“Not likely,” I say.
He either doesn’t hear or doesn’t care.
The girls’bus has all the curtains pulled, but the door is ajar. I consider knocking, but I don’t want to wake Kelly if she’s asleep. It’s only been a few minutes since Mia came to the bus, but I peek my head around the stairs to make sure I’m not intruding on anyone undressing.
Mia’s kneeling on the floor next to Kelly, who’s lying on the couch, miserable. Mia’s hand strokes her hair while Rose snores softly on the other couch.
I allow myself a few seconds to watch Mia in this role. Gosh, I like her.
And you know whoshelikes?
Noah Hayes.
Whatever that kiss with me was, it fled her mind the second he stepped into the picture.
I clear my throat gently, and her head whips around.
“Austin.” She hurries to her feet. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Can I talk to you for a sec?”
A hint of wariness flashes in her eyes, but she nods and follows me out of the bus.
“What’s up?” she asks once we’re out and standing on the pavement.
I hold up my phone. “Noah’s number.”
“Oh, right! Hold on just a sec.” She disappears into the bus and returns with a phone in each hand. She sticks out the one I bought her earlier today. “Don’t know if you want that back or if you’d rather I pay you for it and sell it myself.”
“I can take it.”
“Thank you.” She holds my gaze after I take the phone. “It was really nice of you—to go after my stuff in the first place and then to help me out with a new phone.”
I shrug. “It was no biggie.” I navigate to Noah’s contact. “Ready?”
“Yeah.” She opens the dialer in her phone.
I say the numbers slowly—slowly enough I’ve got plenty of time to consider tweaking just one of them. But I don’t. Can I nominate myself for a Medal of Honor, or does someone else have to do it?
“Thanks,” she says once he’s saved in her phone. “Oh, and thanks a lot for the new lock screen.” She holds it up and shows me the picture I saved to it before bringing it to her in her dressing room.
It’s one of the ones Giuseppe took of us in the gondola. I did it as a joke, but since that little interaction with Noah, I feel weird.
“Figured it’s what you’d have wanted.”
“Mmhmm,” she says, smiling at me in a way that makes my heart pound.
“Hey, about that kiss…”
“You were just trying to help me. I get it. Don’t worry. I’m not reading into it. I promise.”
I nod, and there’s a prolonged silence.
“Just a friend helping out another friend, right?” Her smile is less strong now.
“Right…” I’ve never said a word with less confidence.
“Besides,” she says. “No one saw. So… we’re safe.”
