Falling Star

by Laura DeLuca

  “You’ve done this before?” he asked warily.

  “At least once a year since I was sixteen,” she assured him.

  “And you swear I’ll come out of this alive.”

  Grinning, Lainey made an X across her heart. “When this ride is over, you’ll never feel more alive.”

  Exhaling deeply, he reached for her hand and took a few shaky steps in the direction of the Sling Shot. “Then let’s do this.”

  Chapter Eight

  Drew had failed miserably at presenting himself as any type of a tough guy. No macho man here. Good thing the Village People weren’t around. He was surprised Lainey still tolerated him at all after he almost threw up in her lap on the Ferris wheel. But as nerve wracking as it was initially, in the end Drew found the courage to overcome one of his lifelong hang-ups. It was rewarding in more ways than one. It gave him the sort of natural high he used to get on the stage. That feeling had fizzled out recently, probably somewhere around the time Paulie convinced him to take the highest paying jobs instead of the stories he really believed in. He’d spent the last five years traveling the world and doing things most people only dreamed of¸ but here in this small tourist town, he’d found himself again in a way he’d thought was lost forever. And it was all because of Lainey and her ability to make the simplest things into an adventure. Stumbling upon her on that beach had been the luckiest moment of his life.

  Of course, the afternoon hadn’t been all smooth sailing. There was a moment when the snippy cashier at the photo booth had gotten him worried. Before the guy handed over the pictures, he glanced back and forth between the still shot and the live version of Drew at least a dozen times.

  “Hey.” He twitched his pierced lip and raised a unibrow when Drew handed him the funds. “Aren’t you that Andy Palmer dude?”

  Drew tried to laugh it off. “You can’t imagine how often I get that. But no, I’m just your average Joe.”

  “Wouldn’t be the first celeb to cross my path, you know,” he prodded, crossing his arms. “You sure you don’t want to fess up? My girl would love an autograph.”

  “I promise you, you have the wrong guy.”

  The kid still wasn’t convinced, but Drew lost his patience and snatched the plastic bag from the counter with a loud huff. He briefly considered offering the worker a bribe to permanently delete the photo before anyone else recognized him, but he thought better of it. That would make the teenager more suspicious, and the last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself. Instead, he calmly accepted his change like any customer and waited for his date to return. They probably deleted all those photos at the end of the day anyway. Nothing to worry about.

  “You aren’t going to chicken out on me, are you? Not when things are about to get interesting.”

  The sound of Lainey’s voice snapped Drew back to the present—to the Sling Shot. A scenario that, at the moment, was much more terrifying than someone blowing his cover. Lainey studied him with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed in a serious frown as she waited for his response. Even though she’d recently fixed her hair, already the flyaways framed her heart-shaped face. He was tempted to cup her pink cheeks and kiss her again, but Lainey was all business.

  “No, I’m ready,” Drew assured her. “Let’s get this over with.”

  In reality, Drew wasn’t ready at all, but he put up a brave front. He played heroes thrust into life-threatening scenarios all the time. Before his big break, when he was trying to scrape together a living on commercials and B horror flicks, he’d even done a few of his own stunts. An amusement park shouldn’t be an issue, yet the idea of riding the Sling Shot was petrifying. The scrawny cables didn’t seem nearly sturdy enough to support the heavy metal cage on a flight through the atmosphere, but it was too late to turn back now. Lainey was already lifting their joined hands to display the full-day passes around their wrists. The attendant yawned once before waving them into their tiny seats. It was a tight fit, but Drew enjoyed having Lainey so close to him. It made the whole adventure more tolerable, and a lot less terrifying. He just hoped he didn’t break her fingers before the ride was over.

  “Please leave any loose belongings outside of da car.”

  The ticket taker spoke in a thick Russian accent as he checked, double-checked, and even triple-checked the multiple straps and harnesses that secured them to their seats. Without asking if anyone had any second thoughts, he snapped the lid closed on the cage, bolting it tight before disappearing into the control box. Even though there were large open spaces in the enclosure, Drew began to feel a bit claustrophobic and prayed he wouldn’t start hyperventilating.

  “It’ll all be over soon,” Lainey promised him. “One way or another.”

  That’s exactly what he was afraid of, especially when a loud creak signaled the ride had been activated. Drew had no idea what to expect, and whatever mad scientist invented the Sling Shot wanted to draw out the torture as long as possible. The cage began a very gradual climb, moving as though they were trapped in a slow motion movie scene. Daring to take a peek above them, Drew saw the top rivaled the height of even the monstrous Ferris wheel. But this was a lot worse since only the bungee cords held their tiny nest in place. Drew kept visualizing them snapping as they grew more and more taut.

  Lainey flashed him a devilish grin. “Any second now.”

  “You’re terrible.” Drew’s voice was more than a little shaky. “And here I thought you were a nice girl.”

  Finally, they stopped moving and were suspended in midair, as though the laws of gravity no longer applied. Drew fought the temptation to block it all out, and forced himself to keep his eyes open. They faced the ocean and the deep blue-green water stretched out for endless miles in front of them. The stillness was calming and he started to settle down, until he felt himself being jerked backward. Again the cords stiffened and he was certain they’d snap under the pressure. It was as though an invisible giant took aim with his weapon and when he finally released, the tiny pebble in his sling shot would go flying out into the ocean. The one problem with that scenario—he and Lainey were the pebble.

  “Get ready for it,” Lainey warned.

  “Ready,” Drew lied.

  He took one last, deep inhale to try to steady his nerves. Before he could release it, they were flying—quite literally flying. This was nothing like the free fall of the roller coaster or the Ferris wheel’s slow climb. Though restraints held him in place, Drew really did feel like he soared. All at once, they shot across the sky, spinning, turning, flipping. They went upside down and sideways. The ocean and sky blurred together until Drew could no longer distinguish one from the other. It was all blue magic and it sent a jolt of adrenaline surging through his veins. It was the best all-natural high he could imagine.

  “Woo-hooo!”

  Beside him, Lainey cheered, and Drew hooted right along with her. His exhilarated whoops were almost drowned out by the turbulence, but that didn’t stop him from shouting in pure glee. His lips pulled back in a smile as he watched the excitement radiate from Lainey in waves that were almost physical. She was so beautiful in her rapture; Drew would’ve had his arms around her in an instant if they weren’t at such an awkward angle. She’d done it again. Lainey had given him the one thing he’d come to the island in search of—complete and total freedom.

  They stayed buoyant for quite a while, but eventually the wild ride sizzled out. The force of the release lasted only a moment. Then they bobbed in place for a while. Though the elastic bungee cord still caused the cage to flip around in circles, it was at a much lower velocity. All too soon, giant claws reached up to snatch them from the sky and drag them back down to the loading dock. Drew’s heart still raced with exhilaration, and Lainey was equally enthusiastic.

  “So?” she demanded, brushing her wind-whipped hair out of her face. “What did you think?”

  Drew offered his hand to help her down the ramp while she waited expectantly for his response. He wasn’t even sure he co
uld find the right words to convey what he was feeling. She might never completely understand the gift she’d given him.

  “You were right.” Drew ran a hand through his wavy hair, as he contemplated his answer. “I’ve been a slave to my job so long I forgot what it meant to have fun. I haven’t felt like this since I was a kid. For a few minutes, nothing else mattered. Nothing could hold me back.”

  “That feeling doesn’t have to end just because the ride is over.” Lainey’s animated hands moved as she spoke. “You can capture that rush whenever you want to. In life, we tie ourselves down with work, family, responsibilities—and those are all wonderful things. But once in a while you have to let it all go and embrace the spirit inside—the part of us that longs to fly free. Finding that balance is the key to true happiness. Of course, there are other ways to experience it that don’t involve the Sling Shot. That’s my personal quick fix. We all have to find our own way, but it’s there if you take the time to look for it.”

  Drew bobbed his head. “If anyone else said that, I’d point them in the direction of the self-help books. But you’ve proven your words true in one afternoon. I swear, Lainey, I know it’s an overused line, but I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re so ... refreshing.”

  Lainey giggled. “I’ve always dreamed of being compared to a beverage. I only hope I’m sweet as well.”

  In reply, Drew gently pressed her against the wall of a nearby concession stand and brushed his lips against hers, taking her by surprise. The smell of her lavender and vanilla perfume was almost as intoxicating as the berry lip-gloss that teased his taste buds. “Sweeter than this cotton candy,” he whispered huskily, gesturing to the blue, purple, and pink bags hanging from a line above the store. “If the samples I’ve tasted are any indication.”

  “Speaking of tasting,” Lainey said, still breathing heavy from his sudden and unexpected embrace. “Now that we’ve hit all the good rides, how do you feel about getting something to eat? Do you think your stomach can handle it?”

  “As long as you aren’t going to drag me on anything that spins afterward, we should be fine.” Drew shrugged as he released her. He was definitely hungry for something, but he doubted the greasy boardwalk food would satisfy his craving. “What did you have in mind?”

  “No trip to the Wildwood boards is complete without a stop at The Hot Spot,” Lainey informed him matter-of-factly. “They have the best gyros in town, probably in the whole world. And I’m not just saying that because the owner went to my high school.”

  “Wow, another one? You really do know everyone around here.” Drew was astounded by how often Lainey ran into friends from her childhood. He grew up in the suburbs of Georgia, but there had been over six-hundred kids in his graduating class and he certainly didn’t remember most of them, let alone run into them on a daily basis, even when he did visit his hometown.

  “Small town syndrome,” Lainey explained with a hitch of her shoulders. “In the winter months there aren’t many people who stick around. It’s a great community, but it does make it hard to date. Everyone feels like family when you’ve known them all since grade school.”

  “Lucky for me,” Drew teased, slipping his arm around her waist as they strolled along. “I would’ve been very disappointed if you weren’t available.”

  It wasn’t much longer before they reached the storefront. A sign with giant red and orange flames and matching letters in bold colors announced it as the original Hot Spot, since there were several smaller branches spread all over the island. There were a few booths inside, but Lainey led him to the padded gray stools that lined the front counter. On the other side of the glass were samples of the pizza and other tasty concoctions they offered. The scents drifting from the restaurant were divine—a combination of sauce and meats that made Drew’s mouth water and his stomach rumble. He was hungrier than he thought.

  As Drew studied the menus hanging from the walls, Lainey gossiped with Haroula, a dazzling beauty of Greek descent, who was the owner of the establishment. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and she wore a red T-shirt bearing her company logo. While Drew was concerned when the friendly shopkeeper eyed him with curiosity, Haroula only studied him for a moment and gave him a friendly nod before dishing out the dirt with her old school chum.

  “Did you know Mr. Waters retired from the English department?” Haroula revealed with a sad shake of her head. “After more than thirty years at the school.”

  “Oh, no!” Lainey exclaimed. “He was my favorite teacher! He even helped me with my very first novel. I was hoping he’d still be there when I had children.”

  “Speaking of children...”

  Suddenly Haroula had her cellphone out and was showing off pictures of her newest addition, a toddler who had inherited her mother’s dark hair. In the meantime, one of her waiters took their order. A few minutes later, he delivered one of the tastiest gyros Drew ever put to his lips. When he bit into the pita bread, the meat melted in his mouth and he had to control himself so the feta cheese didn’t drip down his chin. There was no question why this restaurant had survived fifty years—a feat, Lainey assured him, reserved for a select few.

  Once they had finished their dinner, and Lainey bid farewell to Haroula, there was a bit of an awkward pause as the pair debated what to do next. It was barely five o’clock, so it was too early to call it a night, but Drew could sense Lainey was still uneasy about bringing him back to her place. The last thing he wanted to do was rush her into anything, and wind up pushing her away in the process.

  “Want to walk along the beach for a while?” Drew offered. “It is where we met, after all.”

  Lainey’s lips turned in a lopsided grin. “Aren’t you worried I might try to mace you again?”

  He laughed. “Today you taught me some risks are worth the danger involved.”

  It didn’t take much more convincing. The beach was obviously her second home. After climbing down a small flight of wooden steps, they were skimming across the sand. They hadn’t gone far when Lainey plopped her bottom on the ground and began to pull off her sneakers and socks, revealing toenails painted a deep autumn red. She giggled when Drew gawked at her. It was barely sixty-degrees in the sun, and it felt colder still on the coastline, which was probably the reason they were the only people who dared to get anywhere near the water.

  “No point in walking on the beach if you can’t feel the sand between your toes,” she told him. “Don’t you want the full experience?”

  Figuring it couldn’t hurt, Drew pulled off his own shoes and, following her example, tossed them down in the sand far from the incoming tides. The sand was cool and soft on his feet which were sore and blistered from a long day of wandering the boards. He just had to keep an eye out for the occasional broken seashell. Looping arms with Lainey, they ventured closer to where the waves broke. The air smelled like salt, mingled with the faint aroma of boardwalk fries and funnel cakes. The screams of the new passengers on the Sea Monster echoed in the distance. They stayed close to the water’s edge, and Lainey picked up a few seashells. When the tide inched too close, Drew jumped back to avoid being splashed. Lainey, however, didn’t budge. She let the water spray against her feet, drenching the hem of her jeans. Again, Drew wondered what she was thinking.

  “Isn’t that water cold?”

  “Why don’t you come see for yourself?” She kicked up a stream of water that fell just shy of splashing him.

  Not wanting to appear cowardly, Drew took a tentative step toward the sea foam. He leapt back as soon as his big toe hit the wet sand. That water wasn’t cold—it was freezing.

  “Shit!” Drew involuntarily shivered. “What are you, half penguin?”

  Lainey laughed. “You would never survive the polar plunge.”

  Drew crinkled his nose. “What’s that?”

  “It’s an annual event where a few brave souls dive into the ocean in the winter,” Lainey explained. “It’s a charity fundraiser for the Spe
cial Olympics.”

  “And I’m sure you are one of the generous souls to donate your time to this worthy cause?” Drew guessed.

  “I do love a challenge,” Lainey admitted. “I also like straying from the norm. I don’t let little things hold me back. If I want to get wet, I get wet. And I don’t give a darn what anyone else thinks about it.”

  Drew pulled off his sunglasses. “Little things? Like the possibility of hypothermia?”

  Lainey only grinned. Standing there in the water, she again reminded him of a sea sprite. There were times he was afraid she’d vanish into the mist and he’d never find her again. It was amazing how she conveyed such a sweet, almost virginal innocence, but could still burst out with random words of wisdom. She was simple in her pleasures, but still wildly adventurous. Lainey was a walking oxymoron, a living conundrum, and yet, she was also exactly the type of woman Drew could see himself falling in love with.

  “What the ... crap!”

  Drew tried to leap out of the way, but he was too late. He was staring at his mystical siren splashing for so long that he completely disregarded how quickly the tide was coming in. One fairly large wave splashed against the crotch of his jeans, making Lainey cover her mouth and giggle like a school girl because he looked like he wet himself.

  “Uh-oh, what are you going to do now?” she teased. “Maybe I should’ve told you to leave your pants back by the pier too.”

  Since the damage was already done, Drew decided, what the hell. He sprinted over to Lainey and wrapped his arms around her, almost knocking them both in the shallow water. The seashells she’d collected fell forgotten into the mud. His jeans were soaked up to his shins, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t keep his hands off her any longer. He would’ve taken her right there on the beach if she made the offer.

  Lainey welcomed his embrace, the laughter dying on her lips as passion replaced it. Her tongue was as demanding in her explorations as Drew’s, and the feel of her body pressed so close to his was enough to cause an almost painful throbbing between his legs. She moaned when his hand roamed under her camisole, clutching a firm breast free from the confinements of any bra. His manhood immediately rose to the occasion, growing so stiff and hard it pressed uncomfortably against his zipper, longing for release in more ways than one.