He was of course referring to their excursion by the cliff, specifically when she had leaned over the edge to take in the view of the ocean swirling two hundred feet below. To Amy’s surprise, though, the danger of that plunging drop was not what she remembered most. Instead, it was clinging to Ryan’s arm, the comfort of knowing he was there, knowing she would be okay. She trusted him. More than that, she felt safe—a sensation she hadn’t experienced since the day she’d lost her mom.

But how far did that trust extend? Enough to put this grotesque combination of batter and God knows what into her mouth? That was another question entirely.

“All right, now you gotta commit,” Ryan said. “No nibbling and then trying to peek. One big bite. Straight in.”

Their carriage began to swing back and forth as the Ferris wheel hit its stride.

“Believe me, I don’t intend to drag this out any longer than necessary!”

“Here we go then, three . . . two . . . one . . .”

With one hand underneath the napkin, soggy from the grease already seeping through, Amy closed her eyes and sank her teeth into the batter. Her senses were on high alert as she scrutinized what she had just started to chew. It tasted familiar. Soft, kind of crumbly, even a little sweet. She chewed a few seconds more before daring to look, and when she did she saw a small stack of Oreos caked inside the batter.

Ryan leaned over. “What did you get?”

She showed him. He nodded with delight and then revealed his—
a deep-fried peanut-butter sandwich.

“Not as bad as you first thought, am I right?”

She took a second bite and mumbled, “I’m reserving judgment for now.”

“Ha! I knew it.”

For a while they ate in a comfortable silence, enjoying the rotating view. The Ferris wheel was by far the largest Amy had ever ridden. Buildings fell away like magic whenever their carriage sailed across the top, revealing a picturesque parade of trees, sloping roofs, and lit streetlamps. They could see the entire town, from the hills to the east and back across to the ocean.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Ryan asked. “Aside from the exotic food on offer, how are you enjoying our little festival?”

“I like it, it’s cute.” She finished another mouthful, the sickly sweet taste of chocolate and cream and soft batter sliding down her throat. “And if I’m being honest, the food’s not half bad.”

Ryan’s eyes widened, his expression triumphant. “What did I tell you? They’re good, huh? It’s a combination you think just can’t work, and yet somehow it does.”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Remember, you haven’t been right the entire night. Do the words ‘sabotage’ and ‘laughing clowns’ ring any bells?”