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"Well, I hope that it's what they're looking for, and I’ll miss you guys. But there's no way I'm missing the festival. It’s one of my favorites throughout the year."
"Okay sweetie, will you let Josh know what's going on? We're about to hit a dead zone, so I don't have time to call him."
"I'll let him know. Be safe, Mom, and I love you."
"We love you too, sweetheart," Mom says before the line goes dead.
A flock of butterflies takes flight in my stomach as I think about spending the whole day with Josh. Just me and him. We don't get much alone time together anymore as he seems to avoid being alone with me as if his life depends on it.
I have no idea what could be going on with him, but I know that I'll find out eventually.
Once I’m in town, I battle the traffic for a parking spot. Thankfully, Austin said I can park behind the diner. The diner itself is closed today. As I walk around the side of the building and into the chaos of the downtown square, I find Austin and Natalie with their both set up in front of the diner. They have enough food to feed our small army of hungry cowboys. This is also where I'm supposed to meet Josh.
"Hey girl!" Austin greets me as I approached her booth. "What's going on?"
"Well, my parents bailed on me, so it's just me and Josh today."
"Bummer," Natalie says.
"Not really. Josh is the one who will ride the rides with me."
We don't get to chat much longer because I see Josh walking up and move to meet him.
Simply watching Josh approach, I can feel my heart racing faster and my cheeks flushing red with excitement. It's been a while since we've hung out alone, and I'm looking forward to spending time with him.
He looks good, as always, in his tight jeans, cowboy hat, and boots. When our eyes meet, I can feel the butterflies dance in my stomach. After he gives me a small smile and a nod, he turns to Austin and Natalie to say hello.
He turns back to me, and I enjoy his eyes on me for a minute before he breaks the trance.
"Your mom and dad almost here?" he asks, looking behind me.
"No, Mom called on my way here to tell me that the boys got a tour of the ranch Asher was talking about at dinner. So, they are heading out there."
"Ahh, I should go home then, too. Lots to do," he says.
"Mom said that you would say that, and she told me to not let you hide away all day and to make sure that you stayed and enjoyed the festival. Don't get me in trouble with my mom because you ran home and hid." I try to apply a little guilt, but if it gets him to stay and spend the day with me, it's worth it.
He looks up over my head and seems to stare at something behind me, but I don't back down. When his eyes meet mine again, he smiles and nods his head.
"Alright, let's go get on some of the rides while everyone's getting lunch," he says.
When he says that, I have to stop myself from jumping for joy.
I want him to see me as a grown adult, an equal, so maybe he can realize I am more than just the kid he used to know. Maybe one day he can even see me as someone he would date because I've had a crush on him since I was about sixteen and started to like boys.
I was never interested in boys my own age. They all seemed so immature and awkward. Then I'd spend the weekend with Josh, and he was so calm and in control, so sure of himself. Though, I didn't really admit my feelings for him until he started to appear in all my late-night dreams. After that, I was done.
In college, I tried dating and even had a serious boyfriend. But when I knew I was moving back home, I ended it because I was more excited about seeing Josh than spending any amount of time with my boyfriend.
Bringing myself back to the present, I’m determined to enjoy every bit of this day with Josh and not waste any time.
We spend the next several hours on the rides. As we run from ride to ride, I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Every time we go on a new ride, I can't help but let out a scream of excitement. Josh seems to be enjoying himself, too, laughing and joking as we go up and down, around and around, at high speeds.
He shows just how well he knows me by picking all my favorite rides. We laugh and scream like little kids, lost in the thrill of the moment. It feels so good to let go and have fun with him like this.
"Okay, let's get some food in you before you get too cranky." He tells me after we finish up our second round of bumper cars.
I want to protest and ride some more, but he's right. I will get hangry if we wait much longer for me to eat.
