Page 22 of Fire and Rain
Around and around Maverick went, still laughing. But when the ride stopped, his expression fell. “Go!”
The operator opened the gate so parents could collect their children, but when Eden tried to take Maverick out of his seat, he shrieked and tried to twist away from her.
“Can he go again?” Sean took the tickets out of his pocket.
“There’s no line, so fine by me.” The operator took the tickets.
Maverick rode three more times before Eden insisted they go. “There are more rides, Mavie. Let’s find the carousel.”
The rides for small kids were mostly grouped together, so the carousel wasn’t far away. At the sight of the brightly painted horses, Maverick forgot about the helicopters.
Sean handed over the tickets and watched while Eden rode the carousel with her boy, holding him on the back of a bright green and purple pony. She pointed at something out in the harbor and smiled, looking happier than he’d seen her in months.
God, she was beautiful. Truly beautiful. Hadn’t he always told Justin he’d married the most beautiful woman on the island?
Knock that shit off now. Don’t think about Eden like that even if it is true.
After the carousel, they all climbed aboard the Spin the Apple ride, which Sean remembered from his own childhood. Using the wheel in the center, he gave their apple several good spins, which made Maverick squeal. And then it was time for lunch.
They sat in the shade of the dining tent, two plates piled high with crab legs, melted butter, and lemon wedges and one with hot, fresh fry bread.
Sean moaned, the crab melting on his tongue. “God, I love Kodiak.”
“Fresh from the ocean last night.” Eden dipped some crab meat in butter and fed it to Maverick, who sat in his stroller, mouth open like a baby bird.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Sean looked up to find a woman with shoulder-length dark hair standing at the end of the table, two school-aged kids behind her—a boy and a girl.
Eden’s expression darkened. “Mila.”
So, this was Mila. She was pretty and polished, with bright red lipstick, eye makeup, and salon nails, and a big, glittering diamond ring. But no amount of gloss could hide the hard glint in her eyes.
Sean disliked her instantly.
Eden gave Maverick another bite of crab and looked past her cousin to the children. “Hey, Nick. Hey, Lina. Are you two having a good time?”
“We went on the Star four times!” Nick turned to his sister, a grin on his face. “Lina thought she was going to be sick.”
Eden shifted her gaze to Lina. “That can happen on these rides. Maybe you should let your tummy settle before you—”
Mila interrupted Eden, turned to Sean. “I’m Mila Parson, Eden’s—”
“Eden’s cousin. I know.”
Mila tried to pretend she was pleased by this, but Sean didn’t miss the way her gaze jerked to Eden for a moment, as if wondering what Eden had told him about her. “And you are…?”
Eden answered. “He’s Sean McKenna, Justin’s best friend.”
“Oh.” Mila’s perfectly shaped eyebrows rose, and she surveyed Sean with renewed interest. “You’re the one who survived.”
“Yes.” Sean followed Eden’s example and spoke to the kids, unwilling to be drawn into a casual conversation about the worst night of his life with a stranger. “Flying on a helicopter can make a person sick to their stomach, too.”
Lina looked surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah. The wind can be pretty rough sometimes.”
“Have you ever fallen out?” Nick asked.
