Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights, #3)(34)

*

They hung out in Krista and Tonya’s room for an hour or so before heading over to the amusement park. Feeling out of place even with Yolanda’s presence, Haley’s anxiety only increased upon entering the amusement park. She hated loud noises and crowds. That’s why she’d adapted so easily to the isolation of Alaska.

“Look at that, Tonya!” Krista shrieked. “I’ve never been on one that tall before. How big is it anyway?”

Haley’s stomach dropped when she pointed to the gigantic Ferris wheel soaring high above Paradise Pier.

Reid stared up at the structure. “It’s got to be well over a hundred feet. I went on it once. It’s a special design that allows the gondola cars to slide out on a track as it moves. It offers an incredible view of the park.”

“Forget all the parades and kiddie stuff.” Krista yanked his arm. “Let’s go!”

They’d no sooner started across the park toward Paradise Pier when Tonya pointed to Haley’s worst nightmare, the California Screamin’ roller coaster. “Check that one out, Krista! I love roller coasters.”

Haley’s heart leaped up into her throat. Why the hell had she ever come here? Reid. She reminded herself she’d done it for him. And now he was bounding toward the Ferris wheel almost as eagerly as his sister.

“I can’t do it, Yo.” Haley clutched Yolanda’s arm. “You know how much I hate heights.”

“Sure you can, chica,” Yolanda said. “It’ll be fun.”

“You don’t understand,” Haley ground through her teeth. “I really, really can’t do it.”

“But it’s perfectly safe,” Yolanda reassured. “If it bothers you, just close your eyes.”

She shut them on a curse. “God help me.”

Her knees weakened as their turn came to fill the six-passenger gondola. Garcia and Yolanda entered first. Reid stepped back to let Tonya and Krista follow. Tonya was visibly disappointed when he gestured to Haley. She gulped a huge breath as she eyed the metal cage but still couldn’t seem to get enough air into her lungs.

“Are you all right?” Reid asked, plainly concerned. “You look like a ghost. Do you want to sit this one out?”

Her gaze darted back to the car. Krista, Garcia, and Yolanda occupied one side and Tonya sat alone on the other. She slid over to make room for Reid. Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you, Tonya?

“I’m fine,” Haley replied tight-lipped, trying to choke down her terror. She sucked in another breath and entered the cage, taking the seat beside Tonya.

Reid entered last. He reached for her hand. “I didn’t know you were afraid of heights.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, but I’ll be fine,” she insisted with a forced smile. “I’m just not a big fan of amusement park rides.”

“You could have told me. I’d have stayed behind with you.”

“You really would have?” she asked in surprise.

“Sure.” He gave her clammy hand a reassuring squeeze as the wheel slowly began its ascent. Her grip on Reid’s hand tightened as the gondola rose. Her stomach clenched and head reeled as it began to rock. Halfway up, she squeezed her eyes shut, but it only emphasized the sickening, swinging sensation. The wheel paused for another stomach-lurching second as they reached the top.

“Ooh! Look at that incredible view!” Krista crooned.

“This is so cool!” Tonya exclaimed. “I can’t believe how high up we are.”

Haley stole a peek through her lashes just as the car slid forward to pitch way out over the lagoon. Suspended over a hundred feet above the ground, she broke into a cold sweat. An insuppressible wave of nausea followed. “Oh my God. I think I’m going to hurl!”

*

“It’s all right, chica,” Yolanda consoled as Haley rinsed her mouth for the fourth time. “Lots of people get sick on rides.”

“Please, just take me home now,” Haley begged. The Mickey’s Fun Wheel ride would go down in the “annals of Haley” as the most humiliating ten minutes of her life. “I don’t think I can ever look any of them in the face again.” Especially Reid.

“He’s waiting for you outside,” Yolanda said.

“I don’t want to see him.”

“Don’t be silly. You can’t hide in here forever.”

“You want to bet on that?” Haley mumbled, running her fingers through her sweat-dampened hair. She pinched her pale cheeks hoping for color, but still looked like death warmed over. “Is there a back way out of here?”

Yolanda sighed. “C’mon, chica, you’ve already kept the poor guy waiting for twenty minutes.”

“Good. Maybe he gave up and left.”

“I doubt that. He was truly worried about you, you know.”

“What about the others?”

“Rafi took Tonya and Krista on the roller coaster.”

“Thank God for small favors,” Haley mumbled.

“Just talk to him, Haley, and then if you still want to leave, I’ll take you home.”

With a groan of defeat, she reluctantly trudged out behind Yolanda.

Sure enough, Reid was waiting as she emerged from the restroom. He was propped against the wall with booted ankles crossed, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world. She noticed with a new wave of embarrassment that he wore a Mickey Mouse T-shirt.