Page 3 of Under the Boardwalk

“No one told you to eat two funnel cakes and two candy apples,” Grayson shrugs.

“Don’t forget about the extra-large slurpee,” I remind him.

“Go away. Let me die here in peace,” Beck complains.

“Uh oh, now it’s uneven. Riley, do you want to ride with Kas, and I can ride solo?” Charli offers. Kas automatically grabs her around her waist, holding on tight while growling.

“Uhh… nah. I’m good, doll. He might throw me over the railing if I sit next to him,” I say, chuckling at the death glare Kas is shooting my way. We make our way to the ride, and the closer we get through the line, the more I feel like I don’t belong here. I don’t want to be here riding these rides, especially not by myself. I came to partner up with Beck, so why am I even in this line?

“Maybe I should go see how Beck is doing,” I say, turning around and heading back in his direction. Before I can get too far, a small, black-haired bombshell sways up to me, and I swear I have to check my mouth for drool.

“Where are you going, handsome? Noticed you were riding solo, so figured we pair off,” she says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the ride. For the first time in my life, I can’t seem to open my mouth to reply or do anything. This woman has knocked me off my axis, and I have no clue how to get it back on track… or even if I want to. I look at her, not wanting to be a complete idiot or miss the chance to hear her voice again.

“So what, you just wait around looking for lucky guys who need roller coaster partners?” I ask, smirking, even though the idea makes my stomach turn. She laughs, a musical, beautiful laugh, before tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and replying.

“You know, always looking to be someone's knight in shining armor. I saw a damsel in distress and figured I’d help you out of that awkward situation,” she sasses me back.

“Oh, she’s got jokes.” I laugh as the ride starts, and she throws her hands in the air. The music for the ride also starts, and I see a light shine in her eyes.

All too soon, the ride is over. Honestly, I can’t even remember a single second of the roller coaster part. I spent the whole time watching her. The excitement in the ride. The wonder as we went downhill and her stomach rose to her throat. The absolute joy on her face.

But my favorite of all was her angelic voice as she sang the song as the ride went along. She has the voice of a chart-topper, and I can’t believe I had the chance to hear it in person. I catalog each moment, knowing they are memories I want to keep forever. I don’t want to lose her closeness, this connection. So I grab her hand as we climb off the ride and file back onto the boardwalk, following my friends.

“Can I get your number?” I blurt out, needing to know how to get in touch with her. I don’t know how, but there’s a connection I can’t ignore and don’t want to. Just as she opens her mouth to answer, my noisy friends decide that’s the time to interrupt. They are all laughing and joking as they file over our way. I see her nerves and panic as they crowd us. I turn to tell them I’ll meet up with them later, but feel her slip from my grasp.

“Wait! Where are you going?” I yell after her, trying to grab her hand once more. I can’t stand the thought of her leaving. I just found her.

“Later mega brain. I had a blast.” She smiles wide, waving and bouncing off through the crowd.

“Wait!” I yell, looking over at my friends, trying hard to hold in the oncoming panic. What the hell am I supposed to do? It’s Charli who finally gets through my thick brain.

“Well… Go get her!” She pushes me after her, and I don’t need to be told twice.

I take off after my mystery woman, bobbing and weaving in and out of the crowd. Kids play and run up and down the boardwalk, and I try not to knock them down with all my might, but I’m on an important mission. I have to find my girl; I need to get to her before I lose her for good. I look over the heads of the crowd, searching for that dark head of hair. I can’t find her anywhere. I look back toward the rides and then the other way toward the parking lot.

I only have one chance at this, and I know I have to get it right. She could have gone toward the food booths or back to the parking lot to leave for the night, but which one? If I pick the wrong one, I could lose her forever, but I only have a split second to figure out what could be the best decision of my life or the biggest mistake. How can I take that chance?

With a frustrated growl, I decide to go to the parking lot. I don’t know why, but I can feel a pull that’s leading me that way and coming from the center of my chest. Its pull is so hard I have no choice but to go in that direction.

Still running, the salt air burning my lungs, I push through another set of fairgoers and finally reach the parking lot. I probably look frantic, knocking people and trash cans over, but I can’t explain this need to see her again. I pass over car after car until finally, I glimpse dark hair, making her way to the back of the lot.

“Hey! Wait up!” I yell, but she doesn’t stop. I see her go to a yellow Volkswagen van with a surfboard on top.

I watch as she opens the passenger door and jumps up. Who’s van is that? Does she have a boyfriend? This woman has me all kinds of tangled up.

“Hey! Wait! I don’t even know your name!” I yell just as she ducks her head into the van.

She looks back at me and hesitates before giving me a big smile and a wink.

And just like that, she stole my heart and rode off without a backward glance. How the hell am I going to find her now?

Chapter Three

Alina

“Uggggh….” I say out loud, again hitting my head on the diner counter as I think about the absolute embarrassment I was the other night. I winked at him! Who the fuck winks anymore? I’m such an idiot. Even if Riley knew who I was, there is no way he would have looked twice at me again after that spectacle.

“Al, order up,” Kas yells from the pass-through to the kitchen.