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My gaze sears this moment to memory. “Can’t argue with that, huh?”
Harper sinks to her knees to return the embrace, not appearing bothered by the claim in the least. “Nope, I sure can’t.”
Sydney tugs on my arm the moment we enter the hallway for the main entrance to the waterpark. “We gotta hurry, Harpy!”
I laugh but allow her to hustle me along. “It’s not even ten o’clock yet. They won’t let us in for another three minutes.”
“But there might be a line. If we wanna get a table, we need to arrive early. You heard the lady.” This girl is a stickler for instructions. She clung to every word the lobby clerk had to say.
“Your teachers at school must love you,” I gush.
“Uh-huh, but you love me more.” Syd pauses our brisk pace to wrap me in a quick hug.
I bend to rest my cheek on the top of her head. “That’s right. You’re my favorite, superstar.”
“The other tiny dancers will be pleased to hear that,” Jake mutters.
His daughter whirls to confront him, squishing a finger to her lips. “It’s our secret, Daddy.”
“Oh,” he chuckles. “My mistake.”
“You’re forgiven.” I toss him a saucy wink.
Jake wrenches open the glass door that separates the pool area from the hotel. “Ladies first.”
A humid cloud billows out, smacking me with a sticky heat that immediately makes my skin clammy. I purposely brush against him while strutting inside. “Such a gentleman.”
Sydney giggles next to me. “You fixed him, Harpy.”
My flip-flops smack against the tile as we pass the concession stand. “I did?”
“Yep! He hasn’t been grumpy or grouchy since you became his girlfriend. You make him super happy. Like super-duper.”
The compliment makes me smile, but my title is what dominates her statement. It’s the first time I’ve been referred to as Jake’s girlfriend in an official sense. And I like it. A lot.
“Wow, that’s really sweet.” I peer at the imposing guy who’s steering us toward the fun that lies ahead.
His gaze is hot on mine, cranking the steam setting to sweltering. “And very true.”
Syd blows rapid-fire kisses at us. “Your love is my most favorite fairy tale. Even better than Beauty and the Beast. I can’t wait for you to get married and have babies. Can I have a little sister right away? Maybe you’ll have twins like Miss Rylee. That would be awesome.”
“Oh, jeez.” But my shock shifts in the next second.
I stumble to a stop as the massive spread of thrill and entertainment comes into full view. After researching the resort, I was curious as to how ten splash attractions could fit under one roof. One glance solves the mystery.
It’s a challenge to take in the immensity of the place through my stupor. Sectioned pools spread across almost the entire room. Only a narrow path forms a perimeter around the edge. There’s a surf simulator in the far corner. Four tube slides twist and carve through the wide space to demand attention. The wonder stretching before me is definitely worth the lofty ticket price. A soaked adventure awaits. We just need to dive in.
“Holy moly,” I breathe.
“Look at all the stuff!” Sydney’s excitement blasts over the noise echoing off the domed ceilings. “Wowww, that tower thingy is super huge!”
A knot lodges in my throat just glancing at the frightening height. “Um, yeah. That’s definitely a sight to see.”
Jake suddenly appears at my side to act as a sturdy presence. His fingers curl around my nape and he uses the gentle grip to pull me against him. “Don’t panic, Pitch. I’ll take her up there. Keep your feet on the ground where you feel safe.”
“Thank you.” I appreciate his consideration more than he probably realizes. My fear has gotten worse, bordering on a phobia.
His gaze shifts to Syd for a blink, finding her mesmerized by kids leaping across floating platforms. “But don’t tell her you’re scared, okay? I don’t want her to adopt the behavior. She pretended to be allergic to cats for months after Polly said she was. It was a strange ordeal I’d prefer to avoid.”
