Page 26 of Just One Summer with the Grumpy

Several minutes into the wait, Ty looked backward and caught my gaze—and jerked it away with a guilty expression.

A surge of new hope filled my chest. Guilt was good. I could work with that. Soon we’d be leaving the island on a plane together, and it would be me he whispered sweet nothings to rather than preparing to careen down a mountain with another woman.

I eyed my ring finger, empty as ever, and imagined the ring he would give me. Simple. Unique, like us. One of a kind with some kind of colored stone. We’d try on rings together—

Chase clipped in right behind me, and I was instantly aware of his presence. I’d know his musky scent in my sleep, recognize the feel of his eyes on me with my eyes closed. Ty made my stomach flutter…but Chase made every nerve in my body burn hot.

Curse Chase.

The line of tourists continued to throw themselves off the platform and down the line one after the other, some faster than others, many of them whooping in delight as they soared. When my turn came, I stared down at the forest floor that seemed a million miles below and felt a different kind of flutter in my stomach. My face had probably turned the same color as the forest.

My body froze up. Even if I wanted to step forward, I couldn’t.

Chase drew even closer, whispering over my shoulder in a way that sent sparks shooting through my veins. “Keep your focus on the birds.”

I almost wanted to pretend that I hadn’t heard the first time so he’d do it again. My body practically shivered with the effect his whisper had against my ear. But instead, I remembered that this was my boss, and he only wanted us to make a good impression for the company’s sake. It made the warmth fizzle somewhat.

Keep your focus on the birds.

Birds didn’t congregate on the forest floor. They resided in the branches. I looked around and found one a few trees down, colorful and cheerful. Not worried at all about plummeting to its death. Just enjoying the beauty around us, living in the moment. Then it burst from the tree and soared high above the trees.

I channeled my inner child and pretended I was a bird. I lifted one of my arms like a wing, gripping the brake line with the other, and leaped.

My stomach wrenched upward for a second as the line took my weight.

Then I was flying.

The world around me slowed. The forest was a greenish blur, the sky an endless blue. The crisp air sweeping past. My inner child rose up from within in an uncontrollable fit of giggles. Pure happiness.

I got it now.

I lifted both hands like an eagle lifting off and soaring to the sky. I felt more awake, more alive, than ever before. A gleeful whoop tore from my lips. The bird darted alongside me, flapping its wings happily.

The platform came into view ahead, and I remembered that I was supposed to slow. I put pressure on the line and then panicked a bit as it didn’t decelerate right away. The worker on the platform, his eyes wide, cupped his hands around his mouth and called, “Brake!”

At the very last second, I slowed enough to stumble onto the platform with the others. I stood there, triumphant and invigorated and grinning like a complete fool. “That. Was. Incredible.”

Ty chuckled. I saw the same excitement in him that I felt in myself. “Right?”

Veronica pouted. “It’s not incredible. It’s boring. I want to go back to the beach.”

A zipping sound grew louder, reminding me that Chase was right behind me and had probably seen the whole thing. Strangely, I didn’t care. I felt as though I’d unlocked something deep inside that I didn’t know was there. Like a video game level-up.

The second Chase arrived—much more gracefully than I had, admittedly—he started clapping his gloved hands. There was an unusual light dancing in his eyes. Amusement?

“Well done,” he said. “Not bad for a first time. Just brake a little sooner on this next one.”

I frowned. “I like going fast.”

“I do too, but smacking into a tree at 30 miles per hour doesn’t feel good.” He flinched.

I nudged him playfully with my shoulder. “Chase Everett. Are you speaking from experience?”

His embarrassment grew. I loved the look of it. “Possibly. The worst part was, I was upside down. It’s a good thing my instructor forced me to wear a helmet, or it could have been a lot worse.”

I gaped at him. “You can goupside down?”

“Of course.” His eyes twinkled. “Want to try it?”

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