Free The Kissing Deadline by Emily Evans

me
around.”
    “Happy to do it.” Cassie returned his grin,
glad her powers of speech didn’t leave her around David. Maybe her
daily dose of partnering with Ryan had done her good.
    They started off strolling around the park,
taking everything in. Cassie pointed at the funnel cakes. “That
booth’s a cover for illegal drugs. See the white powder.”
    David’s chocolate brown eyes widened and he
grinned. He pointed to the dart booth. Pop. The latex
balloon caved after the customer completed a successful throw.
“They partner with that booth. They have to order balloons, to
carry the drugs in.”
    Cassie laughed and pointed to the
Whack-A-Mole booth.
    David considered it a moment. “Loan sharks.”
He stopped a guy in a red and white shirt holding a pole speared
with cones of cotton candy and exchanged some tickets. After
peeling off some of the pink fluff, he offered the bite to
Cassie.
    She opened her mouth, eating the sugar from
his fingertips. The airy treat dissolved against her tongue. Yum.
She thought about asking him how the fishing trip went, but she
didn’t want to spoil the mood. She pointed to another booth, the
ring toss.
    David took the gesture as a challenge and
handed her the cone. After exchanging tickets with the Carnie, he
offered her a ring. She shook her head, content to watch and eat
the pink fluff. Tossing three successive rings around the neck of a
blue plastic jug netted David a small stuffed penguin. He extended
the prize to Cassie.
    Her first stuffed animal from a guy. So cool.
This night had begun to deliver on the promise of the day.
    They strolled past the Tunnel of Love ride.
Behind the sign, the sun had lowered enough to let twilight creep
in. Fireworks appeared on the horizon, blue, then gold, then red.
Couples held each other close and pointed at the sky. David pointed
to the sign. “Let's do this ride.”
    A cool night breeze floated across her arms,
threatening to blow her hair into her strawberry lip gloss. She
tucked it behind her ears, the back of her hand glancing over her
heated cheeks. “Okay.” She followed him to the line and they were
soon joined by Mike, Sierra, and Ryan. Ryan had his hands shoved
into his pockets and he was looking around for his lost date.
Sierra gave her a discreet thumbs up .
    Mike said, “Where'd Amber go this time?”
    Ryan shrugged. “Don’t know. Somewhere.”
    Amber appeared moments later, as if she had
heard them talking. She hooked her arm through Ryan's and eyed the
ride. “Ooh, we'll enjoy this.”
    “Where have you been?” Mike asked.
    “Don't worry about it, Mike.” Amber sounded
peeved.
    Ryan looked at the ride then at Cassie and
David, but his words were addressed to Mike. “Didn't she just meet
that guy?”
    Cassie’s eyes widened at his unusual
rudeness, and she smiled reassuringly at David, hoping he didn’t
realize her friends were talking about him. After Mike shrugged,
Ryan shook Amber off and moved in front of them.
    Ryan’s gaze narrowed on her stuffed penguin.
“Hey, you good?”
    “Yeah.” Cassie smiled and introduced Ryan to
her date.
    Hands on her hips, Amber didn’t stay in the
background long. “We're leaving. I have a charity dinner
tonight.”
    Ryan’s shoulders tensed but he moved back to
her side and went with her. Cassie watched his back, relieved she
didn’t have to sit in a kissing car in front of Ryan and Amber. She
and David moved up a spot in line.
    “Tickets please.” The attendant directed them
with a jerk of his hand. “Lover's Lane number four.” They lined up
behind the number. A rickety car rolled up on the tracks, a fiery
number four painted on its side. After helping Cassie into the
carnival car, David lowered the restraining bar, and it locked into
place. Cassie put the stuffed penguin between herself and the wall
so she’d be closer to David. The penguin also made a nice cushion
in case she wanted to lean sideways during the ride.
    David braced a hand on the back of the car,
put