Observant was a good sign. All we needed to do was up the thoughtfulness and reduce the clinginess and we’d make a Disney prince of him yet.

Once we’d gotten through the magical bag check and the whimsical scan for bombs or other deadly weapons, Brougham sent me a text.

Get Space Mountain FastPasses exactly now.

He’d helped me sign Ainsley and myself up to the Disneyland app and paid for MaxPasses for us, meaning we could line up our FastPasses on our phones instead of sprinting to the FastPass dispensers. If you asked me, that took a lot of the adrenaline out of the day, but no one did ask me.

Got it. My entry window is 10:45 to 11:45.

Not too far ahead of us, Brougham discreetly checked my response and typed back.

Done.

And we were off, wandering down Main Street, serenaded by a hodgepodge of cheerful music. Sleeping Beauty Castle loomed ahead of us. While we walked, I sent a message to Brooke, glancing up regularly at Brougham and Winona.

Sorry again about today.

We passed a stall selling Minnie Mouse ears, and Ainsley’s eyes rested on them for a little too long. She didn’t say anything, though. As cute as they were, neither of us had the money to spend on clothing that specific. Even Ainsley couldn’t find a way to alter and incorporate those into her everyday wardrobe.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

That’s okay! I actually asked Ray to come to the movies with me …

I slowed my pace so I could focus on steadying my breathing. This was my karma for sabotaging Brooke and Jaz. It had to be. Life couldn’t be this randomly cruel.

“Red Wagon, Red Wagon, Red Wagon,” Ainsley chanted, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. I could not afford to spiral.

Brougham and Winona were already veering to the right in the direction of Tomorrowland. “Oh my god, Ainsley, it’s so early.”

“It’s never too early.”

They were getting away from us, their bobbing heads blending into the thickening crowds. “Okay, I need to go, though. Can you grab them and text me when you’re done? You can meet me.”

“‘Them’?” Ainsley asked. “So, you want a corn dog, too?”

I blinked. “Well, I mean, if you’re getting one.”

She waved a hand. “Fine, fine, go!”