Page 57 of Accidental Vegas Vows

“I’m fine. Ethan keeps calling,” he said, his eyes flicking between me and Noah. “It’s probably nothing.”

“That doesn’t sound like nothing.” I gave him a little squeeze as we dipped into the line for Jungle Cruise beneath a sign that read out 35 Minute Wait. “I can watch Noah if you need to call him back.”

Quickly and discreetly, he pressed his lips against the side of my head, cupping my cheek to hold me in place before letting me go. “I appreciate that, but honestly, it’s probably?—”

The sound of an incoming text cut him off as he fished in his pocket again.

Damien stopped in his tracks halfway down the empty line, his eyes going wide, the ropes on either side of us keeping us in. I reached out and grabbed Noah by the wrist, pulling him back to us. “Watch him,” he said quietly, taking a step back. “Please. I’ll be right back.”

I nodded once, and he slipped under the rope that divided the exit line from the entry line, heading back toward where we’d come in. Of course I’d watch Noah no matter the circumstance, but I couldn’t help but wonder what had made him change his mind that quickly as I pulled Noah to the side of the line where they kept the little drinking fountains.

“Where’s Dad going?” he asked as I sat down on the edge of the curb.

“I think he has to make a phone call. Don’t worry about it, squirt,” I said, faking a wide grin as I pulled him into my lap.

“But the Jungle Cruise,” he pouted.

“I know. He’ll be right back. I promise.” I ruffled the top of his head as I gave him a little squeeze. He was sticky and smelled of sugar and cinnamon, but I’d grown used to his stickiness now. I pulled out my map that I’d stuffed into my bag hours ago and unfurled it for him. “What do you want to do after the Jungle Cruise?”

He studied it extensively, going quiet for what felt like minutes and leaving us with the soundtrack of the ride playing and the birds chirping in the trees. It was the first chance I’d had to actually calm down all day, and having him here and focused only seemed to make it easier, somehow.

But then he excitedly pointed to a random ride in Tomorrowland. “This one! And then we can go here, and then here, and then?—”

Damien reappeared in the line, wild blue eyes looking frantically in front of him, not quite clocking us on the ground. From the way he walked to the way his mouth parted, I could tell something wasn’t quite right.

I pulled myself and Noah to our feet immediately, and Damien’s eyes found me, and oh, God, he looked like he was either going to throw himself off a bridge or vomit across the cement.

Before I could even ask what was wrong, he was squatting down in front of Noah and taking his son’s face in his slightly trembling hands, his gaze flicking up to meet mine only briefly before going all in on him.

“Noah,” he said, taking a deep breath and rolling his lips between his teeth. “I’m so sor?—”

“Olivia said we can go to Tomorrowland next!” Noah beamed, fully not understanding whatever was happening here. I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to handle whatever was going on, so I took a step back instead and let Damien lead it.

Damien shook his head and grasped Noah by his little shoulders, something glistening in his eyes. “Listen to me, bud. I’m so sorry, but we need to go now.”

Noah went far too quiet.

“We can come back,” Damien offered. “I promise, as soon as I can swing it, we will come right back here and we will do the Jungle Cruise and we will go to Tomorrowland and ride every ride you want. We can meet every character you want. We can stay for a whole fucking week.”

“You said a bad word,” Noah said, his voice so small, so Goddamn sad.

But it was Damien’s cracking one that made me panic. “I know. I-I’m sorry, buddy. I promise, I will make this up to you. Both of you.” His eyes flicked to mine briefly as he wiped at his nose. What the fuck is going on? “But we have to go now.”

Silence fell over both of them, just the crickets and the birds and the music of the Jungle Cruise while a handful of people passed us in the line. But then Noah nodded, and Damien was back on his feet, ushering Noah under the rope that he’d gone under before, and we were heading out of the line for the Jungle Cruise.

————

Damien made one negotiation with the five-year-old — he could hit the souvenir shop at the top of Main Street for ten minutes and buy whatever he wanted.

We stood off to the side in silence, watching as the kid ran frantically around the shop picking up stuffed animals and costumes and anything he could get his hands on. He wasn’t even picking things he liked, just whatever he could find, whatever would keep the memory of today alive for him.

Damien checked his watch over and over, flicking between that and his phone.

“How long does he have?” I asked.

“Five minutes.”

I squeezed his arm. “Is that long enough for you to tell me what’s going on?”

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