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Daniel opened his eyes. “No way! That would be humiliating.”
“Worse than getting sick on the ride?” Lorelei asked, her tone incredulous.
“I feel a little better. Closing my eyes helped. I don’t think I’m going to get sick.”
Lorelei leaned over and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Then keep them closed, baby.”
Baby? She’d called him baby as in her baby! Suddenly, the height didn’t seem so overwhelming to Daniel. He was soaring and it had nothing to do with the ride. It had everything to do with being with this amazing woman who was showing him with each and every day that she had his back. She was holding his hand so tightly and comforting him. By the time the ride ended, Daniel had bolstered his courage. He was able to look out over the side without feeling as if he was going to get sick.
His legs were a little wobbly as they exited the ride, but with Lorelei holding on to his arm, Daniel quickly walked it off. Lorelei insisted Daniel pick the next ride, which was incredibly tame compared to the Ferris wheel. For the next few hours they enjoyed it all—the rides, the food and especially the cotton candy. Watching Lorelei eat the pink fluffy treat caused a little hitch in his heart. She looked like a little kid and her lips were sticky and pink.
He pointed to her upper lip. “You’ve got a little something there,” he said with a chuckle.
She wiped her lip with a napkin then said, “I can’t believe you’re not eating any of it. How can you resist it?”
He held up his bag of popcorn. “This is the really good stuff.” He threw a few kernels in his mouth and chomped down on them.
“Thanks for taking me here,” Lorelei said. “It makes me feel like a little kid again to be here. All the bright lights and the rides. The sights and the heavenly aromas.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, pleased he’d been able to make her happy. “I had a lot of fun tonight also.” He grinned at her. “Any time I can eat popcorn and corn dogs is a good evening.”
Lorelei laughed and shook her head. “I love carnival food, but I think I’ve had my fill,” she said, veering towards a trash can so she could dump the rest of her cotton candy. “If I have any more I’ll definitely end up with a stomach ache.”
“Do you want to stop by the Silver Spoon later on for some real food?”
“That would be great! I’ve been dying to see the Donahue family diner. You talk about it all the time.” She looked gleeful. “I have such a wonderful image of it in my mind.”
Daniel looked at her questioningly. “One last ride? And then we’ll head over to the Silver Spoon?” he asked, nodding in the direction of the carousel.
Lorelei clapped her hands together. “Yay! I love t
he carousel! I remember my grandparents used to take me when I was a little girl.”
“Then let’s go,” he said, taking her hand and walking her towards the carousel. It felt nice, he realized, to feel Lorelei’s hand in his own. It was one of life’s simple pleasures. Sweet and satisfying. Daniel hadn’t ever felt as if he’d been part of a couple. Not a real one the way he felt right now with Lorelei. It was a bit scary, because he was beginning to count on Lorelei and on what they shared. Life was way more interesting with her in it. He hoped and prayed they would continue building on their relationship because a future with Lorelei would be beyond his wildest dreams.
**
The Silver Spoon was everything Lorelei had imagined and so much more. The moment they had walked into the establishment, delicious aromas reached her nostrils, causing her stomach to clench with hunger. She hadn’t really imagined being hungry after stuffing herself with carnival treats, but she supposed her stomach was seeking actual nourishment rather than fun treats.
Daniel led them to a booth by the window. The waitress who approached their table greeted Daniel like an old friend. She handed them their menus and took their drink orders—both decided to order waters. A few moments later Jude showed up at their table holding their waters. He placed them down on the table and then gave Lorelei a warm hug before heading off toward the kitchen. Daniel took a few moments to point out his favorites on the menu and Lorelei decided to allow Daniel to pick the food for both of them since he was an expert at the Silver Spoon specials.
Lorelei was thrilled to see both Jude and Penelope working in the diner. As soon as she spotted them, Penelope rushed from behind the counter and greeted them with warm hugs and kisses. Daniel was pleased to see how warmly she was treating Lorelei. Daniel scooted over so Penelope could sit down with them for a few moments. They regaled her with stories about the carnival. Penelope’s eyes widened when Daniel told her about riding the Ferris wheel.
“No! You rode it?” Penelope asked, shock evident on her face. “You haven’t ridden the Ferris wheel since you were eight-years old.” She made a tutting sound. “I can’t believe it!” She swung her gaze toward Lorelei. “You must be very special to Daniel if he rode the Ferris wheel with you. His siblings have tried for years to get him back up there, to no avail.”
Lorelei felt heat stain her cheeks at Penelope’s words. “He was really brave to do it. I’m super impressed.”
Penelope shot Daniel a look full of hidden meaning. Lorelei might not pick up on it, but Daniel knew exactly what this particular look meant. Penelope approved of Lorelei and Daniel being together and the wheels were turning in her head. Daniel wasn’t sure exactly what his mother was thinking, but he wouldn’t be surprised if it involved a wedding and a house full of kids. He sent her a subtle warning look. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare Lorelei off.
“Well, I should check in with the kitchen to make sure nothing has blown up,” Penelope said with a chuckle as she stood up from her seated position. “I think your food should be coming out any minute now. Enjoy it, Lorelei. Let me know if you need anything.”
“I’m sure I will. Daniel raves about the food all the time,” she said, grinning at Penelope, who patted her affectionately on the arm.
“Thanks, Mom,” Daniel said, trying not to laugh at the way his mother was beaming with pride at the two of them. Thankfully, Lorelei didn’t seem to notice her over-the-top parental pride in them being together.
“You really hit the jackpot in the parent department. Penelope is an amazing woman,” Lorelei gushed as Penelope walked away. Although she loved her own mother, she had no pretenses about her. Deandra James wasn’t a warm and fuzzy person, nor was she invested in her only child’s life. Lorelei often thought her mother regretted having a child. Clearly, she wasn’t emotionally available to nurture one. Her self-absorption was really sad. Sadly, Lorelei had been forced to come to terms with it. She no longer harbored illusions about her mother changing her ways or knocking on Lorelei’s door one day wanting to connect with her.
And it was all right. Lorelei was rebuilding her life and surrounding herself with positive, supportive and kind people who made her feel good about herself. It was the reason she cared so much for Daniel. He was all of those things and so much more.
