When the Heart Falls(129)

We stand closer as she uses my camera to snap pictures. Getting silly, I strike my best 'walk-like-an-Egyptian' pose in front of a wall of life size art of old pharaohs and queens.

Cade takes pictures, moving around like a professional photographer. "Work it. Work it, baby." I'm trying not to laugh as he gives me instructions like "Be one with the wall" and "Show me scorn. Now show me lust."

For that one I stick my tongue out at him. He clicks another picture and pulls me to him. "Careful, my Queen, or I might find other things to do with that tongue."

Wow. My legs shake as we stare at each other.

Autumn clears her throat. "Come on, love birds. Time for the behind the scenes stuff."



The next room we enter is large, with tall walls and shelves full of ancient Egyptian sculptures that all look vaguely familiar.

Autumn's face pales, and she squeezes her legs closed. "Hey, guys, I have to use the bathroom. Excuse me."

While we wait for her to return, we walk around exploring the art. "This place reminds me of those halls where lords and ladies would dance," I say. "I feel so small in a room so big."

Cade holds out his hand, like he did the first night we danced together, and bows at the waist. "Would m'lady care to dance?"

Playing along, I curtsy and accept his hand. "But of course."

We spin and twirl, and I lose myself in his arms as music only we can hear guides us.

He pulls me closer, then spins me with a flare. I whip my hand out, like a ballroom dancer, and it knocks into something cold and hard.

And then I hear the crash.

We freeze, and I follow Cade's horror filled eyes to the corner where a priceless Egyptian sculpture lays shattered on the ground.

"Oh God. Oh no. NoNoNoNo!"

Autumn hollers from the bathroom. "What was that?"

"I just slipped," Cade says. "I'm okay. Nothing broke. No one danced here and accidentally kicked down a statue. Nope."

I swat his chest and mouth "Shut up."

"I'm okay," he repeats.

"Good!" Autumn groans like she's in labor. "God, this is a big one. Feels like baby Satan clawing out of me. Jesus." She goes silent, and I try not to think about what she just said. In front of Cade.

Besides, we have bigger problems to worry about. I drop to the ground, grabbing the pieces and shoving them together as if I can will it fixed with my magic mind powers. "Shit. Shit. Shit. No one can know about this."

Cade frowns "How can we keep this a secret?"

"We'll fix it. I'll fix it." I place the pieces side by side and study them. "I'm not getting my sister fired for doing me a favor. It would destroy her career. Oh God." I hold the pieces up. "This is history. I'm holding history in my hands. Who knows how old this was. And I broke it. I broke history."

I try to build the statue up from the base, but it collapses again, and I bite my tongue to keep from screaming.

Cade whispers in my ear. "That's not going to work."

"I know it's not going to work. Do you have a better idea, Mr. Fancy Feet?"

"Wow, I'm getting a lot of new nicknames out of this trip." He tweaks my ear, and I almost smile, but force it down.

So not the time for flirting. Totally inappropriate.

Le sigh.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. We're going to sneak the pieces out and maybe they won't realize it's missing." I shove pieces into my pockets and stick some up Cade's shirt.

"Seriously, Winter?" He gestures to the lumps under his shirt. "I have tits now."

I bite my nail, thinking. "Maybe you had a sex change?"

He lets the pieces fall out of his shirt. "No. Pretty sure museums don't do those."

Right. Of course he's right. I collect the parts, smack my gum, and blow a bubble as I consider my other options. When my bubble pops, inspiration hits. Pulling it out of my mouth, I use it to stick two pieces together, and shove another stick of gum into my mouth.

"What are you doing?"

"Just watch the bathroom door." I pull the next gooey mess out of my mouth and add another broken piece to the sculpture, repeating the process until it's more or less back together. If you don't look too closely. Or touch it. Or breathe around it.

Holy crap.

Cade nudges me, and I turn around, making my face relax as Autumn exits the bathroom. "Did Satan Baby come out okay?" I ask.

"When would that ever be okay? It's horrible. This Italian guy gave me a pastry with custard, and I swear I've been running to the bathroom ever since."

Cade and I look at each other and start laughing.

Autumn rubs her belly. "Care to let me in on the joke?"

"Did you happen to get that pastry from a guy named Rocco?" I ask.

"Yeah. From the restaurant you raved about." Her eyes widen. "Wait. How'd you know?"

"Let's just say, been there, done that, only ten times worse."

"A hundred times worse," corrects Cade.

"It wasn't that bad, was it? More like fifty times worse."

"At least ninety times worse."

Autumn sighs. "Anyway, there's a piece I really want to show you guys."