Shit.Maybe she actually didn’t want me to call her that.
“Nice to meet you, Isabella.” He tipped his hat. “Is this your first time on the wheel?”
“Yes. It is.”
“Well, darlin’, you’re in good hands with Jimmy boy here.” He slapped me on the shoulder. “I can’t tell you how many trips he’s made on this thing with lovely young ladies like yourself.”
The second he said it I could see from his expression that he knew he’d put his foot in it.
Instead of being put off by the comment, Bella just teased, “Really? That many, huh? Good to know.”
“Thanks, Calvin.” I shook my head and held Bella’s hand as she stepped into the cart.
Calvin mouthed, “Sorry,” and gave me a wink, indicating he had me covered. Since I’d been on the ride so many times, I knew exactly what he was going to do, and I wasn’t mad at it.
As soon as I got in, Calvin pushed the steel bar down on my lap. “You kids have fun.”
He moved down the row to secure the couples behind us in their carts.
“I’m sorry about introducing you as Bella, I won’t call—”
“No,” she cut me off, cheeks flaring with color. “I like it when you call me Bella.”
The way she said you had my heart fluttering like I was some junior high kid with a crush. I’d never had this sort of response to someone. I still wasn’t sure if I liked it or not.
When the cart started to move, Bella gripped the bar and sucked in a startled breath.
“You alright?” I asked.
She nodded, staring straight ahead.
As the wheel turned, the higher we got, the whiter her knuckles turned. All the color drained from her skin until her complexion matched her knuckles.
“Breathe,” I instructed her.
She let out a breath I didn’t even think she’d been aware she was holding.
Fuck. I knew what was coming, I knew that wink Calvin had given me meant that he was going to stop the ride when we were at the top to give us a little privacy and some extra time. But it really didn’t look like she was up for that. If there was any way that I could signal him not to do that, I would. But there just wasn’t.
The only thing I could do was try and distract Bella. I was trying to come up with some sort of sparkling conversation starter when she blurted out, “I’m afraid of heights.”
I’d figured as much, but I had to ask, “Then why did you want to go on this thing?”
“Because…I’m facing my fears.”
“Well, listen. Calvin wasn’t lyin’, I’ve been on this thing a lot of times, and I promise you, you are perfectly safe.”
She nodded, but I could see the abject terror in her eyes. The higher we got, the more intense her stare. When the cart stopped at the very tiptop, she was in full panic mode.
“Do you want me to keep talkin’?”
She nodded again.
“Well, Bella, what is your favorite movie?”
“Fear,” she answered.
“I know you’re scared. I was trying to—”