When in Rome(85)

And then because he knows I need for him to lighten this moment, he grins lightly and tacks on, “Forfeiting so soon, Pop-Tart?”

I quickly press my mouth against his. It’s so forceful he rocks backward slightly and I nearly fall. But he stabilizes us quickly and kisses me back, just as forcefully. We’re still fighting, but it’s on new terrain. It’s bumpy and jarring and our mouths will be bruised. I nip at his lip and his hands grip my back. None of this is helping—it’s making it worse. I whimper from a fresh stab of emotions and Noah pulls away quickly.

He cradles my face and studies my eyes. “Did I hurt you?”

I shake my head and try for a smile. It’s weak and pitiful. “Noah. I won’t ask you to come with me when I leave, but I need you to know that if you ever change your mind you’re always welcome wherever I am. Always.”

He stares at me, a crease etched between his brows, and takes a deep breath. He tilts forward and kisses me again. Softly this time. Our lips don’t part. We don’t explore. We soothe and settle.

The bell chimes above the door, and then a woman’s scratchy voice echoes through the shop. “Unlock those puckers, kids!” It’s Mabel.

And she’s not alone.

“Oh, sweet bread and butter on Christmas morning.”

“Now, Harriet, you just tuck those delicate sensibilities away for another day. This ain’t the time.”

Noah and I peel ourselves from each other and I look over my shoulder to find Mabel and Harriet catching their breath. I quickly fix my skewed shirt and would most definitely feel embarrassed by the scene they just found us in if there were enough time. But these two ladies are pink cheeked and panting from shuffling their way in here like they were trying to win a fast-walking competition. All that’s missing are hot pink windbreakers.

“Don’t try to boss me around, Mabel, I’m older than you.”

“And stodgier, too. Haven’t you ever seen a couple in love doing a little bit of kissing before?”

Harriet lifts her nose. “They should wait to show that sort of affection until marriage.”

Mabel rolls her eyes. “Oh, like you and Tom did?” She says this with a sassy slur making Harriet gasp. “Yes, don’t act so surprised, Your Supreme Holiness. Can’t tell me your little last-minute wedding back then was because of love. It was because you’d been making love and a baby! You had yourself a good ol’ fashioned shotgun wedding.” Mabel grunts again. “Honeymoon baby, my ass.”

“Ladies,” Noah says, somehow managing not to laugh at these two bickering grannies I hope to grow up and become exactly like one day. “Was there something urgent you came in here for?”

“Shit! Yes!” says Mabel.

Harriet jumps in before Mabel can finish, also taking a delicate but poignant step in front of her. “You need to hide!” she says, aiming her hawk eyes on me.

Mabel nearly pushes Harriet out of the way to step in front of her this time. And now it’s clear they weren’t here on a joint mission—they were each racing to get to us first. “That fellow who’s been snooping around all week with his camera is in town again right now.”

“The paparazzo?” Noah asks.

“No, the pizza man has a new photography hobby! Yes, Noah, the paparazzo! But even worse, there’s more of them!” Poor Noah. He takes it like a champ, but Mabel is downright lethal today. Actually, I think Noah secretly adores it because the corner of his perfect mouth is doing that slight twitch again.

“Phil and Todd saw him coming and waylaid him with facts about hammers. But I don’t know how long they’ll hold him, and the others are all scattered around.” Harriet says this while lifting the folding countertop and trying to push her way through it. I say trying because Mabel is also trying to push through and the two are only getting themselves wedged in that little space together.

“Mabel! Would you just—”

“I would, Harriet, if you would just…”

Now, Noah has stepped away from me to help pull these ladies through the counter. “Now look at what you two have done,” he says gently. “Mabel, suck in and twist.”

“How many of them are out there, Mabel?” I ask, feeling sick.

Noah tugs her arm lightly and they both pop through to our side of the counter. “Oh honey, there’s gotta be at least twenty of them. A whole crowd. You need to get out of here quickly.”

I look to Noah and our eyes both convey the same message: Game over. Our time together is up.





Chapter 34


    Amelia


Noah and I race down the back alley just like the last time, except now, there’s a heavy dread in the pit of my stomach. If there are as many as Mabel says, it means they’ve had some kind of confirmation that I’m here and they won’t let up until they’ve gotten the pictures they want. Which reminds me.

“Noah,” I say, tugging him to a stop. “You can’t be seen with me. I need to take your truck by myself and you can get a ride with Annie.”

His brows stitch together and his jaw tightens. “Why?”

I look down to where our hands are clasped together. “This is why. If you don’t want your life to change, they can’t find us together.” My voice shakes. “They’ll take photos from a hundred different angles, and tomorrow morning, you’ll be all over social media and tabloids.”