Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
His eyes shone under the streetlamps, drowning me as he kissed my fingertips. “I’ll take you either way.”
I made a strangled squeak in my throat. No wonder people kept rolling their eyes and telling us to fuck and get it over with. The heat coming off us hazed the air.
River led me down the shelter alley.
“Are we walking?”
“It would take us thirty minutes to walk.” He swept out his hand. “This is much faster.”
“Uhh, that’s a bike,” I drew out.
A red-and-gold bicycle leaned against the brick wall, openly defying the warnings to chain these guys up.
“Yep. We bought a bunch so we can get around. Hop on.”
I laughed. “River, do you see what I’m wearing?”
“Hop on the handlebars.”
“No!”
“Trust me.” River held out a helmet. “You will arrive as safe and beautiful as you are standing in front of me now.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. I said once that River was the most devious man I ever met, but not when he told me to trust him. He never let me down after saying those words.
“But still, this took me three weeks to make,” I dropped. “You’re not getting me on that bike.”
“You sure about that?”
Squealing, I took off running. River was on me in a bound, scooping me off my feet. He carried me bridal-style to my metal chariot. Five minutes later, I was screaming down Trapp Street.
Breeze chilled my wet cheeks. “River, slow down!”
“What was that? Faster?”
I screeched, speeding past shouting Leighbridgers with my legs kicked out. I don’t think I laughed so hard in my life.
“Hold on tight, Blaine!”
“What else am I going to do?!”
We whipped around a corner, shouting at the top of our lungs. Then I saw it.
Paper lanterns dangled from the trees, casting down rainbow light. The music reached in my chest and thumped in time with my heart—fun, happy, and tantalizing. We were a block away and the smells hit me. My empty stomach growled. My brain shouted for me to follow the line of people on the sidewalk, joining in on the party no one told me about.
“Oh my gosh, River. Tell me we’re going there.”
“It’s not the wharf, but still a decent plan B, right?” Smugness laced his tone. We hadn’t gone in yet and I already knew he nailed it.
River slowed down in front of a pharmacy and helped me off. I stood on my tiptoes while he chained up the bike, trying to see into the park.
“What is this?”
“It’s the fiftieth annual Cinco City Caribbean Festival. Ever heard of it?”
“No,” I said honestly. “Fifty years. Wow, how did I miss this?”
“They don’t really advertise it. No flyers, no ads. Everyone who needs to know—knows.” He curled around my hand. “And they bring the beautiful women.”
That should not have made me blush like a fifteen-year-old, but my warm cheeks said it did all the same.
River led me straight past the line. The guard spotted us coming up. “Hey, River. Thought you weren’t going to make it this year.”
“You know I’d never miss it.” They shook warmly. “Baldric, this is Mackenzie. Mackenzie, this is an old friend of mine. We’ve known each other since elementary school.”
I shook his hand, too surprised to speak. A childhood friend. River refused for months to even name a single person he knew from his childhood. Now he was introducing me to one.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Baldric was as tall as he was wide, and it was all muscle. A charming smile sat on his lips. Not a strand of hair sat on his head. He shaved it, but the bald look suited him well. “Slip me your number. I want to hear all the embarrassing young River stories you’ve got.”
River deftly plucked my phone from my hand when I passed it over. “I’ll take that. See you around, B.”
Passing through the gates was like leaving Cinco City behind. The paper lanterns weren’t just colorful projects. A closer look revealed they were decorated with the flag colors of the different Caribbean islands. Beneath them were stalls, booths, dining pavilions, and on the other side of the path, a dance floor.
Not only had I never been to this festival, but I’d never been in this park either. Moon Maiden Park had an ethereal name to go with the beautiful pale Greek goddess statues peeking through the trees. Weaving through the park were polished cobblestone paths, taking us past a sea of white rose bushes.
“This is amazing, River.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His hand settled on my hip, pulling me in close. I liked that too. “Don’t think I’m a cheap date. The best part of the festival is that all the best Caribbean restaurants in Cinco set up food stalls, and give out free mini-plates of their most popular dishes. I thought if this was your first time trying island food, you might like to try it all.”