Page 68 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Ready?’ Jay held his hand out, indicating for Megan to go first.

In front of them stood a café, a gift shop and an ice-cream parlour. Stepping through the gates into Flambards Theme Park, Megan took in the sounds of excited shouting and laughter from children and adults alike mixed with loud fairground music. She grinned, memories of her teenage years coming back to her.

‘Where would you like to go first?’ Jay looked up from the map he was holding. ‘We could check out the roller coaster, the log flume if you don’t mind getting soaked, or maybe something more leisurely, such as the swings, to ease us in gently?’

‘Why don’t we jump straight in and head for the log flume?’ Megan grinned, the buzz in the air rubbing off on her.

Jay chuckled and pointed to their left. ‘Okay, getting soaked it is then.’

‘Great.’ As they fell in step with each other, Megan glanced across at Jay. ‘You’re not afraid of heights, are you?’

‘No. Not usually, anyway. I’m quite happy climbing a ladder or going on a plane. I’m more worried about getting covered in water.’

Megan grinned. ‘We might get a bit splashed.’

‘A bit? I think I remember getting completely drenched last time I went on the log flume here, but it has to be done when at a theme park, doesn’t it?’

‘I guess so. I’ve not been to one since I was about sixteen, I don’t think.’ She took the map from him and pointed them in the right direction.

He whistled under his breath. ‘That’s a long time ago, then.’

‘Oi!’ Laughing, she swiped the map at him.

‘Ha ha, I didn’t mean it that way! I used to go to theme parks quite a bit. I must have been to this one at least three times.’

‘Really?’ She frowned. ‘Why did you need to come again to check it out then?’

He smiled. ‘It’s been a couple of years, so things have bound to have changed. Besides, I thought it’d be nice to hang out with you.’

‘Aw, thanks.’

‘Here we go.’ Jay pointed ahead, and they joined a short queue that had formed at the base of the tall log flume. ‘I guess there’s no turning back now, then.’

‘We can turn back.’ Megan indicated behind her.

‘No chance.’ Grinning, Jay stepped up onto the platform surrounding the entrance to the log flume as the queue surged forward, and taking his hand, Megan stepped up onto the platform beside him.

‘Thanks.’

His hand felt warm in hers. She could still feel the callouses on his skin from the work he’d been doing at Wagging Tails.

Still with her hand in his, she kept her eyes focused on the person in front as the queue steadily inched forward. What would Lyle say if he could see her now? He’d certainly be disgusted that she was at a theme park. And he’d probably be equally disgusted that she was here with Jay. She laughed. Which would he hate more? What she was doing or who she was doing it with?

A man wearing a blue baseball cap waited until they’d taken their seats before checking the safety bars. ‘Morning! Are you all set to ride on the Colorado River Log Flume?’

‘Absolutely!’

As the log flume lurched upwards, the theme park opened up beneath them and Megan could see for miles around. It was bigger than she’d first thought it was.

‘Oops, I always forget about this bit,’ Jay said as the cart came to an abrupt halt as it neared the top of the track, throwing them forward a little. He glanced down beneath them before looking at Megan. ‘It’s this bit I hate when it slows right down, and we know what’s coming.’

‘Ha ha, I used to love this bit! The anticipation.’

‘Umm, that’s one way to think about it.’

Just as she turned back to face the front, the cart inched over the cusp of the track and began its descent. She could feel her hair flying out behind her and her cheeks being pushed back by the wind as they plummeted down towards the pool of water at the bottom.

In no time at all, the cart plunged into the pool, spraying water upwards and over them both before slowing down and meandering around a curve. ‘That was brilliant!’

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