He was happy, and it made me feel giddy.
"I'm going to make sure you're in a shot."
I shrugged. "I'm happy in the background."
"I'm pumped about you coming." He paused once we got closer to the big concrete ledge at the waterfront, and he looked both ways. "Where's the carousel?" he asked.
"That way, probably about ten more minutes," I said, pointing.
"Do you have time to go?" he asked.
"I think you're on more of a tight schedule than I am," I said with a shrug. "I'm kind of here on vacation."
The carousel was fun and beautiful, and we laughed and talked the whole time we rode it. The best part was that we had to accidentally touch each other several times during the whole thing, including when he helped me on and off my horse.
"I told you it was fast," I said, smiling at him as we walked off the platform.
"That was fun," he said, looking back at it like he regretted leaving.
"Do you want to go again?"
"No, I was thinking that we should have taken a picture. We could get one now."
"Should we both get in it?"
"If your boyfriend won't mind."
"He's not my boyfriend," I said, shaking my head a little and glancing down as he leaned in next to me.
"Good."
He held up his phone, framing us with the colorful horses and lights behind us. He was an artist, and I could tell it was going to be a pretty photograph by the reflection in is phone. His hand had touched my side when he pulled me in for the picture. I felt let down when he let me go. I wanted to feel it there again.
We instinctively started heading back to the restaurant since that was where his car was parked.Because of the casual rate we were going, I knew he would need to leave town when we made it back to the restaurant.
Time passed too quickly when I was talking to Alex, and before I knew it, we had been walking for another half-hour, and we made it all the way back to his vehicle. It was a truck—a nice black truck with all the bells and whistles.
"I like your truck," I said. "Is this yours or did you borrow it?"
"It's mine. I drove it from home since I'm here for so long."
"Yeah, that makes sense," I said. "Well, hey, I'd better let you get going. But this was amazing. I had fun."
"Me too," he said. "When am I seeing you again?"
"Tomorrow, I guess," I said, feeling nervous at the mention of it but acting casual. "Don't forget to text me inspiration. I'll try to come early, though."
"I don't have your number. I gave you mine, but I don't have yours."
"I need to give you that right now," I said.
He started fishing for his phone, and I had to hold back a smile. I was feeling achy for him, and now he was talking about ways to stay in touch with me. We hesitated near the side of his truck. He got to the screen to place a call, and he handed me his phone. I typed in my phone number with as little trembling as possible.
"There," I said, handing it back to him.
"You can go ahead and press call so you have my number in yours."
I did, and my phone went off in my pocket. It was a loud pop song, and I quickly reached back and silenced it."
