She punches my arm. “You’re distracting me, and I’m trying to be fast.”
I put my hands up and step away, watching her discuss the merits of opal and moonstone with the jeweler. Aware I’m not only staring at Mia but smiling while I do it, I stroll to the next closest stand, which is full of sunglasses.
“Not a great day for sales, I’m guessing,” I say to the guy sitting on the stool by the credit card machine.
“A day is as great as the person living it,” he replies like he’s an ancient Greek philosopher.
I give a thoughtful nod. “Who said that?”
He grins, showing a smile with three missing teeth. “Me.”
I glance at Mia, who says goodbye to the shopkeeper and slips the ring into her purse along with her wallet. Just as she starts in my direction, a lanky kid in a baseball hat and sunglasses swipes the purse strap over her shoulder.
“Hey!” Mia locks her elbow, and they struggle over the purse.
I race over just as he yanks it free of her grasp and makes off with it.
I sprint after him, twisting my shoulders to slip through the crowds. I have to keep my eyes pinned on him, so I don’t lose him when I blink. His hat is the only thing preventing that from happening, even with how firmly I’m focused.
The crowds thin out the farther we get from the shops, but the kid is fast. He takes the steps of each bridge two at a time, and I channel every ounce of energy I have to gain on him.
“Austin!” Mia’s voice calls from behind.
“Stay there!” I yell.
“Just let it go!” she yells right back.
But I can’t. The race is on, and this kid is toast. I’m not returning to Mia empty-handed.
He’s scrappy, but I’m determined, and I start to gain on himat the fifth bridge, ignoring the sweat forming on my brow or the strange looks on the faces of every tourist I pass.
The kid leaves the main drag, opting for the narrow alleys and thinner crowds. My lungs are burning, and I don’t know how long I’ve been chasing him, but I can’t stop when I’m getting closer every few seconds.
He takes a sudden left, and I follow.
Stopping and panting, I search the alley for him, my ears cocked for any sound. But it’s empty and silent. Where in the world did he go?
Quickly approaching footsteps sound around the corner I just turned, and I whirl around.
16
AUSTIN
Mia collides with me.Grabbing her by the arms, I stumble back, but I can’t quite manage to regain my balance. I fall backward, and she tumbles along with me.
We grunt as we hit the stone, one of my hands bracing me, the other holding her.
She rolls off me before I’m even aware she’sonme.
“Are you crazy?” she asks breathlessly, hurrying to her feet. “What are you doing?”
I scramble to stand, looking up and down the alley. But it’s no use. The guy’s halfway to Rome by now. I let out a huge sigh and lean over, resting my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath. “Trying to get your stuff back.”
“You don’t run after a thief. What if he had a knife or a gun or something?”
“He was just a kid, Mia.”
“Um, hi. Ever heard of juvie? Not all kids are angels. And clearly, he wasn’t such a little kid that you actually caught him.”
