Hidden Sins (29 page)

Hannah’s hand found mine, and my world literally stopped.  I didn’t think a woman would ever be able to hold this kind of power over me, but I had found my match. Now it was up to me to keep her.

The elevator opened at ground level, and my agents and the other family walked off the elevator. All of the tickets had been pre-purchased so we wouldn’t have to wait in line. Every so often Hannah would stop to look at a bronze Minnie statue or glance at a Pinocchio poster. Having her this close to me was a wonderful thing, and I didn’t want it to end.

I watched as my team blended in while Hannah took in the scenery as we made it to a large stone entrance. She spotted something across the way and glanced up at me, smiling.

“I think this Sebastian character has it right.” Hannah grinned.

She let go of my hand and walked through the stone tunnel. I wasn’t sure what caught her eye. We hadn’t even made it into the park yet, and it was already having the intended effect on her. If only for a day, her cares would be taken away.

“What’s that?” I asked, walking up behind her as she stared at a poster with Ariel, Prince Eric, and a large lobster grinning with one of life’s mottos underneath. I felt a current run between us as I placed my hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

“That the human world’s a mess,” she replied. I didn’t need to see her face to know that she was smiling. “Sebastian’s kind of cute and he’s got brains. I wonder if he’s available?”

I started laughing. “You’ve never seen
The Little Mermaid
, have you?”

She shook her head. “Why?”

“Because Sebastian is the lobster, not the prince.”

Hannah started laughing hysterically and flung her hair back. “Boy, I really did miss out.”

Before we entered the park, I slowly turned around and brought her into my arms. Her beautiful eyes looked into mine reflecting the same desire I felt. I placed a soft kiss on her lips and took a step back, squeezing her hands.

“The rodent awaits.”

“Well, when you say it that way,” she gushed and pulled me through the gates.

Hannah was my taste of Heaven and I never wanted it to end.

Hannah

Wow! This place was absolutely breathtaking. There was something in the air that just made me happy. I snuck a peek at Luke and noticed him taking in my reaction. I was sure I looked like a complete nerd, but that would come out soon enough anyway. Let him run now.

The air smelled like sugar, and the buildings put me in another time and place. I stood still for a few moments, holding Luke’s hand before moving forward. The sign scrolled in fancy lettering read Main Street, and I saw old-fashioned storefronts lining the entire path. There were ceramic pots overflowing with flowers and striped awnings dotting the sidewalk. Women dressed in Victorian clothing, carrying parasols, walked down the street and handed out carnations.

“There’s a bakery over there,” Luke said, pointing about four doors down.

“How do you know?” I asked. It was hard for me to imagine Luke just hanging out at Disneyland on his off-hours.

“It hasn’t changed for years. I used to bring my sister here all the time to take her mind off things.”

“I swear I can smell the goodness from here,” I said, walking with Luke toward the bakery. But on the way I found myself stopping every few feet wanting to look at the storefronts packed with Daffy, Minnie, and Pluto. I’d never had a lot growing up, and certainly never had stuffed animals like these. Some were as tall as I was. It was like this place zeroed in on the kid in me and made me want to exist how it used to be in another era.

“Any one in particular catch your eye?” Luke whispered into my ear.

I glanced up at him and a shiver ran through me at the thought of how close we were.

“You’d be willing to spoil me with rodent merchandise?” I teased.

“Anything you want, I’d be more than willing to spoil you with.”

“Anything?” I asked.

He nodded and his eyes darkened a shade. “Maybe I should’ve planned on this being a weekend event.”

“What on earth would make you say that?” My brow arched as he whisked me into the store.

There were cute Minnie Mouse pajamas directly in front of me, and more stuffed animals piled high next to me. As I continued browsing, I began seeing all kinds of things I could imagine buying. I didn’t even have a house, but all of a sudden I desperately felt the need to own Minnie Mouse salad tongs, potholders, and salt and pepper shakers. This place was good. Luke was right.

I stood in the far corner of the store still smelling the sugary aroma and watched Luke wander around the store. He was dressed in a slouchy pair of faded jeans and a navy t-shirt. He had a pair of Oakley sunglasses slid back on his head, and he looked absolutely incredible. He must have felt me watching because he glanced over at me and smiled. I held up a Minnie Mouse backpack and wiggled my brows as he came over.

“How sexy would this be?” I teased.

“Sexier than you can imagine,” his voice low.

I laughed and tossed the backpack down as his hand wrapped around mine.

“On to the bakery and coffee shop,” Luke said.

“Sounds like a plan.”

We wandered back onto the street and I watched as the “real-life” Minnie walked along the sidewalk, giving away balloons and waving to everyone in her path. This place certainly knew how to shift reality in a lovely way.

“I wonder how they get those jobs?” I muttered.

Luke’s brow arched. “You wanna be Minnie?”

I shrugged. “Seems like it could be fun. Make people happy every day? That would be a dream come true.” I saw a group of princesses, in satin gowns, walk down the middle of the road giving us all the beauty pageant wave. “Ooh. I could be Cinderella.”

Luke smiled as we walked into the bakery. The scents of butter, sugar and coffee combined to create an even more delectable fragrance than outside. I looked into the glass cases and thought I’d just about died and went to heaven. And the best part was that they were all shaped as the star rodents or their friends. Rice Krispy treats were shaped as the lovable mouse with the ears dipped in chocolate, the cinnamon twists were wound into magic wands, and the croissants somehow resembled Pluto. This looked like a way better place to work than Buttons. I was becoming surer of that with every passing second.

“What would you like?” Luke asked, as we stood in line. He placed his hands on my shoulders and gently massaged them like we’d done this millions of times before, and I loved it—loved being with him—and imagining another reality outside of the one I’d been dealing with.

“A mocha and a cinnamon twist.” I smiled and added, “And a Mickey Rice Krispy treat.”

The cashier motioned to us to move forward so she could take our order. I slipped my hand into Luke’s back pocket and watched as the barista prepared our drinks.

As the cashier handed Luke back his card, she asked, “Are you guys on your honeymoon?”

I chuckled and Luke beamed and replied, “No. Not yet.”

It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the room as I glanced at Luke who was gauging my reaction. I knew he was only teasing, but hearing those words solidified an idea of a future, which I desperately needed to hear.

“Well, you two definitely have something special.” She smiled and waved the next set of customers forward as we stepped aside.

“You are in so much trouble,” I said, grabbing the bag with my two pastries inside.

“Sure I am,” he laughed, grabbing his iced coffee.

“Are you always so confident?” I asked.

“No.” He took a bite of his Pluto croissant as we walked outside and I started laughing.

“There’s something about a tough guy biting Pluto’s nose off.”

“Tough guy, huh?”

“Definitely.”

“So are you ready for some rides?” he asked.

“Like what kind?”

“Anything you can imagine.”

“Do you have any favorites?” I asked, before I took a sip of my mocha.

“Several.” He smiled. “Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones are my top two. But those are followed closely by The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and Splash Mountain.”

“Well, let’s hit Indiana. That was the first movie I ever sneaked,” I revealed.

“You didn’t have television?”

“No. They thought it took away from self-reflection or at least that’s what we were told. They just wanted to keep us in the dark. Anyway, Indiana was my hero.”

“So which Indie did you watch?”

“There’s more than one?” I asked.

Luke laughed. “Dear God, I’m going to have to corrupt you.”

“I think there was a temple in the title.”

“Temple of Doom. Nice. That was the second one. When things settle down, we’ll do an Indiana Jones marathon, only sticking to the eighties versions of course.”

“Of course,” I laughed.

His words made my tummy flutter. Imagining a time when a movie night didn’t seem frivolous felt almost in reach, like a real possibility. And getting to share it with him was beyond words.

“There’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade,” he continued, as we walked along the path where the makeshift town turned into something of a jungle. We’d left the old-fashioned delights of fragrant bakeries and ruffled parasols for jungles and Tiki torches. Disneyland was an incredible place.

“As long as there’s popcorn involved in our marathon, I’m totally game.”

“It’s a deal. So did the pastries fill you up?” he asked, as I tossed the bag away.

“For now. But I keep seeing people with corndogs walking around, and I don’t know how long I’ll last without one.” I rubbed my hands together, and he squeezed me closer as we walked by little shops with safari-themed novelties.

“Your wish is my command,” he laughed.

“That’s what I like to hear. Oooh, wait! Check this out.” I grabbed a hat that looked just like the one from Indiana Jones and plunked it on his head. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. That’s completely sexy.”

“Is that so?” His brow arched as he scanned the goods. “Then turnabout’s fair play.”

Luke grabbed coconut shells and tossed them over to me.

“What’s this supposed to be?” I asked, holding them up.

“A bikini,” he laughed. “Hold them up. You’ll see the strings.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I did as he instructed. I tied the string behind my neck and fastened it behind my back, and I quickly adjusted the shells over my tank.

“Almost there,” he replied, scanning the shelves. “This.”

He threw a grass skirt in my direction and I caught it.

I stepped through it and pulled it up, adjusting the hula skirt over my shorts before I shimmied my hips.

“Too much?” I asked.

Luke’s smile made the entire store light up as I twirled around. “Not at all,” he said, pulling me toward him. He untied the strings at my neck and worked the clasp open as my body heated up from his touch.

“Will you wear the hat today?” I asked.

“Only if you’ll wear this later,” he murmured.

“I might be able to work that out,” I laughed. “Is it bad that we’re dorks?”

I scooted the skirt over my legs and handed it to him, along with the shells that he was already holding tightly.

“Not as long as we’re both in it together.” He smiled as we walked up to the cash register. “Good thing this hat has a strap. Some of these rides are pretty intense.”

“How intense?”

“Enough so that the hat could be blown away.”

“Sounds exciting,” I laughed, but I was completely terrified.

He paid for the merchandise and we walked back outside.

“That’s where we’re headed.” Luke pointed ahead to the left where large trees towered and rope bridges dangled. “Doesn’t look like much of a line. Guess it pays to go during the week.”

As he pulled me down into the maze of ropes that guided guests, my heart quickened at the thought. I was scared of rollercoasters. I’d only been on one and that was enough for me. Back in high school, my friends and I managed to sneak into a carnival two towns away. Even remembering that frightened me.

“Is it scary?” I asked, squeezing his hand as we ran between the ropes.

“There’s only one crazy moment,” Luke assured me.

“How crazy?”

We ran through the tunnels, stopping every so often to look at the treasure, skulls, and artifacts that guided us to the entrance of the ride. When we made it to the end, I saw a woman who was about eighty years old piling into the vehicle with her grandkids.

“Still worried?” he whispered.

“I’ll handle it,” I laughed, as we climbed into the vehicle and the attendants slammed down the safety bar. I buckled in and the bumpy ride took off, and I felt immediately transported to another time. As we barreled deeper into the caverns, I was in complete awe over the sets. It was visually stunning and such a blast.

“Way different than the carnival,” I laughed and Luke wrapped his arm around me just as a large boulder came rolling toward us. As I was about to scream, the ground beneath broke away and our vehicle slid down a steep hill and the scream I saved echoed from my belly.

“That was awesome,” I whispered, catching my breath, as we continued to creep along through the ruins, finally coming to a stop where we had first started. I released my seat belt and the bar unlocked.