BooksBarbecue
Back The Falling in Love Montage
Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1.
  4. 2.
  5. 3.
  6. 4.
  7. 5.
  8. 6.
  9. 7.
  10. 8.
  11. 9.
  12. 10.
  13. 11.
  14. 12.
  15. 13.
  16. 14.
  17. 15.
  18. 16.
  19. 17.
  20. 18.
  21. 19.
  22. 20.
  23. 21.
  24. 22.
  25. 23.
  26. 24.
  27. 25.
  28. 26.
  29. 27.
  30. 28.
  31. 29.
  32. 30.
  33. 31.
  34. 32.
  35. 33.
  36. 34.
  37. 35.
  38. 36.
  39. 37.
  40. 38.
  41. Acknowledgments
  42. About the Author
  43. Books by Ciara Smyth
  44. Back Ad
  45. About the Publisher

I imagined they went on more exciting trips to Monaco or Aspen or wherever it was that rich people took their kids on holidays.

“Well, you’re just going to have to slum it for today,” I joked.

“That’s not what I meant—”

“I’m only messing with you,” I said, nudging her.

I felt the faint call of the half liter fizzy drink I’d downed telling me I’d need to find a bathroom as soon as we got off this ride. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of a carnival bathroom in the middle of the baking afternoon. It could wait until the coast was clear.

We squeezed into one side of the cart beside each other and somehow, in spite of the fact that we’d previously achieved groping level two, I felt a silly thrill at having my leg touching hers. Our hands rested on our respective thighs, but they grazed each other in a way that made me super aware of having arms. What had I done with them my whole life up to now? Were my arms weird when I was with Hannah too? I couldn’t remember.

The Ferris wheel cranked along, letting other couples embark. Ruby breathed in the popcorn-scented air and smiled at me.

“This was a good idea. Definitely the kind of thing you’d find in a falling in love montage. We’ll have to do the roller coaster too, and get our pictures. And possibly win each other a stuffed toy.”

“The roller coaster here gives off the distinct aura of taking your life into your own hands, but I hear life-threatening circumstances bring people together, so why not?”

At the top of the wheel, the ride paused, and we looked out on the view. The sea stretched out for miles on one side and on the other, you could see the town fading into countryside. Ruby reached out and held my hand and I felt myself relax a little.

“Tell me something about yourself,” I said. “How is it that you have the reflexes of a cat?”

She laughed and I felt a warm glow. I loved making her laugh. She had a pretty laugh and somehow it also had an English accent.

“I did gymnastics for years.”

“But not anymore?”

“Things got too busy at home. To be honest, Mum started to forget about my lessons because she had so much on and I didn’t want to bother her. It was probably six months before she realized I hadn’t been going. I told her I didn’t want to go back anyway. I didn’t want her to feel bad.”