by Autumn Reed
He was quiet before answering, “Bruce Lee.”
“Why?”
“He’s a badass, renowned for his physical fitness, fast reflexes, and dedication. Have you seen any of his movies?”
I shook my head, the ends of my wavy hair dusting the blanket.
His voice was incredulous. “What movies have you seen?”
I wanted to protest, but Ethan continued talking. “Add The Big Boss and Way of the Dragon to your list. Those are both mandatory, along with Buffy the Vampire Slayer—the TV show, not the movie.”
I giggled at his serious demeanor. I had never heard Ethan speak with such enthusiasm, even about being a paramedic. “Okay. You obviously feel very strongly about this.” I said in a mock-serious tone.
“I practice mixed martial arts; I wish I could have trained under Bruce Lee.”
Ethan sat up and unzipped the backpack before digging around, clearly hunting for something. “What about you—who would you pick?”
I could hear a package rustling and smiled when he pulled out a package of Peanut Butter M&M’s.
“Aside from the obvious answer of my mom . . . probably Leonardo da Vinci.”
He tore off the end of the package before holding it out to me and resuming his position, propped up on his elbows. Is it just me or are we sitting a little closer now?
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to share your precious Peanut Butter M&M’s?”
“I think I can spare a few,” he said dryly.
“Oh, just a few, huh?” I was taunting him, dangling the M&M’s package in the air within his reach.
“Probably. I’m bad at sharing.” He reached out to grab the M&M’s, but I pulled them behind my back, keeping them just out of reach.
Ethan lifted on his side, his body hovering within inches of mine, yet never touching, before snatching the M&M’s out of my hand. Considering all his muscle, I was surprised by how agile he was. His face lingered close to mine, and I could see his eyes dancing behind his glasses.
“You’re a tease, Haley.” His voice was husky, and I felt lightheaded.
He returned to his elbows and popped a few M&M’s in his mouth while I recovered from the intense moment.
“That was way too easy. Knox told me you knew how to defend yourself.”
I looked over at Ethan. “I didn’t realize you were threatening me,” I said sarcastically. I was baffled; one minute it felt like he wanted to kiss me, and the next, he was talking about self-defense. Did I miss something?
“Never underestimate your opponent, especially when you’re standing between him and his Peanut Butter M&M’s.” He smirked briefly before his expression turned more serious. “All joking aside, do you know self-defense? I know one of us is constantly with you, but just in case.”
“Yes, but I could use some practice.” I let my frustration go; it was such a nice evening and there really was nothing to be upset about.
“I’ll have Jackson schedule time for me to work with you.”
I nodded. “Sounds good. But just beware,” I turned my head to look at him, “you might be unleashing a dragon.” I shot him a daring smile.
Ethan’s eyes stared into mine, his rich voice slightly deeper than normal. “I fear we already have.”
Santa Cruzin’
Coasting down the boardwalk on a beach cruiser with the wind blowing through my hair, the radiant sun cast a dreamlike quality over the scene. It was almost as if my daydream from when Chase first described Santa Cruz had come to life in Technicolor perfection. At the time, I never believed this moment would or even could happen. I resisted the urge to pinch myself to ensure that this beautiful Saturday afternoon was reality.
Theo and I meandered along the West Cliff Drive bike path with its breathtaking backdrop of ocean waves and dramatic cliffs. The occasional skateboarder zoomed by, their presence practically ubiquitous in Santa Cruz. The scenery was so gorgeous I almost forgot to pay attention to where I was going, despite all the tourists and locals on the trail. In addition to a beach dotted with sunbathers, we rode past a surfing museum, historic lighthouse, and the Beach Boardwalk amusement park, and that was just one side of the path. The opposite side was equally compelling, the street lined by large homes with beautiful gardens full of blooming flowers and succulents.
As usual, Theo indicated points of interest and threw out tidbits about the area. He even spouted random facts about sea lions as we passed their rocky outcrop. His range and depth of knowledge always astounded and often amused me.
I couldn’t imagine a more idyllic setting, and apart from a few anachronisms, it almost felt like we had stepped back in time. Theo’s look—cuffed jeans, vintage T-shirt, funky sneakers, and retro sunglasses—only reinforced this idea. With his slicked back hair, freckles, and a few tattoos, he was obviously comfortable with the attention he drew.
After making the return trip, we turned in our rented bikes and walked toward the amusement park. When I saw Chase approaching from the opposite direction, I waved, excited that Theo’s “we” included Chase. In his khaki cargo shorts, sneakers, T-shirt, and baseball cap, he couldn’t have looked more different from Theo. And yet, I had no doubt that either one of them could have their pick of girls.
Chase gave me the one-arm hug that had become our standard greeting. “Having fun with Theo?”
I smiled, leaning into his shoulder and inhaling his familiar cedar scent. “Of course!”
Theo and Chase caught up on classes and campus news while we grabbed dinner. When we exited the shop to take our meal outside, Chase inclined his head toward Theo as we followed behind. “How’s your training going?”
Theo nodded, finishing the bite of his sandwich before answering. “Pretty good. Thanks to Ethan’s hard-core schedule, I should be ready to climb El Gigante by winter break.”
It was no secret that Theo wanted to climb El Gigante, but the last time he mentioned it to Knox, the conversation hadn’t gone so well. Since then, they both avoided discussing the topic; Theo was training as planned and trusting Knox would get over it while Knox silently hoped Theo would change his mind. They were both stubborn, and I honestly wasn’t sure what the outcome would be.
I had just thrown away the packaging for my dinner when Theo grabbed my hand. He pulled me after him, his voice full of excitement. “Come on, Haley. It’s photo booth time!”
I rolled my eyes playfully, knowing that resistance was futile, and honestly, it sounded like fun. Theo ducked into the photo booth with Chase on his heels. I peeked my head in the curtained space realizing for the first time how tiny it was.
“Maybe I’ll just stay out here,” I said, playing with the ends of my side braid.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can sit here.” Theo patted his leg that rested next to Chase’s. Before I could protest, Chase wrapped a broad arm around my waist and pulled me into the booth. He shut the purple velvet curtain while Theo fed cash into the payment slot.
Perched on their legs, I felt warm at the closeness and hoped I wasn’t blushing as the digital screen appeared. I laughed at how ridiculous I looked in the preview, my head dominating the screen. I shifted, trying to scrunch down before leaning back to make my head even with theirs.
Theo exclaimed, “Say cheese!” But I wasn’t sure I even had time to smile before the flash went off.
For the second photo, I saw the countdown on the screen. Theo, always the artistic director, said, “Let’s try to get a nice one this time.” I smiled, hoping at least one would turn out okay.
“Now make a silly face.” Unsure what else to do, I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue.
“Last chance,” Theo called. Fingers fluttered at my waist as Chase and Theo tickled me. While I was laughing and squirming to face them, the flash went off.
The photos printed and Theo handed a strip to me and Chase. Our expressions progressed from unprepared to laughter and everything in between. Flanked by Theo and Chase, I still couldn’t believe the girl smiling in t
he photos was me. Perhaps the evening was going to be even more fun than I anticipated.
Chase, Theo, and I tumbled out of the photo booth, laughing at our ridiculous expressions. With my eyes still re-adjusting to the sunlight, I froze when I saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance to the Boardwalk. Is that really Jackson?
My pulse quickened and I forced myself to act natural as Jackson strode toward us, confident as ever; his effortlessly casual look seemed almost too polished for an evening at an amusement park. I hated that his presence still intimidated me, but I hoped that my nerves would start to fade after spending more time with him.
“Here you go, Theo, as requested,” he said, handing Theo a brown leather satchel.
Theo smiled, “Thanks. I didn’t want to haul this around while we were biking.” He put the bag across one shoulder before pulling out a professional-looking camera. “Now I finally have an excuse to get a few shots of Haley. The photo booth pics, however awesome, don’t count.”
“What? Surely you can find a more interesting subject around here than me. And how did I not know that you’re a photographer?”
As the four of us walked toward the park entrance, Theo messed with the camera settings. I didn’t know enough about photography to understand his motions, but it was obvious that he was comfortable with a camera in his hands.
He moved close to me before quietly saying, “Nuh uh uh, don’t even consider denying my fun.” His eyes twinkled, but his tone was serious. “And, I guess photography just hasn’t come up; I have so many talents, it’s difficult to keep track of them all,” he said with a crooked grin.
He took a couple shots zoomed in on my face, and I instinctively looked away, embarrassed.
Entering the park, I didn’t know where to look first. The sights and sounds were overwhelming yet exciting; bright colors and lights dazzled all around, and the air was filled with screams of fright and delight. A number of sounds jockeyed for dominance—music playing over outdoor speakers, the rattle of rides, and arcade games to name a few. But the people were what brought the park to life—children running around, game vendors calling out for competitors, and groups of teenagers out for a Saturday night of fun.
“In honor of Haley’s adoration of all things astronomy, we’re doing Space Race first.” Theo tugged on my hand, pulling me after him for a moment, then dropping it.
“Space Race?”
Chase smiled, “Yeah, bumper cars. They’re a lot of fun.” He leaned in close, whispering, “If you want to team up, I bet we can take Theo down.”
I bit back a smile before whispering back, “Okay, I’m in.”
Apart from the neon-lit arena, the set-up was pretty much what I expected: goofy looking cars with a giant rubber donut racing around a dark concrete floor. I strapped into the car, feeling slightly cramped and looked over at Chase. As the countdown began, we shared a knowing smile, ready to put our plan into action.
Theo immediately ran into my car and we laughed as we sprang back from the impact, my braid bouncing on my shoulder. He sped off and bumped into a few other people on the opposite side of the space. Cheerful shouts and the sound of squeaking rubber rang through the air.
Fortunately, I managed to dodge other riders attempting to ram me while Jackson pursued Chase and a few random players. Chase caught my eye and we sped around in opposite directions, pursuing Theo; Theo was too busy to notice that we were closing in.
When Chase and I backed Theo into a corner, he feigned hurt. “Haley, you traitor. I can’t believe you are siding with Chase over me.” And then, moving so swiftly that I never saw him coming, Theo maneuvered around us and shouted over his shoulder, “Guess he didn’t tell you that I’m the superior driver!”
Chase sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. “It was worth a try.”
Back outside, Theo pointed to a crazy-looking spinning roller coaster. “Let’s ride Undertow next!”
My stomach dropped to my toes. “Um, I don’t know, guys. Maybe I should try out a normal roller coaster before attempting that . . . thing.”
Jackson stepped up next to me. “Theo, why don’t you and Chase ride Undertow. I’ll take Haley on Sky Glider since it will get dark soon.”
Chase and Theo agreed and headed toward the spinning coaster after making plans to meet back up.
As we stood in line for the Sky Glider, I observed the ride with equal parts excitement and trepidation. The ride itself looked perfect with its colorful seats and matching umbrellas floating high above the sidewalk, suspended from a cable. But the realization that I would have to sit so close to Jackson had my palms sweating. If I was with Theo or Chase, I wouldn’t have thought much of it. But, as always, Jackson was a different story.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and pulled it out, checking the text.
Knox: Hope you’re enjoying yourself. Don’t let the guys push you into riding anything you don’t want to.
Smiling at Knox’s protectiveness, I quickly responded.
Me: I won’t. We did the bumper cars, and Jackson and I are getting ready to ride Sky Glider. I got out of riding Undertow.
Knox: Good. Have fun and be careful.
Me: Thanks.
Just as I shoved the phone back in my pocket, it was our turn. After Jackson and I took our seats, the attendant pulled down the safety bar and we were off.
Jackson slid an arm around my back. “You’re not afraid of heights, are you? I guess I should have asked before.” He looked so concerned, my anxiety must have been plainly written across my face.
“No, I just haven’t done anything like this before.”
As we were lifted high into the air, I absorbed the gorgeous aerial view and started to relax. “Wow, this view is amazing.” From our vantage point, with the sun about to set, Santa Cruz and the beach were bathed in soft light.
Jackson smiled, his eyes sparkling. “I’m glad you like it. I was hoping we’d get the timing right to ride just before sunset.”
While he pointed out different landmarks, I found myself distracted by his proximity. Inhaling only made things worse, especially when I smelled his clean masculine scent. And with those shiny black curls, he could drive a woman crazy. Before I knew it, we were descending. Clearly I was going to have to ride by myself next time if I wanted to fully appreciate the landscape.
When we met back up with Theo and Chase, they were animated from the excitement of the coaster. After convincing me to try something a little more adventurous than the Sky Glider, we rode the Haunted Castle, the carousel, Cave Train, and Pirate Ship. My initial anxiety had mostly subsided, and I found myself enjoying the adrenaline rush.
We had just stepped off of Cliff Hanger when Theo shot me a devilish grin. “So, Haley, you think you’re ready? Can you handle . . .” he paused, before holding out his arms to display the intimidating ride behind him, “the Giant Dipper?”
I gulped at the sight of the large wooden roller coaster looming overhead. In the back of my mind, I had wondered if, and when, one of the guys would suggest it.
I nodded. “I think so.”
Chase looked concerned. “You don’t have to, Haley. We can always wait out here while Jackson and Theo ride.”
I smiled and shook my head. “No, it’s okay. I want to.”
But as we stood in line, I began to doubt my decision. Shifting from foot to foot, I felt torn. I half-hoped the line would speed up so I could get it over with, yet my stomach was in knots at the thought of riding the Giant Dipper.
While the guys talked, I tried to distract myself. Looking around, I noticed that there were a number of couples in line, hands intertwined or arms wrapped around each other’s waists. Most looked like high school or college students out on a date, and I tried to subtly study them, their clothes, their interactions. I wondered what it would be like to be one of those girls, a cute guy holding my hand in line.
Before I could spend any more time dwelling on it, it was our turn. Jackson and Theo hopped into the first two s
eats with Chase and me right behind. As we pulled the safety bar down over our laps, I felt my heart racing. Last chance, I thought, staring straight ahead at the track stretched before us.
I felt a little panicky and was seriously reconsidering my decision when a warm hand clasped my own. I sighed in appreciation when I realized that Chase had placed his hand around mine and was smiling encouragingly. He squeezed my hand, silently asking if I was okay and assuring me that I would be.
I took a deep breath. Here we go. After emerging from a dark tunnel into the twilight of evening, we climbed the first hill; the gears clicked slowly in a seemingly endless progression as we inched higher and higher. How high is this hill? And how steep the drop?
Pausing on the apex, I braced for the drop and tightened my grip on Chase’s hand as we plummeted to the bottom. I felt the air rush by and realized I was screaming. When we started climbing again, I was laughing. Relieved to have made it past that first hill, I thoroughly enjoyed the rush.
The rest of the ride was a blur as we twisted around corners, flew up and down hills, and whizzed through the white wooden passageways. When the car finally came to an abrupt halt, we were back where we started.
Exiting the turnstiles, Theo patted me on the back. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”
Feeling a powerful mix of adrenaline rush, elation, and relief, I beamed. “It was a blast!”
The corner of Jackson’s mouth twitched as if he was fighting off a grin. “So you’re a thrill-seeker after all.”
With only thirty minutes until closing, we stopped at the games on our way to the exit. While Theo debated the best game to play, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Knox again?
Liam: You better not be having too much fun without me.
Me: What if I am?
Liam: Good question, cheeky girl. I'll get back to you on that.
Liam: Send me a pic?
I got Theo to pose and then snapped a photo and texted it to Liam.
Liam: No, send me a selfie.