The American Princess - Best Love Story Ever Read Free

as
self-centered as you. You've been taking affectation lessons.
Haven't you?"
    "That sounds to me like a rush to character
assassination," he said, with a laugh.
    As they wandered around the Park, Betty-Jo
delighted in the feel of the wood chips under foot, and the glow
from a full moon overhead. Then there were the sights, the smells,
and the sounds: barkers calling, laughter, organ music blasting
from the rides before it mixed with a melody from an ancient
calliope, and occasionally—high-pitched above it all—screams. Brad,
once again charming, fed her his strawberry flavored cotton candy.
But that only served to irritate her because she wanted to stay mad
at him, and how could she when she loved cotton candy—the way a
great fluffy clump of the stuff dissolved away to only a sprinkling
of sugary flavor on her tongue?
    They strolled past a shooting gallery, a ring
toss, two ball throws, and a whack-a-mole before Brad stopped
beside the StrongMan. There, a massive dread-locked bro was handing
the carnie a dollar—doubtless, visions of big bears were dancing in
his head. The Hulkster hefted the mallet, positioned himself
carefully, and then, after a magnificent windup, drove it onto the
StrongMan's base with all the force he could muster. Unfortunately
for the Hulkster, the clapper wasn't impressed. It struggled
two-thirds of the way up the guide rail, and—to the amusement of
the Hulkster's girlfriend—labeled him a Flyweight.
    Brad stifled a smile and said, "Tell you
what, B-J. You put a buck on me, and I'll win you a bear. Superman
and I have a lot in common."
    She couldn't conceal a smirk, confident that
the Hulkster's fate, or worse, awaited Brad. "To win a bear you'd
have to be more powerful than a locomotive. I'd have a better
chance of winning the Georgia State lottery."
    "You don't believe that 'the meek shall
inherit the earth?'"
    Betty-Jo's smirk morphed into a smile. This
just keeps getting better and better. "Perhaps they shall, but
there's no way that the weak shall be given a bear."
    Looking forlorn, Brad gripped her shoulders.
"You're destroying the self-esteem of a sensitive
nineties-kind-of-guy. But because I like you, I'll invest the buck.
When..."
    "You know what they say about a fool and his
money."
    He laughed at her. "When I win the bear, he's
yours. All I ask is that you let me name him."
    "Sounds reasonable to me. But if you're a
smarter fool than you appear to be, you won't rush out to buy a
name book."
    "'Oh ye of little faith.'"
    "You know, this is all fine for you, but what
about me? It's taken me years to build a rep for only dating real
men."
    He shook his head, picked up the mallet with
one hand, and swung it. The shell-shocked clapper blasted straight
up to Superman, and made a hell of a noise that could be heard all
over the park.
    "Un-be-lievable!" the carnie hollered before
he handed Betty-Jo a huge brown-eyed bear. "The odd guy can ring
the Man usin' both arms, but this is the first time anyone's rung
it usin' only one."
    She hugged her bear. "Please tell me that
what just happened, didn't," she said. She knew she had a problem
because she loved her bear, but she was furious with herself for
loving him.
    Brad chuckled. "On a positive note, your
reputation for only dating real men is still intact."
    "My bear's eyes are the same color as yours,"
she said, vaguely thinking that she had seen his eyes somewhere
before. Then, sounding as contrite as possible, "What are you going
to name him?"
    "I'm naming him I Love Only You Brad."
    "You can't name him that! Bears are named
Pooh, or Honey, or Bear, not I Love Only You Brad."
    That brought a frown from him. "Betty-Jo, you
are quickly becoming a pain in the butt. First you refused to wager
a buck on me. Now you won't keep your promise to let me name your
bear." She tossed her hair, but said nothing. "Tell me your bear's
name, and all is forgiven."
    Indignant, but with no obvious alternative,
she whispered, "I Love Only You Brad."
    The