Chapter Eighteen #2
“Haven! That’s it. I knew it was a haven for amazing food from all cultures, but it’s even more than I ever could have imagined.
” She seems to realize her excitement is running away with her, and she takes a moment to calm herself.
When her voice is back to a normal register, she says, “I spend two days a week just wandering around, stopping into little places that might fly under the radar and tasting their food.” She gives a small, self-deprecating chuckle.
“If I wasn’t walking so much, I’d have to be careful of how much weight I could gain here. ”
“You have nothing to worry about. You’re still gorgeous.” I was only thinking it, so I’m as surprised as her when the words leave my mouth. She flushes a pretty pink on top of the olive tint of her skin.
“I’m so happy to see you, Lily.” She says it so softly, I almost don’t hear her, but her eyes are wet, and when she reaches her hand across the table to me, there’s no way I’m not going to take it.
“Can we go back to something you said earlier?” I ask it quietly because I feel like I need to step carefully here. I don’t want to chase her off, but I need some clarification.
She nods, slightly wide-eyed, like she’s nervous about what I might say next.
“You said you had reasons for cutting off contact in Rome. Can you tell me what they were?”
She presses her full lips together and looks off to her right for what feels like a long time but probably isn’t really.
Then she swallows, something I see and hear and says, “I knew—” She stops and clears her throat, then looks down at our hands while she tries again.
“I already had feelings for you. Pretty early. Even when you asked me about us being casual and I agreed.” She swallows again. “I maybe should not have.”
“Oh,” I say softly, drawing the word out as I take in what she’s said, roll it around in my head.
We sit there, looking at each other silently for a long while. The ball is in my court now, she knows it, and I know it. The Ping-Pong games go on. Reggie sits looking up at us both as if waiting for what will happen next.
“I’m so sorry,” Marina whispers. “I’ve missed you so much.” With those words, I think her nerves can’t take anymore. The tears spill over and track down her beautiful face, and I can’t stand it.
“Okay.” It’s just one word, but it’s as if it has power, and it blows the clouds away.
“Okay?” Her eyes go wide, and I think she can’t quite believe it.
I say it again, and punctuate it with a nod. “Okay. Take me out.”
And before I realize it, she’s pulled me to my feet and has me in her arms, hugging me tightly. God, she smells amazing, and the feel of her, of being this close to her, sends so much emotion rushing through me that I feel my own eyes well up.
We’re not okay. We’re not magically better. I know this. But for right now? For right now, I’m happier than I’ve been in four months.
I am more nervous right now than I was the first time I went on an actual date with Marina. Like, a hundred times more. It’s ridiculous. I am ridiculous.
I am also giddy. Just absolutely fucking giddy.
Yeah, I’ve got to reel that in.
I remember Jessie telling me to protect my heart, and it was excellent and wise advice. I need to focus on that today because all I want to do is go have the best time ever with Marina. And possibly kiss her face off.
I didn’t call Jessie. I didn’t call anyone.
I didn’t want to be talked out of this date.
As I check out my reflection in the mirror, I know that may come back to bite me in the ass, but right now?
I don’t care. It’s been three days since Marina met me in the park, apologized, and told me she wanted us to try.
We’ve texted fairly regularly since then.
I’ve had three days to decide this is a bad idea, or to change my mind, but if I’m being honest, backing out was never even a glimmer of a possibility, and I feel like I knew that the second I said yes to her.
I don’t know where she’s taking me, and that’s okay.
If there’s only one thing to trust about Marina Troiani, it’s that she knows food.
I’ve enjoyed thinking about her wandering the city, ducking into little holes in the wall to discover delicious foods.
It’s her passion, and she followed it here. To me. That says something.
I check my look in the mirror. Simple black pants and a powder blue long-sleeve top with small silver buttons.
A slight heel, because I don’t know how much walking tonight will entail.
I check my makeup, add a little gloss to my lips, tuck my hair behind my ears.
I tip my head as I scrutinize myself, then unfasten one more button—a little something to distract Marina a bit.
I grin at my reflection. Okay. Not bad, if I do say so.
“What do you think?” I ask Reggie, who is in his usual spot of observation from my bed. He gives me a little snorfle sound that I take as approval. “Okay. Good.” I’m kissing his nose when my intercom buzzes. My doorman.
“Hey, Teddy,” I say into the speaker.
“Good evening, Miss Chambers. I believe your date is here to pick you up.”
Huh. Well, that’s interesting. Usually, Teddy will just say I have a visitor or I have a package or whatever.
“I’ll be right down,” I tell him. I look back at Reggie, who has followed me out of the bedroom.
“My date is here.” He gives his tail a wag, then heads for his bed in the corner.
“Don’t wait up, okay?” I gather up my purse and a coat, as it’s cooler today than it was a few days ago, lock the apartment behind me, and head for the elevator.
The entire elevator is mirrored, and it’s annoying me because I was confident three minutes ago in my own bedroom. Now? In this tiny box with the horrendously unflattering lighting? Ugh. Everywhere I look, there’s my reflection waiting for criticism.
I stare at my feet. The ride down to the lobby never felt so long.
Finally— finally —the elevator comes to a stop and the doors slide open. I step out and to my right toward the lobby where Teddy greets me from behind his desk. He grins at me—is his grin larger than normal?—and leads me to the front doors, which he pushes through, then holds open for me.
I thank him, look up at the street in front of me, and stop dead in my tracks.
Oh my God.