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Fifteen minutes later, I’m seated in the front cart of Nitro Snake. Kathleen is right next to me, an elated look in her eyes.

“If my ex-husband could see me now, sitting next to a hot stud like you, he’d be so jealous,” she says.

I laugh. It’s crazy how amazing and good-looking these ladies think I am when I’m nothing but a regular guy.

“I never want to leave this place,” she says with a sigh as the cart gets dragged up the first incline.

I let my gaze wander over the park below us. Am I really going to leave all of this behind soon? Then I think of Elle, and how we’re going to make things work between us when I’m gone. My stomach turns, not because of the thrilling ride, but because I can’t see a future that doesn’t include her.

Maybe I should stay.

The insight hits me like a brick. I don’t have to go. I could stay right here with Elle.

The cart slowly travels over the incline, then plummets down at ninety-seven miles per hour. Kathleen grabs my hand in hers and screams until I’m afraid her lungs won’t hold it together any longer. Despite all that, she’s beaming. When she looks at me, I see nothing but pure joy in her eyes. Happiness travels through me as well.

“This is fantastic,” she screams at me. “I’ll cherish this forever, even though I might throw up later.”

The cart gets pulled up another incline, and I laugh. I get that she’s feeling nauseous. This coaster isn’t for the faint of heart. I’d better get used to these thrilling sensations, though. I’ve got to go on Nitro Snake at least another eight times.

Chapter Twenty-One

Elle

Colton has been on the roller coaster six times already and he’s starting to look quite pale. Poor thing. All the ladies of the knitting club want a piece of him. I don’t know what happens to them during the ride, but when they get off, they all have this blissed-out look on their faces.

I must say, I get where they’re coming from. When I think about how Colton looks at me, and kisses me, and holds me close, well… I can hardly keep it together. Just before, he made this remark about taking me on a ride and I still don’t know whether he meant that in a straightforward way or if he was alluding to something else. Either way, I want to spend every waking minute with him. As soon as we tell Maggie, I want everyone else to know how crazy I am about this guy.

By the time the roller coaster has gone around the tracks eight times, Colton looks horrible. That is, as horrible as a gorgeous guy like him can look. It’s not fair. When I was wearing that hot dog costume, I looked like a turd, yet here he is, making nausea look like a dazzling fashion statement. He seats himself on a park bench and puts his head between his knees.

Myrtle appears from the coaster, throwing her hands in the air. “This mas wate!”

Oh my goodness, she’s having a stroke. I knew loading a bunch of old ladies onto a roller coaster was a bad idea. I rush toward her. “Are you okay? Do I need to call an ambulance?”

She frowns. “Why?”

As she speaks the word, my eyes travel to her mouth and I jump. “What happened to your teeth?” I ask.

Janine rushes toward us, a shocked look on her face. “Myrtle, where are your teeth?”

She shrugs and keeps smiling as if she doesn’t care. “Don’t mow. I took them out wight before the wide took off and accidentally dwopped them.”

Eileen gives her a horrified look. “Why would you take your false teeth out?”

“Can’t remember.”

She looks so dreamy that I’d think she’s been drugged if I didn’t know any better.

“Well, where are they now? Surely you need them?”

She walks toward the bench where Colton is trying to keep it together, and sits down. “That was fantastic. Thank you, young man.”

It sounds different because of her lack of teeth, but I’m pretty sure those are the words she’s saying.

“Mom, look!” I hear a child call out, followed by a high-pitched shriek.

We all swivel our heads in the direction of the yelling. To my horror, a boy is holding Myrtle’s teeth, showing them to his mother as if he has found a prized treasure.

“Drop those immediately,” his mom shouts. “How did these teeth get here?”