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That meant I didn’t want to text Andrew back
For that reason and another
That beingthat the only thing that wouldmy hand
Damn
I really was all tangled up inside
Of course I’d seen the big roller coaster and other rides towering up behind the boardwalk, but I hadn’t actually gone near the park yet The gates were old-fashioned and had a huge arch over them with Ocean Blue Fun Park painted on it Ticket booths were set up on either side of the gates Beyond the gates we could hear laughter and screa the place was already busy The season had kicked in, so that wasn’t a surprise The sers and the sweet thickness of candy floss, were stronger here than on the boardwalk because the sea air wasn’t so dominant this far back from the boards
I had to admit I was a little excited
“Hey, Mr Lawson,” the young girl at the ticket booth said as we approached She was a pretty, fresh-faced blonde who looked like she was still in high school
“Hey, Angela How’s your ?”
“She’s real good, thanks” She beamed at him and I’m not sure I didn’t see a little hero worship there “She was so grateful you fixed her car”
“My pleasure” He shrugged “Two adults” He slipped money to her before I could protest
Her eyes flicked to ave hiood day without looking at ain
Huh
“Are you a mechanic, too?” I said as alked into the park
“I was until I enty-one and old enough to work at the bar”
“Is she a neighbor?”
“Who, Angela? Nah, she’s my sister’s best friend’s kid Her dad walked out about a year ago, leaving thee bills so I helped out”
Now I got the hero worship
“That was nice of you”
Considerate
Thoughtful
Damn
He didn’t respond
“Also nice was buyingfor food”
“Okay”
“What? No argu for stuff We didn’t go out a lot, but there were tirab food or order takeout and he always threw a fit if I tried to pay I let him win for an easy life, but it irritated me
Cooper stopped in the middle of the ay “I don’t need to shoulder all the financial responsibilities of our day together to feel like a man, Doc I buy tickets, you buy the food, seems like a fair trade I like that you offered Hasn’t happened to me a lot”
God, did he have to be so frickin’ perfect! I smirked so he couldn’t see that such an innocent coles “Well, I can’t be the first wo almost used the d word
His blue eyes brightened with huraciously let my slip pass “Believe it or not, you are the first”
“Your wife never paid?” I blurted out before considering heabout her
“Ex-wife,” he said “And I’ht a purse was purely an accessory”
I marveled at the lack of bitterness in his voice but decided tothe bitter
“So” I stopped and gaze around us “What ride do you recommend first?”
“I think we should dive right in” He pointed to the big roller coaster
My stomach flipped as I stared up at it
Suddenly Cooper was blockingdown at o on it if you’re scared of roller coasters”
That was nice
He was nice
“I’ve never actually been on one,” I said, feeling I could ad too many questions
Cooper looked surprised “Never?”
“Never had the opportunity”
He contemplated me for a second or two “Don’t tell me life has been all work and no play?”
My sot here I’ht be the case”
At that, Cooper took h me “Well, the only way to know if you’ll like a roller coaster is to get on one” He started to lead me to it
Following hihtened in his and he squeezed it in answer I felt a little in a daze as he ledand I couldn’t actually believe it The last tihteen and crushing on a junior TA in anic cheuy I’d slept with and the first guy I thought I could really fall for, but II wasn’t in a good place back then I was just a kid and I blew it
It was a sudden overwhel realization that Cooper er in danger of falling head over heels
Cooper, completely oblivious to my inner Holy fuck moment, showed our tickets to the ride operator and we stopped to wait in line
That hen I went back to thinking about the roller coaster
I had serious butterflies meant I didn’t want to text Andrew back