How To Fail at Flirting

by Denise Williams

Jake squeezed my hand, casting his gaze toward the massive gears of the Ferris wheel as we jostled forward and began our ascent into the sky. “You okay?” I asked. He looked a little pale, his body rigid. “I must really like you. I can’t believe I suggested riding this thing.”

On an early date, Jake and Naya visit Navy Pier and ride the Ferris wheel, only complicated by the fact that Jake is afraid of heights. I loved writing this scene for several reasons. The first was that years before getting the idea for this book, I rode that Ferris wheel and made a mental note that one day I would write something romantic happening on the Ferris wheel overlooking the water. I think there's something incredibly romantic about being alone in the sky together. More importantly, this is one of the first times Naya sees Jake freely admitting a fear and doing something outside his comfort zone in order to care for her. These early indicators that he's very different from her abusive ex are so meaningful to her (and, c'mon, a little swoony in general).