Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Brody
“ I can't believe you got us kicked out of that café!” Avery's cheeks were flushed, her eyes blazing. Damn, she was hot when she was pissed.
I held up my hands, trying not to grin. “How was I supposed to know that word meant something different here?”
Avery shook her head, fighting a smile. For a second, I thought I'd cracked her shell. But then she was all business again, whipping out that damn itinerary.
“We're behind schedule,” she said, frowning at her phone. “We need to make up time.”
I wanted to chuck that thing in the nearest fountain. “Come on, Spark,” I said, knowing she hated the nickname. “Let's ditch the schedule and have some actual fun.”
Avery glared at me, but I was on a mission to mess up her perfect plans. As we walked, I pointedly ignored her itinerary, letting my nose guide us instead.
The village was straight out of a postcard, all winding streets and flower boxes. The smell of fresh bread had my stomach growling, but Avery was too busy frowning at her phone to notice.
“You know,” I said, easing up next to her, “I bet that bakery's got better stories than whatever boring museum you've got lined up next.”
Avery looked up, her honey eyes flashing. “We don't have time for detours, Brody. We have a job to do.”
“And part of that job is experiencing the local culture,” I argued. “Live a little, Spark.”
Again, I thought she might go for it. But then she shook her head and marched past me, ponytail swinging. “We're sticking to the schedule.”
I groaned, jogging to catch up. As much as she drove me crazy, I had to admit her determination was kind of sexy.
We spent the next several hours hitting Avery's list of spots. I'll give her this—she'd done her homework. Each place was Instagram gold, but I found myself watching Avery more than the sights.
“Did you know,” Avery was saying to the camera, all enthusiasm, “this fountain's been the village center for over 500 years? Legend says if two people drink from it together, they'll be bonded for life.”
I lowered my camera, an idea forming. “Hey, Spark,” I called out. “Why don't we test that legend? You know, for the viewers.”
Avery hesitated, and I thought she might actually do it. But then she shook her head, and I felt a weird pang of disappointment.
“We don't have time for silly superstitions,” she said. “Or a trip to the hospital with some stomach bug. We need to hit the art gallery before it closes.”
I swallowed my frustration. “Whatever you say, boss.”
Still, my eyes were drawn to her like a magnet. The way the sun lit up her hair, how her hips swayed as she walked. It was getting harder to see her as just an uptight workaholic when all I wanted to do was mess up that perfect ponytail.
The art gallery was in an old chapel. While Avery chatted up the curator, I wandered around, snapping photos and trying to ignore the itch under my skin. Art wasn't really my thing unless it involved spray paint on a brick wall.
“Brody,” Avery called, and just hearing my name on her lips made me turn. “The curator's letting us film in the restoration room. It's not usually open to the public.”
I perked up at that. “Now we're talking. Some behind-the-scenes action is exactly what my followers love.”
Avery rolled her eyes, but I caught the hint of a smile. “Just try not to break anything.”
The restoration room was actually pretty cool, but what really got me was watching Avery in her element. She asked smart questions, genuinely interested in every word. It was a far cry from the fake enthusiasm I often put on for my videos.
As we left the gallery, the setting sun painted everything gold.
“Hey, Spark,” I said, grabbing her arm before I could think better of it. Her skin was warm under my palm, and I had to force myself to focus. “Let's do a quick shoot here. The lighting's perfect.”
To my surprise, she didn't argue. Instead, she positioned herself in front of a quaint flower shop. The blooms framed her face perfectly, like some painting, and I raised my camera, trying not to think about how much I wanted to take out that ponytail and run my fingers through her hair.
“Okay, now just relax,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended. “Pretend I'm not even here.”
“That might be easier if you weren't talking.”
I laughed, snapping a candid shot of her sassy expression. “There we go. There's the real Avery Grant.”
For a moment, she looked startled. Then, slowly, a genuine smile spread across her face. It was like watching the sun come out, and I found myself lowering the camera, just staring at her.
“What?” she asked, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
I shook my head, trying to clear it of thoughts that were definitely not PG. “Nothing. Just… you should smile more often. It suits you.”
A faint blush colored her cheeks, and she quickly looked away. “We should probably find somewhere to eat,” she said, changing the subject. “It's getting late.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. What the hell was wrong with me? This was Avery, for Christ’s sake. Uptight, schedule-obsessed Avery.
I shouldn't be noticing things like how the setting sun turned her skin to gold.
We wandered through the village, our noses assaulted by about a million different food smells. I was ready to just pick a place and dive in, but of course, Avery had to whip out her phone first.
“There's a highly-rated bistro around the corner,” she said, already marching off.
I groaned. “Come on, Spark. Where's your sense of adventure? Let's just follow our noses.”
She hesitated, looking from her phone to the busy street. I could practically hear the gears grinding in her head.
“Tell you what,” I said, spotting my chance. “We'll flip for it. Heads, we go to your fancy bistro. Tails, I pick.” And maybe get you to loosen up a bit.
Avery narrowed her eyes. “Fine. But I'm flipping the coin.”
I grinned and fished out a euro. “Have at it.”
She took the coin, her fingers brushing mine. I ignored the little zing that shot through me.
Avery tossed it high, and we both watched it spin. It landed with a ping. Tails.
I whooped. “Adventure wins, Spark!”
Avery sighed, but I caught the hint of a smile. “Fine. Lead on, Mr. Spontaneous.”
I took a deep breath, letting the smell of garlic and grilled meat guide me. We wound through the streets, passing tourist traps and fancy joints.
Finally, I spotted a tiny hole-in-the-wall. The sign was faded, and there were only a few tables inside, but damn, it smelled amazing.
“This is it,” I said, yanking open the door.
Avery hesitated. “Are you sure? It looks a little… sketchy.”
I flashed her a grin. “Trust me, Spark. The best stuff comes from unexpected places.”
Inside, it was cozy and dim, with mismatched furniture and green tablecloths. An old guy with a huge mustache greeted us, rapid-firing French.
I glanced at Avery, expecting her to take charge. But she looked lost.
“What's wrong?” I teased. “Don't tell me the great Avery Grant doesn't speak French.” The idea of her not being perfect at something was weirdly thrilling.
She blushed. Christ, I wanted to see how far down that blush went.
“I… focused more on Italian when I was preparing for the trip.”
I couldn't help laughing. “Well, well. Looks like I might actually be useful.” I turned to the old guy and dug up my high school French. “Deux, s'il vous pla?t,” I said, holding up two fingers.
The man nodded and led us to a tiny corner table. Our knees bumped as we sat, and I felt that same jolt I'd been trying to ignore all day.
“I didn't know you spoke French,” Avery said, sounding impressed.
I shrugged, playing it cool. “Picked it up here and there. Comes in handy on the road.”
The old guy came back with menus, rattling off specials. I nodded along, catching maybe one word in three.
“So,” I said to Avery, leaning in close. “Want me to translate?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Go ahead. Impress me.”
I scanned the menu, and most of it was gibberish to me, but I wasn't about to let Avery know that.
“Well,” I said, faking confidence, “we've got snails to start, then some house special with… uh… chicken? Or fish. Definitely an animal. And for dessert, something chocolatey. Probably.”
Avery burst out laughing. It was the first real laugh I'd heard from her, and damn, I wanted to hear it again.
“That was terrible,” she giggled. “I thought you spoke French.”
I grinned, not even embarrassed. Her laugh was worth looking stupid. “I said I picked up a bit. Never claimed to be fluent.”
She shook her head, still smiling. “Well, I guess we're both clueless here. Want to just point at random and see what we get?”
My eyebrows shot up. “Who are you and what have you done with Avery Grant?”
“I can be spontaneous, you know.”
“I'll believe it when I see it, Spark.”
As we waited for food, I found myself relaxing. No pressure to perform for the camera or keep up my online persona. Just me and Avery, swapping stories and butchering French.
“So,” Avery said, sipping her wine. “How'd you get into this influencer thing anyway?”
I hesitated. I never talked about Jason. But something about Avery's warm eyes made me want to spill my guts. Dangerous territory.
“Long story,” I stalled.
She leaned back, smiling. “We've got time.”
I took a deep breath. Fuck it.
“I had an older brother, Jason. He was everything I wanted to be. Smart, athletic, popular. Local hero type, you know?”
Avery nodded, her expression softening.
“He was into mountain climbing. Took me sometimes, taught me the ropes. Literally,” I added with a weak laugh. “This one time, we were on a tough climb. I was showing off, not paying attention, and… I slipped.”
I paused, the memory vivid as hell.
“Jason caught me,” I continued, barely above a whisper. “But the force… he couldn't hold on. He fell instead.”
Avery was quiet for a long time. I shouldn't have dumped that on her. I barely knew her, for fuck’s sake.
But then her hand covered mine. And the warmth of her touch anchored me.
“I'm so sorry, Brody,” she said softly.
I shrugged, trying to play it off. “It was a long time ago.” I cleared my throat. “After that, I was lost for a while. Didn't know who the hell I was without him. Then I started this social media thing, just documenting my trips. Like… I could keep part of him alive that way.”
Avery squeezed my hand. “Is that why you push so hard? Take all those risks?”
I nodded, surprised she got it. “Figure if I'm living for both of us, I better make it count, right?”
She was quiet, her hand still on mine. It was more comforting than words.
“Thanks for telling me,” she said finally. “That couldn't have been easy.”
I met her eyes. No pity there, just understanding.
“Yeah, well,” I said, clearing my throat. “Don't go thinking you know all my secrets, Spark. Still got plenty of mystery left.”
She laughed, breaking the tension. “I wouldn't dream of it.”
The food arrived then, thank God. We'd ended up with some killer beef stew and a flambéed dessert that almost took my eyebrows off when the waiter set it on the table.
But watching Avery's eyes light up at my expense made me want to set the whole damn world on fire just to see that smile.
As we ate, the conversation flowed more easily than it had since we met.
Avery told me about her childhood dreams of being an explorer, and I shared stories of some of my crazier adventures around the world. We swapped travel horror stories and debated the merits of various airlines and hotel chains.
By the time we finished our meal, the restaurant had emptied out around us, and I was surprised to realize how late it had gotten.
For once, I hadn't been constantly checking my phone, thinking about the next post or story I needed to share.
All I'd been focused on was her.
As we stepped out into the cool night air, I found myself not wanting the evening to end. Avery must have felt the same, because she didn't immediately head back toward our hotel.
“It's beautiful here at night,” she said.
I nodded, looking around at the village bathed in moonlight. The cobblestone streets gleamed, and the distant sound of music drifted on the breeze.
“Hey,” I said, an idea forming. “Want to go check out the view from that hilltop? I bet it's amazing at night.”
Avery hesitated, checking the time. I held my breath, expecting her to say we needed to get back and prep for tomorrow. Part of me wanted to just grab her and drag her up that hill, schedule be damned.
Then she smiled, a real, genuine smile that made her whole face light up. Damn, she was beautiful when she let her guard down. “You know what? Let's do it.”
We made our way up the winding path to the hilltop, the climb just steep enough to leave us slightly breathless. When we reached the top, the view took my breath away all over again.
The entire village spread out below us, a patchwork of terracotta roofs and twinkling lights. In the distance, rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see, silver from the moonlight.
“Wow,” Avery breathed, moving to stand at the edge of the lookout.
I joined her, close enough that our shoulders brushed. Neither of us moved away. The heat from her body seeped through my shirt, making my skin tingle.
I could feel the tension radiating off her, matching the electricity buzzing through my own body. It took every ounce of self-control not to wrap my arm around her waist and pull her against me.
“You know, Avery,” I said, surprising myself by using her real name. It felt intimate, like a caress. “I truly believe the best moments happen when you least expect them.”
I turned my head slightly, drinking in the sight of her profile. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her skin, highlighting the delicate curve of her cheek, the slight part of her lips. Christ, those lips.
She turned to look at me, her eyes wide and luminous. For a fleeting instant, the spark between us was undeniable. I found myself leaning in closer, drawn by a force I couldn't explain.
Avery swallowed hard, and I could see her pulse fluttering at the base of her throat. “Brody, I?—”
But whatever she was about to say was cut off by the chiming of a surprisingly loud nearby clock tower, and the spell was broken.
Avery stepped back, emotions flashing across her face too quickly for me to decipher.
“We should head back,” she said, her professional mask slipping back into place. “We have an early start tomorrow.”
I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment. “Yeah, sure. Can't have us missing our precious schedule.” The words came out harsher than I intended.
As we made our way back to our hotel, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. The easy banter from earlier was gone, replaced by a charged silence that crackled with… something.
We reached Avery's door first. She hesitated, her hand on the doorknob. “Brody,” she said, not quite meeting my eyes. “Thank you for tonight. It was… unexpected.”
I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “High praise indeed from Avery Grant. I'll take it.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a softness in her expression. “Goodnight, Brody.”
“Goodnight, Spark,” I replied softly.
As I watched her disappear into her room, I couldn't help but wonder what she had been about to say on that hilltop.
And more importantly, why I cared so fucking much.