday party. At that shitty excuse for an amusement park with the rickety rides that were somehow less stable than the ones at the Strawberry Festival.”
Mmm. Strawberry shortcake.
But that’s not important right now.
My brows furrow as I’m still unable to recall what he’s referring to.
Reed uses his index finger to smooth the crumpled skin over my nose. “Remember our bumper car marathon?”
Gasping, I cup my mouth with my free hand. “Itotallyforgot about that.”
While Kenzie and the rest of our friends—her friends, honestly—stayed on the Ferris wheel for a dozen rotations, Mrs. Hayes made Reed take me to the bumper cars so I didn’t have to sit there bored. I made him go on it like four times in a row. Later, he rode the swirly teacup ride with me when the others went on the death drop thing. All these years later, and I still stand by my decision not to go on that ride. It hasdeathin the name for goodness’ sake.
I lower my eyes as uncomfortable recollections surface. “Wow. You have a top-notch memory. Sorry about that.”
He shrugs, the movement making our still-joined hands swing. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Well, what teenager wants to deal with his little sister’s scaredy cat friend? I bet you hated every second of it.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to do it.”
“Hold on. What do you meanyou offered? I thought your mom made you do it.”
“You thought wrong. She’s just as self-absorbed as Kenzie and didn’t notice until I pointed it out to her.”
My jaw sags.
He adds, “Plus, Kenzie was being a little bitch. You were better company. Still are.”
My head kicks back. “Reed!Hush. She wasnot. It was her birthday.”
He rolls his chocolate eyes dismissively, which shouldn’t be hot. Yet here we are.
