“No,” Ainsley and I said simultaneously.

Brougham’s eyes widened. “Okay.”

“Be casual,” I said.

“I’m casual!”

“If you say so. So, do you still need me?”

Brougham blinked. “Of course I do. Just because I haven’t screwed it up yet doesn’t mean anything.”

“But what do you expect me to, like … do?”

Brougham attempted to share an exasperated look with Ainsley, but she shrugged. She was on my side. “If Winona starts looking smothered, let me know and talk me through fixing it,” he said.

“You’ve been doing great all day, Brougham. I think you’re using me as a safety blanket. You need to adjust to being with her alone.”

He looked positively alarmed at the idea. “No, no. Just because it’s fine now doesn’t mean it’ll stay fine. You don’t get it. I always think everything’s fine right up until she’s overwhelmed by me. I need help. I’m gonna fuck it up, I know I am.”

“Okay, breathe,” I said. This baby bird was clearly not ready to leave the nest. Noted. “I’m here as long as you need me.”

“Thank you, thank you, but can you go, please, she’ll be out in a sec.”

Dismissed, Ainsley and I took our leave to a crowded spot over by the Matterhorn waterfall. At least he said “please” this time.

The rest of the afternoon went by in much the same way. Ainsley and I trailed after Brougham, following him on rides and grabbing snacks whenever we had a slow moment by a stall. We even found time for Ainsley to buy a pair of sparkly pink Minnie ears, and honestly, even if they were ungodly expensive and cost the same as several outfits at Jenny’s would’ve, I wasn’t lying when I assured her it was a justifiable purchase. You couldn’t see the look on her face when she took a selfie with them and think anything else.

As for Ray and Brooke, I was cucumber-cool. I only checked my phone several dozen times for texts. Only let my mind wander to what they might be doing right now two or three times a minute, max. By the time we park-hopped to California Adventure in the evening and I’d still received no messages from Brooke, I’d started feeling optimistic. Surely if something had happened between them, Brooke would’ve gushed to me during a bathroom break or something. Even if she thought something was likely to happen, she’d let me know. So, maybe it’d gone down the purely platonic route.

And as for Ainsley and me, we just had to get through a couple more hours, then Brougham and Winona would recreate their World of Color date, and either they’d have a romantic moment or Winona would leave with a positive impression of Brougham. Then I could go home and talk to Brooke for a play-by-play.