AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A low chuckle vibrates from Hunter as we walk towards the terrifying ride. “Nothing I haven’t done before.”
* * *
“Let’s go again!Let’s go again!” I’m hopping up and down, high on endorphins after our third ride on the Cloudscraper.
When we crested over the highest peak on our first ride, I thought I was going to faint. I’m surprised Hunter’s fingers didn’t pop off with how hard I was squeezing his hand.
But after the first ride ended, I immediately wanted to go on again.
Then we ran around the park and when on half a dozen other rides that I would’ve been horrified of just hours earlier. Then I pulled Hunter back to the Cloudscraper again.
Hunter laughs. “Let’s get some lunch first. I’m starving.”
As soon as he says it, I can feel my own stomach rumbling.
The park has a bunch of different food stalls with an area of picnic benches for seating. I moan when I take a bite of the huge, juicy cheeseburger I ordered.
“Who knew that scaring yourself to death on rollercoasters made you so hungry,” I say.
Hunter chuckles, stealing one of my cheese fries. I swipe his hand away and he pops it into his mouth.
While we eat, an older couple walks up to our table. “Hey, there, young people. Mind if we take the other side of this table?” the man asks.
My mouth is way too full with a bite of my burger, but I do my best to smile while nodding. They’re adorable, both with a hot dog each and a funnel cake to split.
“What a lovely couple you two are!” The sweet older woman exclaims.
I’m not sure we’re exactly a couple, but before I can even process her assumption, Hunter replies.
He smiles and states simply and cheerfully, “This is our budget honeymoon.”
I almost choke on the food going down my throat.
The guy’s eyebrows raise in amusement. “Really?”
Hunter nods. “Yep. We just got hitched. Our families are against the marriage, so we’ve got no money. But at least we have each other.”
He turns his pearly-white smile to me and bats his eyes. “Isn’t that right, dear?”
I glare at him as I take a long sip of my Coke to buy some time. Finally realizing that it’ll be more awkward to argue with him in front of this nice couple than to just go along with his ridiculousness, I fold.
“Right …dear,” I bite out the pet name.
Hunter jumps into telling the couple a bizarre, made-up story about our “relationship.” I hurriedly take a giant bite of my cheeseburger so that I’ll be too busy chewing it to be expected to say anything myself.
Hunter is just ridiculous. Too ridiculous.
Maybe I should worry that I’m finding that trait of his doesn’t annoy me anymore. Maybe I should worry that I’m starting to like that about him.
Maybe I should. But today, I’m in too good of a mood to worry about anything. So, I’ll just roll with you.
“You’re nuts,” I whisper to him once the couple finishes eating, bids their farewells, and announces that they’re on their way to smash into each other on bumper-cars.
Hunter shrugs. “I figured I’d brighten their day with a nice story. Think you’re ready for another round on the Cloudscraper?”
“Maybe next time,” I say, feeling my stomach way too full to bear the thought of hurtling over the peak of a rollercoaster at high velocity.
“Probably a good idea,” Hunter says on a laugh.
