My chest hurts because she doesn’t see what I see when she looks in the mirror. The beautiful image that pours out of her isn’t the reflection she sees back.
“I’m so scared of people leaving me that I prefer to live a life alone.”
My hands mold to her hips, and she doesn’t move away.
“I’m scared I’ll never be the girl a guy wants to show off.”
My mouth inches closer, and her breathing staggers.
“I’m starting to think I want more than one night, but I’m terrified.”
Her head tilts into my face that’s nuzzling into the bend of her neck.
“I want someone to sweep me off my feet.”
My fingers dig in to her hip bones, and she sinks into my chest. I’m not sure she would pull away if I kissed the soft spot of her neck my eyes won’t leave. Rather, I’m sure she’d enjoy it.
“I want to be someone’s white knight.”
“I want it to be—”
“What’s going on in here?” Bruno busts through the door.
I remove my hands from his sister as I clear my throat. “What’s up, man?”
Noodle coughs, and her wrist circles a mile a minute in the sauce. She’d better watch out, or the sauce will splatter all over her shirt.
“Grandma went up to take a nap. I heard you’re running family dinner.”
“She already started it.” I never take credit where it’s not due.
My eyes ping to Noodle then back to him. Her face is completely red, and I can’t deny that I love that I affect her that much.
“Did she give you the recipe?” Bruno asks.
I wish I could knock some sense into this guy, but he wants to become a millionaire. His drive just needs a U-turn to go another route.
“Jesus!” Noodle slams the wooden spoon on the stove and red splatters everywhere. “Give it a damn rest, Bruno.” She stands chest to chest to him with her hands on her hips. “No one is going to sell Grandma’s sauce, okay? Find a job, any job. Stop the get-rich-quick shit, and just work like everyone else.”
She pushes the kitchen door open and leaves the room.
“What is her problem?” Bruno looks back and forth from the door to me.
I don’t say anything because I’m fairly sure she’s upset that he interrupted us, and if that’s the case, I’m too happy to argue another reason. A smile creeps up my lips, and I can’t fight it.
I think she likes me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Amelia
Todd and I leave my parents’ house and return to Fort Greene Park, because I want a few scenery pictures with the hope that Bette will allow me to sneak one or two in. I figure, as long as they have Todd in them, she’s more likely to be okay with something different. There are only a few more hours of daylight, and I think the dusk pictures will be a perfect fit for the show. Thank goodness, Jim and my dad were busy talking about work.
We sit down on a blanket, courtesy of my mom, and unwrap the pieces of pie we took to go.
“It smells delicious.” I fork my pie and stare out at the people running or walking along the path.
“What did you expect? I made it.” He gobbles down a healthy forkful.
I swear he has the metabolism of a teenager.
“I’m so nervous about the show.” I nibble on the inside of my cheek.
“Don’t be. The show is going to be great. Besides”—he leans in, and his breath tickles my neck—“I’ll be right by your side.”
I laugh. “Believe me, Bette will keep you occupied.”
“No one can keep me from you. Don’t worry. I guarantee everyone is going to love your work. You’ve done other shows,” he mumbles through another bite while my pie stays in the container, uneaten.
The pie looks mouthwatering, but my nerves don’t allow me to eat. “They were so small compared to Bette’s. Not to mention, the others were all new artists fresh out of the academy.”
“Don’t get me wrong. When my time comes, I’ll be sweating bullets in the kitchen, but this is your dream.” He grabs my shoulders to face him. “Your dream. Everything you’ve worked for. Now’s the time.”
“I know. It’s just nerve-racking.”
“Don’t lose faith in yourself now. I’ll just keep reminding you of how amazing you are.”
He goes back to eating, and I lean back on my hands.
“You’re sweet. Thank you.”
“You’ll do the same with me. Look what you did with Edith and Karla.”
“Speaking of which, what’s going on with that?” I say, like it was a big deal to act like his fiancée. Not at all.
“They haven’t called.” Now, he puts his fork down and lifts his legs to rest his arms across them.
“They will.” I knock him.
He catches himself before falling to his side. “Why are you always knocking me over?”
“It’s fun.”
The urge to hide behind my lens emerges, and I stand with my camera and start snapping pictures of the trees, the people, and water. The park is beautiful, and somehow, I’ll always think of it as my spot with Todd.
“Can you wait until I finish?” He holds his hand up in the air to block the camera.
“No.”
I look through the lens at Todd, and I can’t deny how good-looking he is. I’ve always known he’s gorgeous, but these last few weeks, it’s become about more than his chiseled jaw or bright blue eyes drawing me to him. He’s nice, encouraging, and protective of me. He bears a natural kindness to everyone, and lately, my thoughts drift to him instead of Davis.
“Is Davis coming back for the show?”
I turn my back to Todd and act as though I’m taking a picture of the boat floating on the lake. “No.”
“He’s not?” The judgment toward Davis is clear from his tone.
“No. He bought me a ticket to a movie premiere, and I was supposed to go out there.”
“The same weekend?”
“Yes.” I sit next to him and place my camera down. “Can I ask you something?”
I wish I had the nerve to ask him if he liked me, but instead, I decide to test the waters and see if I’m by myself on this attraction island.
“What’s up?” He downs the remaining part of his pie.
“Let’s say that you get your restaurant. Do you think your career should come before your girlfriend?” There. I asked it.
“No, but I’m different than Davis. Davis is all career-oriented, which isn’t a bad thing. His drive got him to where he is now.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
I think about my conversation with Davis the night before he left, how he did the enormous gesture for his now ex-wife. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that side of Davis, or anyone for that matter.
“I told him I wanted to take a break.”
“Because he can’t come back for your show?” Todd’s eyes dig into mine.
I wish he’d kiss me and tell me we’re meant for each other. Shit, focus, Amelia.
“No, he called Bette to get the date of my show changed.”
“Maybe he just wanted you to be with him.”
“Don’t you get it? He wants to control the situation. He wants to control me. I don’t want a relationship like that.”
I could pound my fist on the grass from Todd not understanding why I’m angry with Davis.
“I get it, but it came from his heart.”
Why is he sticking up for Davis?
“Oh, my God. I want a guy who would put me in front of himself. A guy who I know, when I’m in his arms, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. A guy who loves me with every fiber of his being.”
“Do you love Davis?” Todd licks his lips, and he inhales a breath.
“Obviously not. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have told him I needed a break.” I grab my camera. “Enough of this sappy shit.”
“Noodle, let’s talk.”
He pulls my sweatshirt, and I fall to the ground.
“What do you want me to say?”
“What do you want?”
Who do I want is more like it.
“I want a guy who does the grand gesture for me. A guy who abandons everything just to be with me.”