He lets out a snort that makes me snort and to the ring toss we go.
******
“I had the disadvantage,” I grumble, glaring at the ground as I walk.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Nathan smiles, looking far too proud of himself.
“The belly.” I pat my swollen stomach. “I can’t swing my hips during the toss like I used to.”
“Excuses.”
My mouth drops open. I refuse to take that. “It is a legitimate excuse.”
“In your world I believe it is.” He slides his hand down my arm, his hand stopping to circle my wrist. That’s strange. Not uncomfortable, but definitely strange. Is this his version of holding hands? Or is his arm aching from the ring toss, meaning he can’t be bothered to hold onto my bicep? “Ferris Wheel?”
“Will I be allowed?”
He shrugs. “Only one way to find out.”
We stand in the queue for fifteen minutes before we make it to the front. The guy looks at me, looks at my belly and opens the chain to let me through. Yay.
We sit in the not too sturdy looking metal seat and click the bar in place. I laugh when Nathan wipes at it with a napkin after squirting the metal with his hand sanitizer.
With us both in one car the fit is tight, or at least this is how I rationalise his arm around my shoulder. We start ascending slowly. The chill gets cooler the higher we get, but I don’t mind. The arm around my shoulders is serving a purpose other than making me feel uncomfortable.
“I like the direction they’ve faced this. It’s beautiful, even in the dark,” I comment, looking out over the large fields that curve on the horizon. It’s not amazingly high, only sixty feet at best, but it’s high enough for me to truly appreciate everything within viewing distance.
“I feel like a child up here.” He doesn’t say it with disdain, more like awe.
“Me too. Everything just vanished.”
“What vanished?” He turns to look at me as we finally reach the top.
I look into his beautiful light brown eyes, for once not recognising them as Caleb’s but recognising them as Nathan’s. “Everything that we left down there.”
His eyes sparkle and his lips twitch. “You’re so strange.”
“Shut up.” The seat rocks slightly as I turn away from him and rest my head back against his shoulder. “Let’s just stay up here for an hour.”
“Too late, we’re descending,” he whispers and rests his chin on top of my head.
“Actually, that’s not such a bad thing. My bladder is chewing on itself.”
“Nice.”
“I thought so.”
He helps me off as soon as we reach the platform. By this point I’m bouncing continuously on the spot.
“I’ll just be over here,” Nathan says and points towards the main area. Whatever, too full in the bladder to care.
The ladies queuing push me to the front which is a relief. By the time I’d made it to the toilet I would have peed myself. Gross but true.
Now… where is he? Ah… what’s that he’s tucking into his jacket? Where’s my Superman bear?
“Where’s my bear?” I frown.
“Right, wait here,” he says and paces back to the Ferris wheel. I’m relieved to see him return with the bear. I don’t remember him leaving it there when we took our turn, but to be honest I was far too excited to pay attention. “Here.” He shoves the thing in my arms and grips my wrist again. “Let’s go.”
“But…”
“It’s late.”
“We’ve only been here for an hour.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose and I know he’s had enough.
“Okay, let’s go.”
His soft eyes come to mine. “I’m sorry. I’m exhausted, I’ve been awake since midnight.”
“Why midnight?”
“I went out.”
Gasp. “That’s what time you left? Are you crazy?”
He gives me a look that instantly makes me shut my mouth. None of my business, I keep forgetting.
“Ready?” He diverts the subject which I’m grateful for and leads me away from the fun.
“Aww, photo booth, Caleb loved those. We went to a place called Pleasure Island once and went crazy in a photo booth. Ended up with more strips of photos than walls to cover.” I smile fondly at the memory.
“Do you want to?” He motions to the small booth with a wave of his hand.
Do I? “No, that’s okay.” It wouldn’t be right.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I nod because I am definitely sure. “I’m actually kind of tired now that you mention it.”
My eyes close and stay closed before we even make it out of the car park.
******
It’s morning when I wake and the curtains have been pulled wide open. “It burns.”
“Come on, up,” Jeanine says and pulls the covers from my ‘could be’ naked body. My superman teddy almost falls from the bed. I snatch him back to me and rub my face in his silky fur.
“Why?”
“It’s eleven fifteen,” she says in a singsong voice. “And the skies are no longer grey. Can’t stay in bed when the sun is shining, dear.”
“Okay,” I say around a yawn and sit up with my legs crossed, the bear nestling in the dip. “I can’t get changed with you here.”
“I’m leaving.” And leave she does.
As I decide what to wear, I can see all of my clothes have been neatly hung up again. I make a mental note to thank Jeanine later.
Wait…
I’m in my vest and knickers.
Gasp.
Nathan has seen me in my vest and knickers. Nathan undressed me!
Be calm. It’s all good. He’s seen plenty of women naked before… I think.
Why am I obsessing over this?
I get dressed, pushing the ridiculous thoughts from my mind and quickly brush my teeth after washing my face. Finally I feel refreshed and my eyes aren’t sticking together.
“Knock, knock,” Nathan says instead of actually knocking. Although the door is open so I can understand this logic. I think. “Any plans today?”
“I was going to call Paula.”
“Do you need the car?”
“Umm,” I shrug and start running the brush through my hair. “Can I?”
“Yes, I don’t need it.” His eyes look me up and down as I sit at the desk turned vanity table. His light brown eyes linger over certain spots but I pretend not to notice. I shouldn’t notice.
“Thank you.” I wind the bobble around my hair to hold it in place and stand to face him, trying not to meet his eyes due to the awkwardness of knowing he’s the second man to ever see me in my underwear. “How do I look?”
“Pregnant,” he teases. I waddle past him, punching his arm as I go. “Oh and one more thing…” He throws me his car keys and I catch them clumsily. “No food or drink in the car.”
“Okay.” I start towards the stairs.
“Another thing.” I look over my shoulder and see him strolling towards me, so I turn to face him. “Go grocery shopping, buy what you want… within reason. No peanuts, no liver, nothing that’s damaging.”