I can’t wait to see Noah’s face when I fire it up. The fucker is convinced that I can’t do it, and just because he thinks that, I’ve got all the more motivation to prove him wrong. Fuck, nothing feels better than proving Noah Cage wrong. Henley can vouch for me on that one. I’d bet anything that she’d get the same thill out of it that I do.
When I’m not working on the Firebird or obsessing over Tully, I’ve been working out, which is exactly what I’ve been doing this afternoon. I spent a good hour doing weights and the past thirty minutes running through Haven Falls which is how I ended up here. I always end up here, but today, I think I might hang around for a bit.
I find myself dropping down onto the bench to watch her. Tully clocked me the second I came into view and hasn’t taken her eyes off me since. This has been our routine for the past two weeks. I come past, check that she’s doing ok, and then I keep going. Sometimes I stay for a moment and sometimes she gives me a smile that puts everything at ease and has me happy to leave her be.
Today though, I ain’t going anywhere.
She’s so goddamn beautiful. She has a black shirt with her ‘Read My Tulips’ logo across the back that hugs her frame just beautifully. She was wearing this shirt the day I’d come across her store and she may have a million pairs of the same shirt, but this particular one seems just a little bigger on her.
I highly doubt that she ordered a shirt a size too big which could only mean that she’s lost weight over the past two weeks. Though I don’t know how it’s possible. She’s most likely been curled up on her couch watching Netflix and eating ice cream. Not exactly healthy but it’s not as though her body isn’t used to that kind of torture. Eating endless tubs of ice cream has been her go to thing since before I met her. That and chicken nuggets of course.
The realization has my jaw clenching and I have to remind myself of all the reasons why I should be staying put right now. Why the hell hasn’t Spencer been picking her up on it? Someone needs to be shoving hamburgers down her throat.
My fingers start to twitch. There’s a takeout store just down the road. I could go down there, get her something to eat, put it down in front of her and back away, but with that fire in her eyes today, she’d most likely throw it back at me. But fuck, I wouldn’t even care because I love that fire.
My phone rings and I welcome the distraction. I dig it out of my pocket and grin down at Noah’s name. “Well, if it isn’t the biggest fuckhead in all of Haven Falls,” I grin.
“What the fuck did you do to Tully? She hasn’t answered my calls in two weeks.”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything. She’s fine. I’m looking at her right now.”
“Really?” he grumbles in surprise. “Then put her on the fucking phone. I have a few things to get off my chest. No body gets away with ignoring my calls.”
“Um…” Shit. How do I tell my best friend that when I say ‘looking at her’ I mean in more of a stalking kind of way? “I’m at her store and she’s busy with a customer. I’ll get her to call you later on.”
“Fine.”
“How’s it going over there? Are you enjoying Italy?”
“Yeah,” he grumbles under his breath.
A grin rips across my face at his tone as I watch Tully chatting with Candice. “What’s the problem?”
“Nothing,” he sighs. “Henley wants to keep exploring while I’d rather keep her locked up in our hotel room. You wouldn’t believe how many fucking times she’s made me visit Juliet’s Balcony and rub her right tit.”
I stop staring at his sister and focus on my best friend in case he’s just gone insane. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
He lets out a frustrated sigh. “We’re in Verona and there’s a building here which is said to have inspired Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet.’”
“Ok…” I say slowly. “Go back to the rubbing her tits thing.”
“There’s a statue of Juliet in the courtyard. You’re supposed to rub her right tit for good luck or some shit like that.”
“It’s for luck in love,” Henley’s voice comes shooting through the line.
I shake my head. “Don’t you two already have enough luck in love? Bring that tit home for me to rub.”
“What do you mean?” Noah questions in a too cheery tone. “Shit ain’t going well with Tully?”
Has he lost his fucking mind? “You remember she’s with Spencer, right? You know, the dickhead who all but abandoned her at your wedding and has let her lose weight over the past two weeks.”