Page 14 of Camden

I greeted everyone and looked around, taking in my first Summer Festival. The setting sun helped the carnival lights glow brighter in the sky. People milled around, laughing and holding hands. Some carried stuffed animals they’d won. Some carried caramel apples, hotdogs, and funnel cakes.

The air smelled like fried food and sunshine.

I took a deep breath and relaxed, resting my elbows on the table in front of me.

Country music drifted out of the speakers as kids and teenagers screamed and laughed with joy. The changing lights of the ferris wheel caught my eye as the conductor slowed the ride to let people off. I had always wondered what it would be like to ride one. Books and movies always painted them as magical.

My parents had never taken me to a fair or amusement park, and Jax never wanted to ride one when we went to amusement parks. He was more into thrill rides and roller coasters.

Whenever I mentioned the idea, he just ignored me and dragged me to the next thing he wanted to do. Come to think of it, he never did a lot of things I was interested in. Riding a ferris wheel was just the top of the list. I’d never taken a hot-air balloon ride. Never rode the mechanical bull at the bar because I was too busy caring for his drunk ass.

Yes, I could’ve done those things in college or with friends, but I wanted to experience them with him. I want to create memories together. Wonderful, happy memories, but instead I got shitty ones I tried like hell to suppress.

Enough of that.

From now on, I was going to do the things I wanted to do. Things that were going to make me happy regardless of who did them with me.

Mentally, I began making a bucket list of things that excited me. I looked at Haley, who was talking with Stacey and Asher. “Where did Nix go?” I asked. During my internal pep talk, Phoenix and Asher’s parents disappeared.

“Mom and dad took her home. We’ve been here most of the day and she was getting pretty cranky. They figured we could stay and watch the fireworks and catch the show without them,” Asher explained.

“That was nice of them.” I focused on the ferris wheel again. “When does the show start?”

“The fireworks should be any minute, but the live band will be in about half an hour,” Haley said as she took a bite of her hotdog. Ketchup dripped down from the corner of her mouth.

I stood and dusted off my ass. “I’m gonna go take a ride on the ferris wheel.” Asher and Haley both grunted some sort of agreement with their mouths full.

“Feel like going on a ride, Stacey?” I asked.

Her face flashed with a mischievous expression before she yawned. “Actually, I’m getting pretty worn down. I think I’m going to head home. Cam? Why don’t you ride with her?” She suggested.

“Are you okay?” He asked, brow crinkling in concern for his sister.

“I’m fine. Just really need some sleep. The wedding killed me last night. The nap earlier helped, but not enough.” She covered a second yawn to prove her point.

I’m pretty sure that was fake.

“Okay. Text me when you get home?” Cam waited until she agreed before turning to me. “What do you say? Should we go?” He held out an arm for me to go first. Unsure, I took a small step forward. His hand once again hovered over the small of my back.

Was he really this much of a gentleman?

We made it to the front of the line and my happiness dropped as the attendant asked for a ticket. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize that I needed one to board.” Stupid on my part, as I should’ve known better. “I’ll go grab one and catch the next ride.” My cheeks warmed.

I turned, bumping into Camden. “Sorry, Babe. I was pulling them out of my pocket. Here you go.” He passed two tickets to the man. I spun back around. Cam’s chest brushed against my back with each breath he took.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my shorts as the attendant lifted the lap bar and motioned for us to sit. I sat down first and Cam climbed in next to me. The seat rocked and my pulse quickened. This time, it wasn’t just the man sitting next to me. I didn’t know the seats swung that much.

And I would be in the air.

Far, far in the air.

As I was about to ask the attendant to let me off, that I changed my mind, the lap bar swung down over us, locking us in. The wheel moved, and I yelped, gripping the bar tightly.

Cam chuckled next to me, making the seat move more.

“Stop it,” I said, but it came out in a squeak.

I wasn’t a big girl, but Cam was a bigger man. Muscular and tall. His entire body pressed into mine from shoulder to hip to knee. He shifted and placed his arm around me, which I hardly noticed as the ground moved further and further away. We stopped every few feet to let another rider on or off until we sat stationary at the top of the wheel.