by Laura DeLuca
Drew nodded his assent, and the pair moved forward. The boards clicked under their feet every time they took a step. Off in the distance, they could see the rides moving and even hear the distant screams of patrons onboard. Lainey used her free hand to point out some of the sights. The other Drew had commandeered. She wasn’t complaining. In fact, she loved the way their fingers slid together like puzzle pieces, a perfect fit. His thumb made gentle circling motions against her skin as they strolled, which made her feel tingly in the strangest places. A part of her wished they’d skipped the boardwalk and went straight to her condo unit, but she pushed those thoughts aside. They were about to experience a thrill of a completely different kind, but one that was just as good—well almost as good as sex.
The area wasn’t nearly as jam-packed as it was in the heart of the summer when it was impossible to move an inch without bumping into someone, but as they got closer to their destination the crowd, which had been only a sprinkling at the south end, grew to a small throng. The number of venders increased right along with the tourists. They passed dozens of T-shirt shops, candy stores specializing in creamy fudge and saltwater taffy, costume jewelry stands that boasted free ear piercings and, of course, more arcades. The storefronts were flashier and grew larger in scale the closer they came to the heart of the boardwalk where business was always heavier.
“Watch the tramcar please!”
Lainey yanked Drew to one side when the robotic voice issued its command in an eerie monotone. The yellow tramcar clacked past, towing a litter of boxcars behind it loaded with vacationers, many in costume. Drew raised an eyebrow. The people they passed grew more eccentric the deeper they traveled. Lainey had expected as much, but waited to see if Drew would pick up on the theme. He ignored the first few people with green hair and strands of beads shaped like shamrocks, but when they passed an old guy in full leprechaun ensemble, he could no longer hold his tongue.
“Did someone slip something into my coffee this morning?” He lifted his shades to get a better look. “Or did we stumble into the Emerald City?”
Lainey threw back her head and guffawed. “Neither. Remember I told you Wildwood was hosting the annual Irish Fest this weekend?”
“That’s right. You did.” He scanned the crowd again. Almost everyone had something green on their ensemble, even the folks dressed more casually. “They sure do take this thing seriously.”
“This is nothing,” Lainey confessed. “You should’ve been here last year for the Elvis Impersonator Convention. Nothing but sequined jump suits and capes as far as you could see. A few Elvises even parachuted onto the beach. Now, I like The King as much as the next girl, but hundreds of him in one place was a little creepy.”
“I don’t know.” Drew gestured to a woman whose face was painted green and whose Kiss Me, I’m Irish tee was nearly hidden by a dozen strands of green beads. “I find both scenarios equally disturbing. I keep waiting for that red-headed leprechaun from the horror movies to pop out and kill me.”
“Be glad they aren’t drinking right now,” Lainey cautioned. “At night is when things get really crazy.”
“As long as no one breaks into a set from Riverdance, it’s all good.” He winked. “But I’m warning you, if that happens, I’m outta here.”
“No you don’t, buddy.” Lainey put her hand on her hip. “It’s too late to chicken out now. We’re already here.”
A giant seagull welcomed them as they entered the gates of the amusement park, but instead of growing thicker, the crowds actually thinned out as they turned onto the pier. Most of the people in town for the Irish Fest were more interested in window-shopping than thrill seeking, but Drew still pulled his cap down further and adjusted his dark glasses. He always acted uncomfortable in close quarters and Lainey wondered if he suffered from some kind of social anxiety. Though he certainly never acted nervous when he flirted with her and he had no trouble chatting with her friends at Woody’s, he definitely seemed edgy waiting in the ticket line. Maybe because they were sandwiched between a stroller and a pair of teenagers who whispered behind their hands each time they peeked in Drew’s direction. She wasn’t sure why the silly girls would bother him so much—they probably thought he was cute—but there was definitely some things about her California boy that remained a mystery.
“I’m not sure what I got myself into.” Drew swallowed hard as he studied the rides spanning the length of the pier. “But I’m thinking it’s a good thing I had a light breakfast.”
Lainey curled her lip. “Have a weak stomach, do you? And you’re afraid of heights? This should make for an interesting afternoon.”
Drew released a heavy sigh after giving the rides an uneasy examination, but he still put on a brave face. “Roller coasters and Ferris wheels higher than the Empire State Building? No problem.”
“Those are just to get you warmed up,” Lainey assured him with a secretive grin. “The real surprise is at the very back of the pier. No peeking though. You tourists need to be broken in gradually.”
“Lead the way, my dear.” He swept out his arm in a grand gesture before his voice grew husky and he pulled her closer to him. “I’d follow you anywhere.”
Lainey’s breathing quickened at the touch and there was an unmistakable quiver when she finally replied. “L—let’s hope I don’t lead you astray.”
Once their wristbands were purchased, they had unlimited access to all the rides and were set for the whole day. Drew insisted on paying for them both and handed the older woman behind the glass his credit card before Lainey could argue. True to her word, Lainey started out small and led her date to the merry-go-round. She ignored the condescending stares of the moms with screaming toddlers on either side of them.
“You can’t do the rides and skip the carousel,” Lainey explained when Drew looked at her like she was crazy. “It’s mandatory.”
Drew was a good sport, even going so far as yelling yeehaw as he smacked the reigns against his colorful pony. Next came the giant swings and then the Gravitron—a spaceship-like contraption that spun around so fast, the intense gravity caused riders to stick to the wall like static cling. That was followed by the Log Flume, which presented a drop that wasn’t too daring, but left their clothes damp. And, of course, a day on the boards wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the bumper cars. Drew handled the romp around the pier with grace until Lainey guided him to the giant orange Ferris wheel. His hand trembled in hers when their footsteps echoed against the steep metal ramp leading to the small boxcar. Lainey chuckled when he stared down at the floor as they began the gradual climb. He refused to look up or speak until they came to an abrupt halt at the very top of the incline.
“Oh, man.” Drew squeezed her hand so tight it actually hurt a little, but she was too amused to complain.
“You okay there, tough guy?” Lainey tapped his shoulder. “You’re turning as green as that leprechaun down there.”
“I—I think I’m going to be sick.” His voice quivered slightly. “Are we stuck up here?”
“No, this is normal,” Lainey assured him, wondering if he’d ever been to a carnival. “They’re letting someone off on the other end.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Lainey nudged him with her sneaker. “Now if you can tear your eyes away from the floor, you could see a pretty fantastic view.”
He didn’t budge. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“I swear, you won’t regret it.”
Her promises didn’t seem to reassure him, but her touch had a more calming effect. Lainey raised her hand to stroke his cheek, gently urging him to lift his eyes. She even removed the sunglasses he’d stubbornly clung to whenever possible. Once she had his undivided attention, she pressed her lips against his, as though willing some of her courage to transfer over to him. It had the desired effect. When Lainey finally released him, Drew was still pale, but he finally dared to look up long enough to gasp at the magnificent but intimidating scenery. The entire is
land, surrounded on all four sides by blue water, stretched out infinitely. Lainey’s large condo was clearly visible, and even the private school she and Erin had attended was easy to pick out from the large cross on the rooftop. When Drew finally stopped to examine the beauty all around them, his slight panic changed to wonder.
“Spectacular,” Drew whispered as he took in the scenery. “Absolutely stunning.”
“I know.” Lainey sighed with contentment. “I don’t think you can find a view anywhere in all South Jersey that could rival this one.”
“I wasn’t talking about the view.”
Lainey turned back and realized he wasn’t admiring the landscape any longer. Drew pulled her onto his side of the car, barely flinching when the added weight caused them to dip threateningly to the left. She could feel his heart pounding against hers as their lips met and she wondered if it was all nerves or something more. She regretted when, with a clatter of heavy machinery, they started their slow descent to the ground. Lainey climbed back to her own side before they could get reprimanded by the ticket taker, and tried to still her own accelerated heart, which she knew for a fact had nothing to do with the height.
“How are you holding up?” Lainey asked, offering him her hand when he took a shaky step down off the Ferris wheel platform.
He shrugged. “I haven’t thrown up yet. I suppose that’s a good start.”
“Two more to go and then I’ll release you from this torture chamber we dare to call an amusement park.”
“Let me guess.” Drew flinched. “The Sea Monster?”
He pointed an unsteady finger toward the twisting white tracks that spread along the better half of the pier in wide loops and steep drops. In the summer months, the line for the famous coaster had a wait of a half an hour or more. Luckily, at the tail end of the season there were only a few others who dared to race up the ramp. Drew and Lainey were able to grab a seat in the very front car.
“You’re going to have to take off your hat and glasses for this one,” Lainey instructed as she pulled the harness down over her shoulders. “They’ll never survive the trip.”
Drew was reluctant at first, but he finally tossed them down on the side of the train where other riders had left the belongings that weren’t permitted on the roller coaster, including an assortment of backpacks and stuffed animals. His fingers were solid white when he pulled down the restraints, even though they hadn’t started moving.
Lainey poked his arm. “Am I really torturing you that much?”
“No, it’s been great.” Drew shook his head, but the rest of him trembled too much to make it convincing.
“Liar.”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “No, really. I’m having fun, but I’ll be honest, and please don’t think I’m a total loser...”
“Spit it out, Mr. DiPalma,” Lainey urged.
“I’ve never been on a roller coaster that went upside down,” Drew admitted. “Somehow I managed to avoid it even when I was a kid and my cousins dragged me up here.”
Lainey reached across the padded restraints to pat his hand. “I promise you’ll love it. It’s the closest thing to flying you’ll ever experience. Well,” she added with a conspirative wink, “except for the grand finale.”
Drew didn’t have time to argue. Overhead the speakers came on with recorded safety instructions that included remaining seated at all times, even though it was impossible to stand up until the harnesses were released. Then with a loud creek, the roller coaster began its slow ascent up the steep ramp. With every inch, there was a loud clicking noise as the tracks locked the wheels in place. The sound didn’t help to ease Drew’s fears. He swallowed hard.
“Has anyone ever been killed on this thing?”
“No, but it did get stuck upside down once back in the nineties,” Lainey said casually. “The passengers were stuck that way for hours. Actually, Erin’s older sister was one of the people riding that day.”
The incredulous expression on his face was priceless. “Oh, God.” He pressed his eyes closed as with another click and clank they climbed still higher. “You really have an evil side to you, don’t you?”
“Let’s hope you never find out.”
One last loud snap and they reached the tip of the slope. For a few seconds, they hung there suspended, towering over the people below, some of whom stopped to watch the inevitable drop. The force of gravity caused their feet to dangle a few inches off the ground, and it was clear nothing but the harness kept them from falling forward. They were only frozen that way for a split second, but it probably felt like an hour to the man beside her. Lainey swore she could hear the pounding of his heart, but for her it was intoxicating to be elevated so high above the rest of the world.
“When are we going to—”
Drew never got to finish the sentence because without so much as a hint of warning, the gears turned one last time before releasing the coaster to its downhill plunge. Suddenly, they were plummeting at well over a hundred miles an hour toward the wooden boards below. Just when it seemed as though they would strike the ground, the car swerved into a half loop. Their heads rattled against the padded harness and the air whooshed to greet them with such force, it made it hard to breathe the first few seconds. Once they were able to recover the use of their vocal cords, the passengers on the roller coaster screamed as they flew along a loop, turning topsy-turvy at speeds that made it hard to see clearly. Beside her, Drew was shouting as loudly as the other riders, but the smile he wore revealed a glee that bordered on rapture. He even released his death grip on the harness, allowing his hands to wave free in the wind.
“Woooo!”
The terrified screams and excited whoops behind them escalated as they repeated the whole process in reverse. The train flew backward, even faster if such a thing were possible, before coming to a screeching halt that jerked them forward in their seats. They barely had time to register the ride was over before the harnesses popped open of their own accord, offering a freedom no one was quite ready for.
“That was amazing!” Drew exclaimed. He retrieved his hat and sunglasses before picking Lainey up by the waist and swinging her around. “I can’t believe I waited so long to experience this!”
Lainey smiled, pleased not only by the fact that he’d enjoyed the ride, but also by the way his hands lingered on her waist a little longer than necessary. “I’m so glad you liked it. Do you want to get something to commemorate the moment?”
Drew gave her a questioning glance as she led him to a small knick-knack shop almost hidden in between the tracks of the roller coaster. They sold commemorative key chains, mugs, snow globes and all the other dust gatherers tourists loved to take home as keepsakes of their seaside vacation, but there was also a giant television screen above the checkout counter. The monitor flashed images of the most recent Sea Monster ride, including a shot of Lainey and Drew, both their mouths open in hoots of glee as they were about to make a pass along the biggest loop.
“We definitely need to grab a few of those,” Drew nodded enthusiastically.
“Good, then I’m going to run to the ladies room and try to get my hair back in order before we finish up for the day,” Lainey told him. “You go ahead and take care of ordering the pictures.” She forced a twenty-dollar bill into his hand. “My treat this time and I don’t want to hear any arguments or I might make you ride the last one alone.”
“Oh no!” Drew lifted his hands in feigned horror. “I’ll do whatever you say ... just don’t abandon me now.”
“Okay then, I’ll be right back.”
Before long, Lainey had her flyways under control and Drew held a bag with a pair of 5 x 10s packed between sheets of cardboard to prevent creasing. Knowing the best was still to come, Lainey looped arms with him and led him to the back of the park where the most spectacular attraction was hidden.
“I can’t imagine how anything can top the Sea Monster,” Drew said with an excited flush to his cheeks. “What else could you possibly hav
e up your sleeve?”
“Trust me, the Sea Monster was just a warm up.” Lainey yanked his arm. “Follow me and you’ll see what I mean.”
Lainey steered Drew through a maze of attractions, some of which had already been closed off for the season. There was a large section of water slides, complete with a lazy river that had run dry. She noticed his confused expression, but she wasn’t about to give anything away. The surprise she had in mind had its own secluded corner all the way at the back of the pier by the beach, mostly because it required a lot of space for maneuvering. Again, while the waiting area was normally overrun, the Irish Fest folks were most likely recovering from a night of heavy drinking and were nowhere around. The only person there was a sleepy-looking attendant with his head propped in one hand, staring vacantly at the ocean beyond.
“This is it.” Lainey gestured to the small, non-threatening circular cage that sat at the foot of a small platform. “The one we’ve been waiting for. The grand finale. The Sling Shot.”
“A cage, huh?” He gave her an exaggerated eyebrow raise. “Sounds kinky. What does it do?”
Lainey snorted both at his dirty mind and the fact that he missed the obvious answer, probably by subconscious denial. “Think about it, Drew. Sling. Shot.” She enunciated the two words for emphasis.
He shook his head, understanding illuminating his suddenly ashen features as he studied the full structure. The cage had two seats inside with harnesses not unlike the ones in the Sea Monster. Attached to the encasement on either side were thick bungee cords currently pulled taut. The other ends of the cords stretched heavenwards, each one attached to the top of metal props that resembled radio towers but with thicker support beams.
“Holy shit.” Drew gulped. “Oh no. There is no way in hell I’m getting on that thing. Not even for you.”
“I don’t want you to do it for me. I want you to do it for you.” Lainey crossed her arms. “Don’t you want to experience true freedom? Just soaring above the world with no worries to anchor you down? I promise you, you’ll feel that way if you ride the Sling Shot. There’s nothing else like it in the world.”
