She’d forgotten how magical the pier fairgrounds could be at night. Bright fluorescent lights lit up the night, reflecting on the ocean below. The Ferris wheel’s silhouette against the cloudless sky and the loud music playing through the speakers brought Sarah back to summer nights spent at the pier with Jessica and Whitney when they were teenagers. Too much Cotton Candy and corn dogs and allowances spent on games of chance. Hours in line for their favorite rides.

“I love this place,” Marissa said as the four of them climbed out of Wes’s truck later that evening and headed toward the entrance gate.

“Definitely one way to get her outside,” Wes said, the three adults following the excited little girl as she skipped on ahead.

“I remember coming here all the time as teens…” Lia said. “This place definitely evokes some pretty great memories.”

Lia had always had some guy falling all over himself to try to win her a big plush toy.

“Hey, didn’t you come here with Ryan Fieldman in junior year?” Wes asked Sarah.

How on earth did he remember that? She barely remembered that.

Ryan had been her science lab partner. He’d clearly wanted more than just dissecting the same frog, but Sarah had never felt the connection to him. She’d agreed to the date because it was his birthday, but when he’d tried to kiss her with breath that smelled like chili cheese dog, she’d called it a night.

“That was just as friends,” she said.

“You didn’t date much in high school,” he said.

Since when had he been paying so much attention? She hadn’t thought he’d known she’d existed beyond their tutoring sessions…like a teacher when you saw them in the outside world at the grocery store or at the movies and it felt surreal. “I was focused on my studies, that’s all.”

And she’d only had eyes for him. She kept that to herself.

They arrived at the ticket kiosk, and he bought a twenty pack and refused Sarah’s and Lia’s money when they offered to pay for theirs. “Please. Marissa dragged everyone here. It’s the least I can do,” he said.

They’d barely dragged her. She’d wanted to go. Now that the renovations were done and Marissa was heading to Girl Guides camp in a few days, Sarah wasn’t sure how often she’d see them before she headed back to L.A.

“I want to ride the Fireball first,” Marissa said once they had their hands stamped and were inside the gate. She ran off toward the terrifying-looking ride that raised carts into the air, then twisted them in all directions, including upside down.

Oh, hell no.

“One of my favorites,” Lia said, looking as excited as the nine-year-old.

At least someone was.