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Hamlet’s got two Fainting Goat Ranch ballcaps in her hand and a merchandise T-shirt. I’m not going to let on that I know she has an Instagram page, but I am sure she will call this non-date adventure in her mind something worth capitalizing on, which is the smart thing to do. “If I am coming on this non-date with you”—she shoves the ballcap and T-shirt at my chest—“then you can put those good looks to work.”Yup, she’s treating this as a business event.
Whatever she needs to convince herself to spend time with me.
And then I got her on the back of my bike.
Tucker—two, Hamlet—one.
The one is a sympathy vote.
I’ve been winning since I laid eyes on her.
Twelve
WHO IS ZAPPING WHOM?
Ophelia
I appease Tucker by wearing his leather jacket, although I have one in my closet. If I wore mine and handed his back, it would prove to Tucker that I preferred to wear his when I woke up this morning. This way, he can assume I don’t own one.
Although the bike has an intercom system, I’m glad Tucker didn’t use it, giving me the silence that I craved to get my thoughts in order before we arrived at the destination.
I didn’t even want to make excuses that I was too busy to take an adventure because I love spending time outdoors, and Tucker’s gone out of his way to be friendly; it would be rude of me to shut him down. We are two people spending time together. No biggie.
I haven’t had time to take a ride in a hot air balloon since I have been living here, so now seems like a great opportunity to tick it off my bucket list, and I can hopefully vouch for the hot air balloon experience if guests ask me. I am genuinely looking forward to riding in a gondola basket, drifting around the sky as free as a bird.
After dismounting the comfortable bike and removing the spare helmet he brought me to wear, we proceeded to have a battle of wills over me paying my share of the balloon ride because this isn’t a date, so it made sense splitting the bill.
I lost that battle, but he did strip his jacket and shirt off, revealing his six-pack and hardcore muscle definition. He’s not a man-mountain, but he sure looks after himself. It was hard not to want to invade his personal space and get up close and personal with his tattoos before he slipped on the Fainting Goat T-shirt, I had thrust at him earlier.
And that’s when I noticed his black nail polish. Why did that do things to me? It’s just nail polish on a guy. So what? Yet it was sexy as hell.
Then the ballcap got tugged down on his head.
And damn, if the man didn’t wear my merchandise like a seasoned model.
Hot damn!
And he knew he had caught my attention from the smug wink he gave me.
After filling out the paperwork, Tucker guided me with his hand, not quite touching my lower back over to our pilot, Andrew, through the field of people assigned to their respective pilots and colorful hot air balloons in various degrees of inflation.
From the much smaller gondola basket than the group flights, I am now discovering that Tucker paid for a private hot air balloon experience, which means it is just the pilot and us. It is something I hadn’t considered. I’ve always seen groups of people in much bigger baskets.
Suddenly, I am unsure how I feel about climbing into our small basket.
We all have our weaknesses, and from the way my heart is hammering in my chest, I may well have found mine.
Tucker introduces me as Hamlet, but I let it slide. I assume he knows my name is Ophelia from knowing my address, so I will keep playing the game because I am now more interested in the safety of a teeny basket.
We listen to Andrew’s instructions, and then our balloon gets inflated with our help, which I admit is fun and rewarding to know we helped bring life to the balloon and a great distraction off the size of the basket.
The closer we get to lift off, the more my heart stumbles about in my chest.
I give myself a mental bitch slap:Suck it up, buttercup. You’ve got this.
Tucker climbs effortlessly up and over the square gondola basket’s edge when Andrew is ready for us, and then I’m next.
I got this. It is a strong-looking basket.
