‘Here you go.’ Mads handed out the tickets in front of the impressive arched entrance to Tivoli Gardens. There was a buzz of excitement around us, as people moved forward, their heads craning upwards to look at the flaming torches on top of the triumphant archway and the rainbow of lights sparkling around the park.
I’d assumed the Tivoli Gardens were urban green space like Hyde Park or Central Park. No, it’s a full-on amusement park smack in the centre of the city. Over the last few days we’d skirted around it several times, hearing the screams from people on a terrifying looking roller coaster racing on a track high above the park walls, seen the golden tower where people dangled at a huge height before dropping with startling speed and caught glimpses of extravagant golden minaret-topped buildings.
Tonight, as we approached it felt like I could relax and enjoy the magical wonderland glittering with lanterns, ornate tiers of brightly coloured bulbs and fairy lights. And hopefully I could get away from Ben for a while. Not that he’d sought me out during the rest of the day. It was me. My eyes seemed to have developed magnetic tendencies and Ben was due north. I kept finding my gaze sliding his way. And it had to stop. He was a journalist. I didn’t fancy him. It wasn’t professional. He didn’t like me. All of which stacked up perfectly, except my stupid heart had a bit of a wobble every time his blue eyes caught mine sneaking a peak at him.
Fiona fiddled with her camera, holding it up and taking lots of shots as usual.
‘I love this. I had no idea.’
‘It’s a big favourite. Especially in the summer when there are lots of concerts and events here. And at Christmas.’
‘It’s like Disneyland … except a little bit more charming,’ said Avril. ‘We went there on our honeymoon.’ She grinned. ‘And do you know what my husband’s favourite ride was?’ She gave a despairing sigh. ‘It’s A Small World. This dumb boat ride around lots of little islands with singing puppets.’
‘Avril. Wash your mouth out. That’s my favourite too,’ said Sophie putting her hands on her hips in indignation, laughing when Avril rolled her eyes.
‘Actually, it is the oldest amusement park in Europe. Walt Disney came here and was inspired to create Disneyland.’ Mads bristled with pride.
‘Really,’ said Fiona, letting go of her camera which was hanging around her neck. ‘I didn’t know that.’ She beamed at me. ‘Another great story for my blog. And I do love rides, don’t you?’ It was a rhetorical question and she’d already picked up her camera taking a few more shots as we queued to gain entrance.
The evening had turned chilly and we were all well-wrapped up. I was hit by the scent of the popcorn and it immediately reminded me of visits to the funfair and the circus on Boxmoor Common when I was younger.
Once in, Sophie darted off to the popcorn stall and we waited gazing around us.
‘Are you going to be alright on the rides?’ asked Ben appearing beside me, hands pushed into his jeans pockets.
I stiffened, a starburst sensation blooming in my chest as if someone had flung a handful of little stones that had exploded one after the other.
‘Well you won’t be getting me on that thing,’ I said, through almost clenched teeth. Act normal. He doesn’t know. I nodded towards the track on the other side of the park dominating the skyline.
‘The Demon.’ He jerked his head towards it and we both looked up as a chorus of screams echoed across the sky.
‘It could be called the Angel of Happy Feelings for all I care. It looks horrific.’
‘Some people think it’s fun.’ His eyes twinkled and my heart did another of those stupid little flips.
‘I’m not one of them,’ I retorted. ‘If I wanted my brains scrambled, I can think of better ways of doing it.’
He laughed and then pulling his hands out of his pockets raked his hair with one hand, pausing for a quick beat. ‘How are you on boats? They have some rides for the little kids, I think.’
‘You’re so funny,’ I said, light-heartedly slapping him in the ribs, deliberately pretending I’d missed the invitation.
‘You’d be safe on one of those.’ His eyes danced. ‘What do you say?’
Before I could answer, Sophie grabbed my arm and offered me some of the popcorn spilling from the top of a candy-striped carton.
‘Bumper cars,’ said Fiona decisively. ‘I love those. Nothing like a bit of road rage to bring out the true side of people. I want to see if David has a dark side.’
‘Who me?’ He assumed an innocent face. ‘Be careful what you wish for.’
‘Yeah, right,’ said Sophie and we all laughed. David and Sophie were the most good-natured, easy going people I’d ever met. While she was sunshine and positivity, he was quietly amenable, supportive and under-stated.
‘Seriously. Bumper cars. Bit tame,’ said Conrad.
‘What you’re a white-knuckle rider?’ asked Avril tucking her arm through his tweed overcoat.
‘I’ll have you know in my day, I worked a whole season on the dodgems on the pier at Southend,’ he announced.
‘You,’ said Avril with tactless surprise. ‘But I thought you were from a stately home. Landed gentry at least.’
‘Lord no. My mother insisted I speak properly. She was an amateur thesp. We lived in a council flat.’
‘Really?’ I looked at Conrad with fresh eyes. He’d always seemed so posh to me.
‘Yes, darling. People make assumptions. The trick is not to correct them.’ He gave me a naughty wink. ‘It’s not where you come from, it’s where you’re going that counts.’
‘I second that,’ said Sophie, ‘although I was very lucky. I did grow up in a stately home.’
‘Don’t tell me, your mum was the housekeeper,’ said Avril teasing and then looked horrified when Sophie replied, ‘Something like that. More popcorn.’ She shook the carton. ‘Did we decide?’
‘Yes,’ said Fiona forcefully with a determined glint in her eye. ‘The bumper cars!’
Everyone turned to look at her in surprise.
‘Little Miss Shy and Timid has taken a hike then,’ drawled Conrad.
Fiona blushed. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t you dare apologise,’ said David taking her arm.
‘Sorry. I mean …’ she giggled.
‘Let’s put Fiona in charge for the night,’ suggested Ben. ‘Now that she’s become all assertive and bossy.’
‘Oh you,’ she punched him in the arm.
Laughing we all fell into step and headed towards the bright lights and happy cries of the dodgems.
It turned out even behind the wheel of a dodgem, David didn’t possess a killer instinct, not that he got a chance as Avril took charge and drove surprisingly sedately unlike Fiona who seemed to have a personality transplant and leapt into a car with Mads, taking great delight in ramming everyone. Sophie insisted I drove and we spent most of our time trying to escape the dual efforts of Fiona and Conrad to shunt us at every opportunity.
Ben chose to watch from the rail and every time I took a casual glance his way, he seemed to be looking in my direction.
‘Where next Fiona?’ asked David when we all came off in high spirits.
She wrinkled her forehead and looked around at us, but in an unspoken agreement we seemed to have agreed that she should be gang leader for the night.
‘OK, The Demon.’
‘Yay,’ cried Sophie.
‘Yessss,’ said David and Conrad in tandem, with Avril adding, ‘Bring it on.’
‘Let’s do it people,’ said Fiona with a broad grin punching the air in delight.
Ben gave me a questioning look. I winced and ignored him.
Everyone moved forward but he held back and waited for me.
‘Are you sure about this?’
‘No,’ I swallowed, ‘but I can’t … I can’t spoil it for Fiona. She’s really pumped.’ I gave him a brave I-can-do-this look. ‘It won’t kill me … I don’t think.’
‘It is perfectly safe,’ he agreed evenly. I could see that he was trying to be reassuring but that wasn’t helping the time bomb of fear already ticking away in my stomach.
‘It’s all very well you saying that. You’re not scared.’
‘But you’re supposed to be scared,’ he said with a gentle smile. ‘That’s the whole point. The adrenaline rush. That’s why people come to these places. You’ll be fine.’
‘I know.’ I bit my lip looking up at the car careering on the skyline along the tracks outlined in white lights. ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ His eyes lit up, the keen intelligence shining and I could almost see the journalist brain tipping into over-drive.
‘No, forget I said that.’ I was sure he could think of several disasters and with my current track record, it didn’t even begin to bear thinking about.
‘Don’t worry. Close your eyes and think of … hygge.’
‘Very funny.’
‘It’ll be over in a flash and at least you can say you’ve done it.’
I nodded.
‘And I’ll be with you … if you want.’
Judging by the length of the queue, it was the most popular ride and as we stood in line, everyone debated as to whether we should have opted for the virtual reality option, with masks which apparently gave the added element of flying dragons surrounding you. I kept quiet. They had to be joking; the ride looked plenty scary enough without enhancements.
All too quickly the queue moved up and we were on the steps, getting closer and closer to the station where the carriage came in. What the hell had I been thinking when I agreed to this? I think I let out a little involuntary whimper and with leaden legs mounted the next step on the staircase, my hand cramping on the handrail.
Ben turned my way. I raised my head with a determined who-me-scared lift of the chin and gave him an approximation of a smile, stretching my face in the right sort of direction and baring my teeth. It probably would have frightened small children and it didn’t fool him. His hand fumbled to take mine, giving it a quick squeeze. I closed my eyes, and squeezed back, waiting for his fingers to fall away but he kept my hand firmly clasped in his, stepping closer so that we were side by side.
‘You look terrified.’
‘I was hoping it didn’t show.’ My attempt at dry and deadpan failed big-time.
‘Only because I was looking for it. You don’t have to do this.’
I didn’t, but I felt as if I ought to. I was part of this ragbag team. All for one and one for all. In the last couple of days after sharing those personal insights and problems we were creeping towards a hesitant bond.
‘I’m going to have to.’ I looked at Avril and Conrad on the steps above me, chattering excitedly and pointing to the riders already installed. ‘It’s safe right? A carriage on a track fifty foot over the ground, careering along at sixty plus miles an hour defying the natural law of gravity without a single safety net in sight.’
‘Atta girl.’ He grinned at me, his fingers tightening between mine in silent teasing.
I closed my eyes and couldn’t help the quick shudder that shook my body.
‘Kate,’ he tugged my hand so that I faced him, and with a serious face he said, ‘It lasts one minute. That’s sixty seconds. It will be over before you know it.’
I let out a long breath.
‘Sixty seconds?’
‘Yup. A whole minute.’
‘OK. I can do that.’
The queue moved forward with a start and suddenly we were almost there on the final platform. A smiling blonde girl (of course she was blonde and smiling, this was Denmark) took the tickets, guiding everyone into their seats. I took a step forward. There was still time to back out like the young boy and his mum who got to the top of the steps and then changed their minds. His loud wailing probably had a lot to do with her decision. If only I were seven.
And then the girl halted me and Ben. For a minute, I thought I’d got a reprieve, some divine intervention deciding we weren’t suitable but no it was as simple as the cart was full.
‘See you at the bottom,’ called Fiona waving both hands at us, her excitement making her bounce up and down in her seat when she should have been clinging on to the padded barrier in front of her for dear life. Was the girl mad?
I held my breath as the cart crept out watching as it slowly started the first climb.
Ben looked down at me, something sizzled between us.
‘That night, at the Grosvenor. Why did you run away?’
It was absolutely the last thing I expected him to say and it made me panic far more than the thought of going on the ride, so I blurted out the truth.
‘I was scared.’
It wasn’t what he was expecting me to say.
‘Scared?’
‘Yes.’ I looked over his shoulder, self-preservation kicking in. ‘And now I’m bloody terrified.’ I winced as a wave of screams came flooding back down the track.
Something shimmered in his eyes, a fleeting combination of tenderness, intent and sympathy which made my heart jump in my chest with a miss-a-beat bump.
Unable to peel my eyes from his I watched as his head dipped closer and closer, until his nose grazed mine and his mouth touched mine.
Little sparks of electricity pinpricked across my lips, the initial tingle of skin on skin sending a charge racing through every vein with delicious warmth. As he lips moulded mine, the kiss deepening, I relaxed into his body as if it were home. The slow heady rush gathered speed as his mouth moved with a firmer touch over mine. It was everything I’d known it would be and exactly why I’d run. Alarm bells rang in my head, urgent klaxons, alert, alert, stop, stop, but my body was telling it to get stuffed.
His arms slipped around my waist, pulling me towards him. I wound an arm around his neck, at which point with a rueful smile he pulled away, leaving my lips dazed and confused.
His breath fanned over my ear as he whispered, ‘That was twenty seconds, give or take.’
I took in a deep breath, my senses reeling. Twenty seconds of mind-blowing bliss.
‘So if you think about it in terms of kisses, the whole ride equates to three kisses.’
‘Oh,’ I said faintly, touching my lips. That had certainly changed my perspective.
There was restive movement behind us as people anticipated the return of the cart which had already disgorged the previous riders. I focused on the tingling of my lips, my erratic pulse and Ben’s warm firm hand holding mine. Rows of empty black seats like slightly menacing teeth awaited us, framed by the raised barrier waiting to snap you into place. Behind me excited, enthusiastic people pushed gently inexorably taking us forward. Ben took my hand again and steered me to the back as a thousand butterflies started trying to beat their way out of my stomach. I took a couple of shallow breaths as we filed into the padded seats of the ride. The barrier clunked down into place. The audible click making it all horribly final.
Then the ride started to inch out. Slowly, slowly.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. The hydraulics click click clicked with ominous inevitability, like the crocodile chasing Captain Hook. I gripped the barrier, my hands almost like claws. They were going to need to be pried off with a crowbar at the end.
I hissed in an indrawn breath as we crept closer and closer to the top, rising up the first steep incline with agonising slowness. Below us the magical landscape of the park spread out, shadowy trees and the lake shimmering with reflections. Away to my left, the horizon with buildings and towers was lit up against the night sky. With a lift of my heart which had nothing to do with the rising fear, I felt the reassuring warmth of a solid hand placed on top of mine. I risked a quick peep at Ben’s face. His encouraging smile turned my bones to jelly.
And then we teetered for a second at the very top, before plunging over the edge.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Lights flashed and sped by, a blur of neon colour. We rushed down, down, down, hair whipped my face and the air racing past stole my breath. My heart pounded, my stomach falling and falling and then seconds later we were flying upwards, to a chorus of screams as we whistled through the night.
‘Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.’ And then we were upside down and this time I squeaked, too frightened to unclamp my jaws to scream.
Ben’s hand tightened, his thumb rubbing soothingly over the back of my bone-white knuckles, his thigh nudging mine as he moved his body closer.
With a wrench right, we twisted, tilting on the track precariously as if at any moment we might come off the rails. I hung on for dear life aware of someone ahead of us screaming like a banshee and people on the front row waving their arms in the air. I closed my eyes, as my stomach went into freefall. This was sheer hell. No bloody wonder the ride was called The Demon.
I staggered from the ride, Bambi-legged, buffeted by the flow of people bubbling with enthusiasm for the ride. Ben looped an arm around me and dragged me out of the downward stream to the side by a railing.
‘Oh my God. Oh my God. I did it. I did it.’ Babbling, I turned to face him, clutching his forearms.
‘You did.’ His indulgent approving nod added to my sense of jubilation and something inside me flipped. Gratitude and euphoria guided me and all my earlier reservations jumped ship, I leaned in to kiss him.
The minute my lips met his, with a ragged exhalation he pulled me to him, slamming my body against his. I squirmed as a shiver of uncontained delight flashed at the touch of his hand sliding up my back to hold me firm as his mouth slanted over mine, roving with determined possession. Another hand cupped my head as I kissed him back, thrilling to his muffled moan, my arms sliding around his waist, hanging on for dear life. I stretched up on tip-toes pressing my lips harder against his, diving headlong into the kiss. Nerve endings fried. I sank deeper, opening my mouth, giving in to the heady rush of emotion as his tongue touched mine, fireworks exploding like shooting stars. A languid warmth burned low in my belly, heating every vein. I wanted more and pressed against him, my hips nudging at his. In silent, heartfelt response he pulled me even tighter to his long lean body.
Sensations built, passion firing as I met every move of his mouth with answered hunger. My fingers crept up into his short hair, relishing the tingling in my fingertips as I raked them mindlessly over the coarse bristles.
Arms twisted. Noses bumped. Breaths came, punchy and erratic.
It was as if we hadn’t got off the roller-coaster, feelings and sensation, looping and dropping with no control. I clung harder to him, trying to anchor myself, fearing if I let go I might fall. I’d never kissed or been kissed like this and I couldn’t bear to let go. I wanted to hang on for ever.
It was almost too much to take. Breathing heavily, we finally pulled apart our gazes locked as I stood in the circle of his arms.
‘Wow,’ he said dragging in a long breath.
I nodded, aware of the pounding of my heart thudding so hard I could feel it vibrating against my ribs.
‘Wow, indeed,’ I whispered, still unable to tear my gaze from his. Dazed he looked back at me, his pupils wide, his hair mussed. It made me smile.
‘Don’t look so smug,’ he growled, stilling but I could feel his ribcage rising and falling and see the racing pulse in his neck.
I lifted my shoulders in a tiny gesture of feminine pride.
‘We need to get out of here,’ he whispered. ‘Damn, the others will be waiting for us.’
I nodded, my lips well-used and tingling.
‘Meet me later? When we get back to the hotel? There’s a bar around the corner.’
Our cold faces glowed as we swept into the warmth of the foyer of the hotel, David teasing Fiona about how much she’d squealed on the Sky Flier, Avril laughing at Conrad and Ben who’d chickened out of the Golden Tower and Sophie and I teasing each other over whose jeans were the wettest after the boat rides.
Ben and I had kept a discreet distance after The Demon, exchanging frequent secretive glances and checking the time on our watches, waiting for when we could return to the hotel.
‘Kate,’ boomed a voice, carrying over the heads of everyone and silencing the group.
I turned in the direction of the voice, an automatic response to my name as recognition hit ten seconds later like a dodgem slamming to a reverberating halt.
I felt as if I’d run into a door. ‘Josh,’ I said weakly, as he stood up from one of the seats in the reception area. I stared at him, refusing to voice the question or give him the damn satisfaction of answering, What are you doing here?
Instead I left him there, with everyone staring curiously at him.
‘Do you know this man?’ asked Conrad, his moustache quivering with gentlemanly valour.
‘Unfortunately, yes,’ I muttered, my heart sinking like a suet pudding. I stole one last look at Ben.
‘Megan thought you needed reinforcements.’
I wanted to ask where they were, but I stopped myself in time.
‘Hello everyone, I’m Josh Delaney, from the Machin Agency.’
‘How odd. We’re going home the day after tomorrow,’ I said trying to sound cool and unemotional.
‘Belt and braces. You know. Make sure the last few days go without any more hitches.’ He attempted a winning smile at the group. ‘It’s not been plain sailing so far, has it?’
I heard Avril’s indrawn hiss and saw horrified guilt fill her face as she whispered something to Conrad.
Feeling the quick flash of fury heat my face, I gritted my teeth at his patronising tone. What had I ever seen in him?
There was an uncertain pause and then Avril, completely ignoring him, said with her best princess hauteur, ‘Are we still heading for the bar? I could murder a G&T. Do you want to catch us up Kate?’ She crossed in front of me and gave me a wink.
‘Yes, I’ll see you in there in a minute.’ I schooled my face hiding my amusement as bless them, they all patted me, waved and nodded as they trooped off towards the bar, Ben walking the most slowly as if checking I didn’t need any intervention.
I could have kissed them all for the unspoken show of solidarity.
‘You all seem very pally,’ said Josh, reverting to his usual snide self the minute they were out of earshot. ‘No wonder there have been a few problems.’
‘Nothing that hasn’t been handled,’ I said, glaring at him. ‘How dare you try to suggest I’m incompetent in front of them?’
‘If the cap fits.’ He shrugged and gave a sharky smile as I wondered at the cost of punching his perfect white teeth down his throat.
‘Not one of them has any complaints about the way the trip has been run.’ Or not that they’d voiced.
‘Which is why Ed and Megan decided to let you stay.’
‘Let me stay,’ I squeaked like an irate guinea pig, taking a second look at his expensive dentistry. Maybe it would be worth the satisfaction.
‘I thought it would be helpful to have a second pair of hands.’
‘Pardon!’
‘Oh for God’s sake, Kate. Stop being so defensive. Think of this as an opportunity. I can report back on your performance over the next two days.’
‘Defensive! You think I should just ignore the fact that you’ve waltzed in, without any warning.’
‘Come on, Kate. You’ve been making a right hash of things. Accidents. Losing journalists. Running up huge bills. It doesn’t look terribly professional and …’ he looked after the retreating group. ‘If I may say, I think I can see the problem. It all looks a touch too convivial. You’ve gone native instead of remembering you’re supposed to be working. It happens, when you’re not very experienced.’
I wanted to growl at him. No, you may not say a damn thing. Instead, I said hotly, ‘We’ve been to the Tivoli Gardens. Everyone let their hair down. Funnily enough no one got lost or had an accident and if there was a place for that to happen that would be it.’
‘Was that wise? You should be keeping a professional distance. These people are journalists. Contacts. They’re not friends.’ He curled his lip obviously remembering how Sophie and I had marched in together laughing.
His words also stung. These people had become friends. Sophie and I had already arranged to have lunch when we got back.
‘Seriously Kate, there is a question over your professionalism. Getting too close to press contacts is always courting disaster. Look how Conrad presumed on your good nature. Next thing we know you’ll be sleeping with Benedict Johnson.’
I coloured and he gave me a sharp assessing look, raising an eyebrow.
‘That would be an unpardonable professional transgression.’