When in Rome(55)

“Should’ve listened to me.”

“Oh hush, you,” I say and the whole salon laughs. It earns me a genuine smile from Noah’s scruffy, moody mouth.

But then, just behind Noah’s shoulder, someone catches my eye. It’s a man, and the way he’s dressed immediately has me on edge—all in black with a long-lens camera slung across his back. He’s a paparazzo, there’s no doubt.

“Shit,” I say in a frantic whisper, ripping the cape off my neck and looking around for somewhere to hide. “They found me!”

“Who found you?” Noah asks, sounding stern and protective. That voice chases a shiver through my whole body.

“Paparazzi.” I gesture with my hand out the front window toward the man who has his back to us, assessing the town square. If he finds me and confirms that I’m here, it’s all over for me. This whole adventure will go poof.

Unfortunately, I don’t even have to think twice to know who sent him. My mom is the only person who knows where I am and, unfortunately, has been known to sell stories to tabloids in the past. I should have known better than to tell her where I was. I can’t wait to find out what she’ll spend her money on. Designer bag? Shoes? Of course, she’ll deny it until the day she dies because she’s terrified I’ll cut her off if I learn the truth, but Susan always finds out through anonymous magazine sources that it was my mom who tipped them off. I’ve never had the guts to call my mom out on it, though. Because the sad thing is, I like the attention from her even if it’s fake. It’s nice to pretend she’s genuinely interested when she asks about my life. That she doesn’t have ulterior motives when she talks to me or spends time at my house. But it’s past time to start reevaluating our relationship. I can’t keep going through this.

Noah is at my side in an instant, his long legs eating up the salon floor with determined strides.

“Honey, don’t you worry,” says Heather, pushing me from the chair. “We’ll hide ya.”

“Thank you! I’ll come by and pay later. I promise.”

“Don’t you worry a minute about that.” Tanya frantically points toward the back of the salon. “Take her out the alleyway, Noah.”

But there’s no time. We only make it to the far end of the salon when the door chimes. Noah whirls around in front of me, so my body is pressed against his. We are one right now and my heart can’t take it. The feel of him. The smell of him. The warmth of him. Oof, it’s all so good. And then he has to go and make it worse by reaching behind him and taking my hips in his hands, adjusting me an inch to the left so that I’m more squarely lined up with him. “Hold still,” he says as if I would want to go anywhere but here right now.

Good luck ever peeling me off you, buddy. I live here now.

“Afternoon, sir!” says Tanya in a chipper tone. “You here for an appointment?”

I can hear my heart beating in my ears. Noah and I are in the far corner of the salon, partially hidden by the nail tech tables and hooded dryers, but still, I can’t imagine this little bodyguard trick is going to work.

“Uh…no. I’m actually looking for someone.”

Virginia laughs and I hear the click of her high heels moving across the floor. “Like a sweetheart? I’ll date you, honey.”

“Flattered, but no thanks. I work for OK magazine and I’ve received a tip that Rae Rose might be staying in your town. I was wondering if any of you have seen her? I’m willing to compensate for your help.”

I swallow, all too ready for one of these women to point an acrylic fingernail in my direction. I rest my forehead on Noah’s back, needing support. It’s not until my face is resting against his sturdy back that I realize he might not like me leaning on him like this. I’m wrong. Suddenly, I feel Noah’s fingers discreetly brush against mine. He wraps his hand around my fingers and squeezes. I feel that touch like he’s brushing his fingers across my very soul.

“Rae Rose?” Heather exclaims loudly. I hear her rushing across the floor toward the man. “Are you kidding me? She’s here? In this town?” Her voice is so high it’s going to crack a window. “Mama, can you believe it?”

“I know, baby. That’s what he says but I don’t believe it. If she were here, we’d know about it. This town is only as big as a whisper.”

I smile, and relief drenches me. They really are going to protect me. These women who owe me nothing are hiding me. Noah squeezes again as if he can read my thoughts.

“So…you haven’t seen her then?” the man asks again. He sounds skeptical. Or maybe he’s just trying to find the top of Virginia’s hair, too.

“Heavens no! Oh, but look! Is that her across the street?”

“Where?” he asks frantically right as Noah spins toward me and starts tugging me by the hand to follow him to the back door. I look over my shoulder and the whole salon is gathered by the window, making a wall between me and the paparazzo. I make eye contact with Heather, mouth thank you, and she winks before turning back to the man. She shoves her finger over his shoulder and points. “Over there! See that woman?”

“Ma’am. That’s an elderly woman walking with a cane.”

“Oh…ha! I guess I do need glasses after all.”

And that’s the last I hear before Noah and I escape into the alley. His fingers are still intertwined with mine, and I’m having to take three steps to his one. We quietly zigzag around dumpsters and trash cans toward the parking lot. When we run out of the alleyway, Noah gestures for me to wait as he walks out into the parking lot and surveys the area. Something about his face right now looks lethal. Like he’s Jason Bourne and navigates situations like this on the regular. When he makes it to his truck, his green eyes lock with mine and he gives me a subtle nod telling me the coast is clear. I stay low, running hunched over so the row of cars and trucks protects me, until I’m at Noah’s truck. We both jump in at the same time and when our doors shut, I let out a breath and sink down against the bench seat. He does the same.