“I am positively certain I heard her correctly…on more than one occasion. She is just like anyone else who fears rejection. Plus, she isn’t sure where you stand when it comes to how the various genders should or shouldn’t interact. So where do you stand?” Wren’s breath caught.
Aspen thought for a moment. “To be honest with you, Wren, I hadn’t really thought about her in that way.”
“Does it repulse you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then what? Is it something you could try out? Give it a shot?”
Aspen shrugged her shoulders. The subject matter made her feel more and more uneasy. “I really wasn’t planning on getting close to anyone. When this is all over, it’ll make it easier for me to return home if there are no strings attached.”
“No strings attached,” Wren repeated slowly. For some reason, the words made her feel disappointed. “So, you think you could give it a try? Is there a possibility you could think of Kerri…romantically?”
“Heck if I know.” She highly doubted it.
“Do you think you can at least give it a shot?” Wren pulled Aspens hand to her chest, resting it over her heart. “For me?” She wasn’t sure why she was even pleading for this to happen.
“For you?” Aspen couldn’t swallow. Even through the safety armor she felt she could detect a thunderous heartbeat.
“Yes, for me.”
Aspen nodded reluctantly.
“Okay, then. I’ll plan your guys’ upcoming date. Don’t feel obligated to do anything you don’t want to do. Okay, Aspen? Just be yourself and be open. Just have fun no matter how you feel or don’t feel.”
Aspen nodded again. “For you.”
~~@
“So, what did she say?” Kerri asked before Wren had even stepped through the doorway.
“She said she’d give it a try.”
“Is she gay or not?”
“She didn’t say. Heck, I don’t know if she even knows. She just said she would go on a date.”
“Well, that’s a start, at least. I mean, it’s not like she ran away screaming hellfire and damnation.”
“Nope.”
“So, what are your plans for us, oh great Matchmaker?”
Wren’s mischievous grin would put the Joker, taunting Batman, to shame.
“What? Tell me!”
“You guys are going to the Santa Monica Pier.”
Kerri sneered. “That’s original.”
“Think about it, Kerri. This is something totally new to Aspen. There is a very large Ferris wheel. If she’s not afraid of heights, which seems highly unlikely, given her choice in sport…you’d better be. It’ll give you another opportunity to hold onto her instead of just styling her hair and applying her make-up.”
Kerri smiled. “I could certainly play the Damsel in Distress.”
“See what I mean? Plus, she absolutely loves heart-pounding, adrenaline inducing adventures. You guys are signed up for the trapeze school on the pier.”
“You are brilliant!”
“I know.”
“I so owe you.”
“You so owe me. Big time!”
“I’m going shopping for a new outfit.” Kerri put her hand on Wren’s shoulder. “Thank you so much, Wren. You’re the bestest.” She pretended to kiss Wren on both cheeks before she turned and left, leaving Wren questioning whether or not she should have even gotten involved in any of this.
“Too late now,” she said under her breath.
Chapter 8 – Santa Monica Pier
“So, where are we going?” Aspen asked.
“It’s a surprise.” Kerri’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
“A surprise, eh? Am I dressed appropriately?”
Kerri took her eyes off the road, long enough to look Aspen up and down. “You are more than dressed appropriately for tonight’s little adventure. You look very fine, I must say.” While Kerri always enjoyed seeing Aspen in her regular dirt bike attire, she relished being able to admire Aspen’s physique even more in tonight’s choice of skinny jeans, and the way they clung to every curve.
“Thanks.” She was glad that Wren helped her pick out an outfit for the night. The pair of jeans with buttons on the back pockets and a simple jacket over a T-shirt would certainly keep her comfortable for the night. She brought along her favorite Fox motocross sweatshirt in case it got any colder. “You look very nice too.”
“Hey! Pick up some speed or get off the road,” Kerri yelled to the car in front of her. The outburst was so sudden that Aspen dug her feet into the floorboard.
“Sorry about that, Aspen. These L.A. drivers think they own the road. Their driving sucks.” She smashed the pedal to the floor to zip in between a few cars and then screeched back into the left passing lane.
“There sure is a lot of traffic around here.”
“The one thing that sucks about LA.” Kerri began pushing buttons on her navigation screen. “What kind of music you like?”
“I listen to just about anything, really. Don’t care much for country though. My dad listens to it from time to time and it depresses me. How ‘bout you?”
She had almost chosen her favorite country station. “You don’t like county, yet you’re a country girl,” she joked. “That’s cool. My tastes are eclectic as well.” She pressed scan, allowing several songs to cycle through and then turned the radio off. “How long have you been riding motorcycles?”
“Geesh, that’s a good question. I think my parents got me a pink battery-operated cruiser when I turned three. It had three wheels. I remember riding it all over the gravel driveway until the battery went dead. I’d set the battery on the charger, waiting eagerly for it to get enough of a charge to ride again.”
“Passing lane is to the left, Idiot! Either pass or move over to the right,” Kerri yelled at another car. “I swear, Aspen…right about now I would like to be on a motorcycle so we could zip up through the middle of these pokey drivers.”
“Lane splitting. I think it’s illegal in some states.”
“Does Oregon allow it?”
“Not sure. We don’t get traffic where I live, unless someone’s livestock gets loose and blocks the road.” She laughed.
“Almost there.”
Aspen noticed a large Ferris wheel at the end of a pier as they approached the ocean. People were lounging on the beach, getting in the last few minutes of light before sunset. Others were roller-blading, bicycling, or running along a path next to the road.
Kerri pulled up to a valet and rolled her window down. “Yes,” there was a sudden change to her voice; almost like she developed an accent during the past three seconds. “Parking, on behalf of Miss Wren Emerson.” She adjusted her oversized sunglasses.
“Yes, Ma’am. We have been expecting you. Please pull forward and we’ll get you parked.” He tossed a parking placard on the dashboard, allowing it to wedge between the dash and the window.
Kerri closed her window and pulled forward. “It’s nice to have friends in high places.” She put the car in park. “This place is usually a parking nightmare.”
They exited the car and Aspen followed Kerri to the pier. “I thought we would grab a quick bite to eat and then get on the Ferris wheel to watch the sunset.”
“Sounds nice.”
Kerri ordered a veggie wrap and Aspen ordered a multi-meat wrap, which they ate along the way. “Two tickets please.” Kerri handed the attendant some cash.
“Are you sure I can’t help pay for something?” Aspen reached in her pocket.
“You can buy our drinks later on tonight. How’s that?”
“Okay.”
Kerri handed the Ferris wheel attendant some cash and winked. He smiled as if he knew what she wanted before he opened the swinging door for them to access their seats. They secured their seatbelts as their bucket proceeded to slowly rotate to the highest point of the wheel. As they reached the peak, the ride came to an abrupt stop. Their cart began to sway back and forth beneath a setti
ng sun.
Kerri grabbed onto Aspen’s arm. “Wow, this thing is shaky.” She tried to look scared.
“Do we need to ask to be let off?”
Kerri released her grip a little. “Oh no. That’s okay. The shaking just made me a little nervous. I’m fine now.” She grinned as she left her hands wrapped around Aspen’s arm. “Do you mind?”
“No, not at all.”
“It’s beautiful. The sunset.”
Aspen watched as the sun set in the distance. The sorbets of colors were muted by the city lights, but still beautiful to see. Paying such close attention to the sky made her homesick for Christmas Valley. As the Ferris wheel started to pick up speed, she wondered how her dad was doing. Then without realizing the instant shift in thoughts, she wondered what Wren was up to.
“See that long net down there?” Kerri interrupted the silence.
“Yes.”
“That’s where we’re headed next.”
“What is it?”
“It’s the Trapeze School.”
“Trapeze?”
“Yeah, like swinging over a very narrow net hundreds of feet in the air.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. The other cool thing is we have it all to ourselves with our own personal instructors. Wren pulled some strings and we’ll have our own private class.”
“That is so cool.” Aspen perked up. She wasn’t sure if she felt more excited by the trapeze or the mention of Wren’s name.
Kerri leaned in to hug Aspen’s arm. “I am so glad that you approve.”
~~@
“Welcome to the Trapeze School, Ladies. You must be Aspen and Kerri.”
“I’m Kerri,” she offered her hand.
“I’m Max and this is Amber. We’ll be your instructors.” It was obvious that their line of work kept them in great shape. Aspen appreciated a firm handshake.
“Now, if you don’t mind following me over here,” Max said, “this is where we will cover the basics before you guys climb up to the top and then learn how to soar.” They all looked at the narrow ladder that ascended to the swing bars. “Have you guys ever done this before?”
“No way,” Kerri said.
“This is my first time,” Aspen answered.
“Good, then tonight you will learn what it’s like to fly like a bird.”
Kerri winked at Aspen.
“Before we begin, I will need you guys to remove your jewelry and put your hair up.” Amber handed them a couple of hair ties. “I’ll also ask that you sign these waivers.”
“Waivers are fine, but my jewelry?” Kerri scowled.
“We can put your jewelry in our safe, if you wish. We have never had an issue before. We just want to keep you guys safe.”
Kerri cautiously removed her jewelry. “Yes, please keep it in your safe.” She placed the large pieces in Amber’s hand. “I am sure these cost more than one months of your salary.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” She turned toward Aspen. “How about your jewelry?”
“I’m good. I can just leave it here in my bag.” She couldn’t thwart the burning in her cheeks from Kerri’s belligerent remark.
They completed signing the waivers and handed them over to Amber.
“Okay, Ladies.” Max brought over two harnesses and assisted them with adjusting them in place. “First, we’ll start out on these bars over here so you can get a feel for technique.” He tugged the loops on their belts, making certain everything fit properly. “Just making sure these are snug.” He gave each strap one last tug.
Kerri looked at the snug-fitting harness wrapped around Aspen and thanked Wren under her breath.
“Aspen, how about you start first?” Max waved her onto the thick padding, just below the mini bars. He showed her how to do the knee hang first and then talked her through the backflip dismount.
Kerri watched in awe at how easily Aspen picked up on the techniques. She was especially smitten with Aspen’s taut little tummy that exposed itself as she hung upside down.
“You’re not going to have any troubles, Aspen. You look like a natural.” He looked over at Kerri. “You ready?”
Kerri nodded and approached the bars warily. “I’m not as strong as Aspen.”
“No worries, Kerri. You don’t have to be strong. With the proper technique, gravity will be your strength.”
Kerri awkwardly made it through the techniques, but not without ample support.
Aspen stood patiently as Kerri worked through the processes over and over. “That looks good, Kerry,” she encouraged her from the sideline.
“Now release,” Max ordered Kerri. Her body swung backward and she smiled at Aspen as she hung upside down.
“I did it.” She held her shirt so it wouldn’t flip up like Aspen’s had.
“You sure did,” Aspen encouraged her more.
“You guys are ready,” Max clapped. He helped Kerri off the bar and stood her up on the mats. “Okay, Kerri. Since Aspen started out with learning the basic techniques, why don’t you start out by taking the first swing?” They looked up at the platform Amber stood upon. He did another safety check and then pointed up the ladder.
“I guess it would be a dumb question if I asked you if it’s safe.” Kerri looked at the ladder suspiciously. “It seems so…thin.”
“The six inch rungs are more than enough to get you up there. Go for it.” He urged her on.
Kerri approached the ladder and forced her body to begin the climb. Shaking when she hit the tenth rung, she looked down. “Whoa, this is high. Maybe Aspen should go first.”
Max looked at Aspen and she nodded at him. “Great idea, Kerri. Once Aspen is done, I think it will help you feel more confident.”
Kerri climbed back down and exhaled when she placed both feet on the ground. “Wow, that’s really high. Be careful, Aspen. I’ll be right up after you.”
Aspen climbed the ladder without trepidation. As she stepped out and onto the platform, a colossal smile spread across her face. “This is so cool.” The illuminated net below her looked like it stretched barely five feet in width. She felt ready to test it out.
“Let me check your harness one more time.” Amber tugged and pulled at everything, making sure all was secure. “Okay, I am going to bring the swing this way and I want you to move right up to the edge of the platform we’re on and hold the bar with your right arm, just like Max explained earlier.”
“Okay.”
“I will be yelling the commands to you as you swing. Don’t overthink anything…I will be your guide.” She placed the bar in Aspen’s right hand and then rested her other hand against Aspen’s stomach to hold her back.
“Sounds good.”
“Ready?”
Aspen nodded three big nods.
“Grab the bar with your left hand and wait for my count. One. Two. Three. Jump.” Amber moved her hand away as Aspen jumped and flew through the air with grace. She instinctively swung her body to get more height in the swing.
“Okay, Aspen, bring your legs up and over the bar. Good. Now let go with your hands.”
She did as instructed and easily went into a knee hang. She bent at her waist to keep the momentum going.
“All right, back to position.”
Aspen rose up and grabbed onto the bar, released her legs and hung using her hands once again.
“Ready the back-flip dismount…now.”
Aspen looked as though she had done the techniques multiple times before. She landed effortlessly on the net, feet first. “That was totally awesome!”
Max waved for her to come over to the dismount area. It had a small tarp built into the edge of the net and a thick pad beneath. “Okay, Aspen, go ahead and flip forward and I will spot you.”
Aspen grabbed onto the net and let her legs fly over her head. She let go and dropped onto the pad with a steady landing.
“How did it feel?” Max patted her on the shoulder.
“It felt great.”
“Okay, let’s gi
ve your friend a try and then I have an advanced move I think you are more than capable of pulling off. You want to try it?”
“Sure.”
“Tell you what,” Kerri interrupted, “give Aspen another run and by then I should be good to go.” She didn’t realize she was clutching onto her chest, just over her heart.
“Are you sure?” Aspen approached Kerri. “It’s a lot of fun.”
“I’ll take your word for it, but I am also positive that you should go have some more fun first. I’m really enjoying the view.”
Max stepped in, excited by the opportunity to have Aspen try something more advanced. “Okay, Aspen. This time I am going to be up there and catch you. Amber will give you the instructions. You just follow them like you did before.”
“Will do.”
They climbed opposing ladders and Max positioned himself on the farther swing. He sat on the bar, swinging himself back and forth with his back turned toward Aspen.
“Okay, Aspen. Max will catch you. This is all about timing. When I tell you to jump, you go. Just don’t jump down so hard you dislocate your shoulder.” Amber patted her on the back and smiled.
“You can do it, Aspen,” Kerri yelled up to the platform. “Keep your hands off her, Amber,” she said under her breath.
Aspen stuck her thumb up in the air. It reminded Kerri of how she does the same gesture to Jasper, right before performing a stunt.
“Okay, Max,” Amber yelled out.
Max’s legs were wrapped around the edges of the rope when he bent over backward. He swung back and forth and upside down like a bat.
“Okay, Aspen…go.”
Aspen leapt forward and swung with vigor.
“Knees up. Let go. Hands out. Arch.”
Before she knew it, Max had ahold of her wrists and she had ahold of his as she released the bar with her legs.
“Great job, Aspen. Max smiled. He was looking down at her while she smiled looking up at him. They were swinging back and forth, his grip never waning.
“Thanks. This is fun.”
“Ready to drop?”
“Ready.”
“Make sure you get in a seated position.”
She nodded.
“Letting go.” He dropped her and she fell to the net as instructed.
Aspen's Stunt Page 6