4
Wyatt
I’m an idiot.
I knew it as soon as Beth slipped away, but I should have known it long before that. She was uncomfortable back at the freak show, I could tell, but I was so anxious to show her this place… my world… that I didn’t even consider the fact that this might just make things worse.
And now she’d run off into the middle of a crowd of testosterone fueled meatheads, and probably didn’t have a clue where she was going or how to handle herself around men like these. I needed to find her. Fast.
Despite the fact that these guys were here to watch a fight, most of them had probably never thrown a punch in their life, so shoving them aside wasn’t an issue for me. There were a few grunts and protests as I pushed my way through, but once they got a look at my biceps they were quick to back down and keep their objections to themselves.
The problem was, they were pressed so tightly together that I couldn’t even get a glimpse of Beth or which way she’d gone. I had to assume—hope—that it would be towards the entrance we had come through, since that was the only way out as well. There was no direct exit back out to the fairgrounds from this tent, as they wanted to keep this place on the down low.
I was about half way through the mass of sweaty bodies when I finally shoved someone that decided to shove back. Unfortunately for him, I was in no mood to fuck around.
“Let me through,” I growled. The guy in my way looked almost as big as me at first, but on closer inspection I could tell that most of that was fat, not muscle. And the beer in his hand and on his breath told me where most of the weight came from. As well as the attitude.
“Shove off,” the man replied, flicking his cup at me so that some of his beer sloshed forward and splashed against my shirt. That was enough to make my already bubbling anger tip over to boiling. I knew Beth running off was my fault, but I was still looking for someone else to take my frustrations out on, and this guy was practically volunteering.
I squared my stance, getting ready to pound some sense into him, my glare feeling hot enough to burn a hole through his greasy looking head. I’m not sure if it was because of how my biceps were flexing in preparation for action, or if it was just the look in my eyes, but the knowledge that he was in the midst of making one of the biggest mistakes of his life seemed to suddenly push through to his booze-addled brain.
Just as I lifted my fist, ready for action, he backed off, shifting his body to the left to make room for me to pass. For a moment I considered ignoring his subtle sign of surrender and clocking him anyway, but then I remembered the point of trying to pass him.
Beth.
Leaving him with one final scowl, I continued to push my way through the crowd until I reached the entrance, shoving aside the flap and coming up on the bouncer I had originally paid to let us in.
“Did a woman just come through here? Black dress, blond hair?”
He just nodded and jerked his head, motioning back towards the freak show tent, so I took off at a run to catch up to her. As soon as I got out into the bright sunlight, I looked frantically around. The crowds weren’t as packed together as tightly as they had been in the fight tent, but it was still very busy. It wasn’t hard to spot Beth, though. In the heat of the day, her outfit made her stand out from a crowd dressed mostly in shorter and more revealing clothes. She must have been boiling in that thing, but I was grateful she was wearing it now.
“Beth, wait,” I said, catching up and putting a hand on her arm to stop her. She wasn’t moving very quickly, and looking around as she went, clearly unsure which way to go as she tried her best to step out of the way of everyone that passed her. When she turned to look at me, I saw a brief flash of relief in her eyes.
“Wyatt,” she said. “I’m sorry, I just needed…”
“Don’t,” I shook my head. “I’m the one that needs to apologize for that. Bringing you in there was stupid. I’m stupid. I should have known that wasn’t the right place for someone like you.”
She cocked her head for a moment, eyebrow raised. “Someone like me? What does that mean?”
“No, wait, that’s not what I mean either. I didn’t mean it to sound like that.” As we spoke, I dropped my arm from her and as soon as I did, people started to cut in between us on a shorter path to whichever attraction they were headed. I just frowned at them, my anger and frustration beginning to build again. I could tell by the way Beth was shrinking back from the crowd that she was feeling overwhelmed.
“Look, do you want to go somewhere more private?” I asked, realizing my only hope of salvaging this situation was to get her into a more comfortable place. Standing here, with everything going on around us, there was no way I was going to be able to explain myself or put Beth at ease again.
“Do you mean leave the carnival?” The concerned look on Beth’s face told me that as uncomfortable as she was with these crowds, she wasn’t quite ready to run off with me, either.
“No.” I knew from experience that even as busy as this place was, most of the crowd centered around the main attractions and left a lot of the older, less popular ones largely unused and ignored. The one I was thinking of in particular was almost always empty because of how cheesy it was. I thought the only reason they kept it around at all was because it was such a classic and there wasn’t much else they can do with the setup to improve it without sinking in a bunch more money. “There’s a place here we can go that won’t be as busy.”
Beth nodded quickly, and I reached forward to take her arm to help lead her around and through the mass of moving bodies.
As we walked, Beth kept with her gaze focused straight ahead, barely looking in my direction, and I couldn’t help but think again about how badly I had fucked up by taking her to the fight tent. I barely knew anything about this girl, but what I did know was how innocent and pure she was. That fact alone should have been warning enough to steer clear of something so extreme—at the very least for our first date! Yet I was anxious to show off, thinking that she’d be impressed with a guy that wasn’t afraid to do shit like that. But that wasn’t who Beth was. I knew it as soon as I had seen her last night.
She was different. Different than any girl I’d ever met, and it was that difference that attracted me so much to her. I was used to my muscles impressing women, but the reality was, I didn’t want that to be the only thing that women were impressed with about me. And it was probably the last thing that Beth cared about.
Yet it was still the first thing I tried to flaunt.
Like I said, I was an idiot.
When we were far enough away that the crowds had started to thin, I dropped my grip from her arm. Beth paused for just an instant, just enough to tell me that she noticed me releasing her, but not long enough that I could read whether or not her reaction came from disappointment or relief. I longed to touch her again, to grab her hand and hold it, but I was worried about how she might react.
Since when am I afraid of rejection?
I let out a long breath as we turned a corner and came within sight of our destination. Normally, I wouldn’t be caught dead at something like this, but Beth needed to get away from the throngs of people and I really needed a chance to talk to her without worrying about anything else stressing her out. So what if this place was cheese-ball central and completely not my scene? I wasn’t about to lose my chance with this girl because of something stupid like a bit of pride. That’d be Reid’s move, and I ain’t him.
There was something about this girl that was making me do all kinds of shit that I wouldn’t normally do, and yet for some reason I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I wasn’t sure what exactly it was, but I did know what it wasn’t. It had nothing to do with that ridiculous bet that Ash and Reid had concocted. Beth caught my eye long before they came up with that ridiculous idea, and I certainly didn’t need any extra motivation to want to talk to her. I just needed to figure out what exactly it was that had me so smitten.
Beth stopped at the ride we
were approaching, looking up to read the arched sign above the entrance before turning her sparkling blue eyes over to me.
“Really?” she asked. It’s hard to read the expression on her face, but from the look in her eyes and the slight turn of her lip, I could almost interpret it as amusement. “This is where you’re taking me?”
5
Beth
The Tunnel of Love.
What in Heaven’s name was a Tunnel of Love? It only took me a moment to realize that this must be some sort of English joke that I wasn’t in on, and by the grin that spread across Wyatt’s handsome face when I raised my eyebrow at him, I was sure of it.
“What, they don’t use rickety boats riding in waist deep murky water to generate love where you come from?” he laughed.
I took another look at the ride. He wasn’t joking about the water. It had a greenish tinge to it, and a strong scent that I could smell before we got within five feet. “The water smells like it’s been used as a barnyard bathtub,” I remarked.
Wyatt laughed. “I think that’s part of the reason why this ride is always so empty. I thought maybe you could use a break from the crowds, but we don’t have to—”
“Lucky for you strong smells are something I’m used to ignoring,” I interrupted. It was sweet of him to bring us here, away from all the people. I wasn’t about to let a bad smell ruin his good intentions. Cleaning out the barn stalls was one of my chores back home, so I wasn’t joking about being used to offensive odors. “You just have to learn to breathe out of your mouth.”
Wyatt just cocked his head as I walked past him and right up to the first boat waiting in the queue. I was happy to show him that I could be surprising, too. Behind me, he quickly paid for our entry and then rushed over to offer me a hand to hold as I stepped in. I tried not to let the rocking of the ship intensify the sudden rush of nerves I felt.
I’d never actually been on a boat before. Some of the men in our village would take small ones out onto our little pond sometimes to fish, but whatever they caught were usually too small to eat. I’d never gone out on one before, preferring to swim with my sisters whenever we were at the water. As a strong swimmer I had no reason to be worried, especially since Wyatt had mentioned that the water was only waist deep. Still, the rocking and tipping was a little unnerving at first, and I was happy once he was in and stopped moving around, allowing us to settle down.
The seating was a simple long bench, going from one side of the boat to the other. It was wide enough for both of us to sit next to each other, but it didn’t leave a lot of space in between us. Wyatt was doing his best to lean away from me so that I wouldn’t feel crowded, but his body was so muscled and large that it was almost impossible. Despite his best efforts, I could feel the heat of his body caressing mine in waves. Whoever designed that boat didn’t seem to have put much thought into how much space two adults would need to not be practically on top of each other….
“So what exactly is it that makes this a tunnel of love?” I asked, once the boat started to actually move. It felt like we were being pulled by something hidden under the water, so now the rocking was only very slight and almost rhythmic as we were guided along a set path. Much more relaxing than when I had first stepped in.
Redness touched Wyatt’s cheeks briefly, and he smiled and looked away for a moment. But when he turned back, he’d recovered his composure. What was that about?
“Well, I guess rides like this are usually made for… uh, well, for people to be alone.”
“That’s why we’re here, to get away from everyone else,” I nodded, agreeing. But I still wasn’t clear what that had to do with love. I guess he could tell by the look on my face that his initial explanation wasn’t enough.
“Right, but… well, not exactly right, I guess. So, this boat takes you on a little trip down this river and up ahead there, there’s a tunnel. I guess the point is that the tunnel is dark, and people can be… uh, more alone.”
I turned to look ahead where Wyatt had gestured and saw the tunnel he was referring to—a makeshift wooden structure, formed almost like a barn, but from the curve in the river I could see that it was very long instead of wide or tall. It was only high enough to just clear a few feet over our heads, and it was only wide enough to span the width of the river. But it went on and on. I could see no real purpose to it.
And then suddenly I understood. I could feel my own face flush with the realization.
“Oh!” The single sound squeaked out of me, almost unbidden and certainly sounding more alarmed than I’d meant it to. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if Wyatt had intentions bringing me here beyond just getting me away from the carnival masses. Not that being alone with a man was an experience I hadn’t hoped for during Rumspringa, but this wasn’t exactly how I’d envisioned it coming about. Not to mention that after taking me to watch those men fight each other, I wasn’t even sure that Wyatt was the man I should be alone with. Yet seeing him now, blushing and stammering over his words, it was hard to remember being afraid of him earlier.
“No, no!” he objected, raising his hands and shaking his head violently in protest. “That’s not why we’re here, I swear. I mean, you’ll see in a minute. It’s part of why no one even comes here anymore.”
It was actually sort of amusing how strongly he objected, clearly trying hard to convince me of his honorable intentions. I almost wanted to laugh, but I wasn’t sure how he would take that. Instead, I turned back around in my seat, facing forward and toward the tunnel. I didn’t really doubt what he was saying. There was something about Wyatt. Despite the muscles and the desire to watch grown men fight with each other, I still couldn’t help but feel safe around him. I barely knew him, yet I couldn’t imagine him ever doing anything to hurt me or make me uncomfortable. At least not on purpose.
The boat was moving slowly, but eventually we neared the edge of the wooden structure. It loomed before us, and now that we were close enough, I could see how neglected it was. The wood near the top and along the sides was cracked and dry from being left untreated in the sun and rain for many years, yet the wood along the bank was rotting and falling apart, from years of being constantly soggy. Back home, a barn like this would have been torn down and rebuilt ages ago. Not that anyone would have ever let it get this bad in the first place.
Once we passed under the archway, I was surprised by how not very dark at all it really was. The sun peeked through thousands of small cracks in the wood, or between gaps left by warped planks.
“See what I mean?” Wyatt said immediately as I looked around. “This is the main reason why no one really comes here anymore. You can’t really have a tunnel of love when you’re practically in broad daylight.”
“I suppose that’s true,” I nodded. It wasn’t quite as bright as being out in the uncovered sun, but I understood what he was getting at. There were no other passengers in any of the other boats, but they all seemed to be connected. I could clearly see the next one only about ten feet away. If the ride had been full, and you had been on it in the hopes of some privacy, you would be sadly disappointed. The thought led me to wonder how often people in the English world had to seek out privacy that places like this had to be built.
Back home, courtship was generally done in larger groups, and there weren’t as many opportunities to be alone. Not that it didn’t happen, but there certainly weren’t areas specifically designed for the purpose. I knew Hannah had snuck away with more than one Amish boy when we were growing up, at least when we were younger and before she got all weird and withdrawn. And of course, Sarah did share that one kiss with Gregory, but that was more on a dare…
“I guess you don’t have anything like this back home,” he said, pulling my mind back to the present.
“Like this? Oh no,” I shook my head. I couldn’t imagine the town elders, much less my father, ever allowing a tunnel of love in our town.
“I meant the carnival in general,” Wyatt laughed. I turned and lifted my head to see
his smiling eyes, and I laughed as well.
“Right, well, no to that as well then. A place like this would never be allowed in our community.”
“Why not? I mean, aside from this ride, it’s just designed for people to have fun. You guys are allowed to have fun, right?”
“Of course!” I said, almost offended until I saw by his eyes that he was only teasing. “It’s just the electricity, really.” There were other reasons as well, but the electricity alone would be a deal breaker before anything else.
“Oh yeah, right. Forgot about that. What’s that like, living without electricity? Must be tough.”
“Well, we don’t forgo it completely. But for things like this,” I spread my arms and waved my hands around, “it would never be permitted. But we are allowed to use some battery powered lighting, occasionally. And some of our farm equipment use it as well. But as to what it’s like, I guess I never really thought about it, because that’s just the way things have always been. Although, I’m sure I’ll think about it more when I go back.”
“When is that?”
When indeed? In all honesty, I wasn’t even sure if it was a when or an if. I shrugged my shoulders, conscious of how my skin brushed against Wyatt due to how close we were forced to sit. “If it were up to Sarah, we would have never left. But if it were up to Hannah, we’d probably never go back. I just want the decision to be mine, you know? But I know both of my older sisters will do their best to make it for me.” The thought darkened my mood until Wyatt spoke again.
“Shit, I know exactly what you’re talking about. Both Ash and Reid have acted like they know what’s best for me my entire life. Hell, even last night, the only reason I was at Trick Shots in the first place was because they wanted to lecture me about the way I’m running my life. Nothing pisses me off more than them acting all holier than thou on me!”
The Brody Bunch Collection: Bad Boy Romance Page 43
