Page 22 of Love is a Roller Coaster

“What was your favorite ride?” I ask.

She presses her lips together. “I loved Peter Pan.” She looks down at the ice cream and scoops out another spoonful. “Space Mountain was pretty fun, too.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t say the Matterhorn.”

She wrinkles her nose. “That was all right, but a little too jerky. And that snowman kept appearing at the worst times.”

I laugh out loud. “That’s kind of the point.”

She shrugs with a smile, holding my gaze. Then she looks down, her eyes catching on her formerly white shorts that are now full of stains. “Well, these shorts are ruined.”

“Sorry about that. I should’ve given you more specific instructions on appropriate wardrobe.”

She shakes her head. “It’s okay. I will forever treasure these as my Disneyland shorts.”

“As you should.”

She pulls out her phone and glances at the screen. “Just a few more minutes. How do we see the PhotoPass pictures from today?”

“In the Disneyland app. There’s a section for the PhotoPass pictures.”

She opens the app and fiddles around until she finds our collection of photos. The first is, of course, the one from Space Mountain, which makes us both laugh. We had at least gotten a peek at that one when we first got off the ride. But we haven’t seen the others yet.

The next set are the pictures in front of the castle, the first few of us just smiling and hugging, and then there’s the one of us kissing.Actuallykissing. It looks real.

Itfeltreal.

I glance at Brooke, noticing that she hasn’t moved away from that picture yet, and a small smile lights her face. Then she swipes over and we find a few more pictures of us—in front of the Millenium Falcon in Galaxy’s Edge, back at the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey, and with other characters we found throughout the park.

I have to know what she’s thinking. Were those kisses real? Or were they just for the cameras? Was this just a fun day forher? Is there more to this experience than just a day to let loose and forget about the fiasco of her canceled wedding?

“Brooke,” I begin. She looks over at me, her smile still on her face. “I?—”

But I’m cut off by the loud voice announcing the beginning of the fireworks show. I guess this will have to wait.

chapter eleven

BROOKE

What washe going to ask?

It’s too loud to continue our conversation now, but I’m dying to know what he wanted to say. We stand from our spot on the curb and face the castle. The music begins, and the fireworks light the sky. My feet are killing me, and my legs and back are aching, but this is truly magical.

The fireworks simulate some rides we went on today, and I squeal when I recognize some of my favorites. When they get to Peter Pan, I look over at Tyler to catch his reaction.

But he’s not watching the fireworks.

He’s watchingme.

I’ve used the pictures as an excuse to kiss him all day, and he’s been so willing to do whatever I want. I worry that I’m taking advantage of him. But when he looks at me like that, I get the feeling he wants the kisses just as much as I do. Besides, hereallywent for it, especially when we kissed in front of the castle.

“Are you happy?” he asks over the noise.

I smile and nod. He wraps an arm around my waist, and Ilean into him, resting my head on his shoulder while we watch the show.

At the end, there’s a Tinkerbell figure that appears to float on a string down to the castle.

“That’s a real person,” Tyler says to me.

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