The inside of the Pearl flashed violet, signaling the end of the ride, before the doors automatically slid open.Elodie stared up at the rose as she slid out of the vehicle.Goosebumps sprouted along her arms.She was doing what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it, taking charge of her time.And it feltgood.
Unlike the years before, there was no line to wait in to enter the fair.Holbrook’s funeral served as the day’s main attraction.Elodie preferred it this way.No crowd.No mass of Violet Shields staining her view of what was ahead.The three of them could walk around the entire riverside festival without lines taking up their wholeday.
Elodie glanced over her shoulder as Aiden jogged up to the entrance after her and Astrid hung back to use the Pearl’s window to redo her ponytail.
Before the complications of Eos and the Scotts and Rhett, getting stuck at the fair with Aiden would have been a dream.Now, they were one awkward silence away from a heavy conversation.
Aiden cleared his throat and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.“We really should talk about what happened.”
Elodie gripped her pleats.“I didn’t get to ask Blair what I needed to, but now I know that you can ask for me whenever youwant.”
“And now I know that you’re matched.”
Elodie’s fingers again found the smooth pearls framing her neck.She swallowed tightly and swung her gaze to the street where Astrid lackadaisically shuffled up the entryway, tapping on her holopad.What was taking her so long?Couldn’t she see that Elodie needed saving?
Elodie tucked a stray wave of hair behind her ear.“It really shouldn’t matter, Aiden.You and I are just friends.”As she said it, she knew it wasn’t the complete truth.It was an oversimplification.A cutting jab to what she knew they had together—what theycouldhave together if their circumstances weren’t such amess.
Aiden’s hand fell to his side.“Still—”
Three loud claps shattered the heaviness shrouding Elodie and Aiden.“Holy shit,” Astrid said.“You two know what we should do?”Excitement splashed pink across her sharp cheekbones.
Aiden shrugged and tossed a hand toward the brightly colored rides just beyond the entrance.“Go on aride?”
“Only after we eat that giant fried dough thing covered in powdered sugar.”Astrid mimed the heaping plate of sweet goodness.“Oh!And one of those pretzels the size of your face!”She bounced up and down a few times before taking off to the snack truck just inside the entrance.
Astrid’s excitement was understandable.The only time of year Westfall had any food that was fried, covered in sugar, or the size of someone’s entire face was at the Key’s annual celebration.Every other day consisted of aplant-baseddiet tailored to each citizen as a way to keep everyone performing at their best.It was also a smart agricultural and waste management move.With predetermined diets, the Key only produced the amount of food that would be eaten.
Elodie trailed Aiden up to the snack cart.She couldn’t think about eating.Not while her stomach worried itself intoknots.
“Extra mustard,” Astrid told the serving bot when Elodie approached.“Hey, El, they have those roasted corncobs that come on a stick.You love those.Wantone?”
Elodie’s heart fluttered and she couldn’t help but pass a bashful glance at Aiden.Astrid had no idea.“I’m good,” she said.Her cheeks heated as her eyes again found Aiden.He’d left his suitcoat in the Pearl and untucked his perfectly fitted button down.Now he undid a few more buttons, but with each movement the shirt still strained against hischest.
The knots in Elodie’s stomach tightened.
When they’d been in the warehouse, had he felt the same rush of need that shehad?
The excited drumming of Astrid’s nails against the metal shelf of the food truck barreled through Elodie’s thoughts.“I’m getting you a cherry limeade,” Astridsaid.
Good.Elodie needed to cooloff.
“Hey, Scott, want anything?”Astrid tossed over her shoulder as she eyed the digitalmenu.
Aiden’s mossy green eyes caught Elodie’s and the corner of his mouth tipped in a sly grin.“Nothing that bot can giveme.”
Elodie’s breath stilled in her chest as he continued to stare at her so intently she thought she might burst into flames.She tore her attention away and focused on the nearby rides.“Spooky tunnel ride!”Elodie snatched the sweating cup of limeade from Astrid, and gulped it as if she hadn’t had a drink fordays.
Astrid chortled around a mouthful of pretzel.“Yeah, right.You hate being scared.”She swiped a napkin across the line of mustard running down her chin.“You especially hate things that pop out and scare you on purpose.That’s the whole reason you wouldn’t go with me to thatkick-assHalloween bash over in...”She took another bite and waved her hand in the air.“Wherever itwas.”
Astrid was right.Elodie didn’t like anything that was, by definition, designed to be frightening.But the idea of Astrid leaving her alone with Aiden, looking the way he looked in that tight shirt and those tight pants, was much more terrifying.
And Elodie had not actuallychosenthe terrifying tunnel ride.It was just the first one she’d seen.If only she’d been facing a little more to the left, they’d be getting on the teacups.
Elodie stabbed at the melting ice cubes with her quickly dissolving paper straw.“You know Gwen would have freaked if I was up in my room screaming because of some VR Halloween party.Besides—” Air burbled through the straw as she sucked down the last drops of cherry limeade.“People change.”
Astrid popped the final bite of pretzel into her mouth.“I’ll never say no to a good adrenaline boost.”She grinned.“You in, Scott?”
Aiden nodded.“Scott isin.”
