And we just stood there, breathing the same air…. And then?—
Someone bumped into me from behind. Josie.
“I’m live, friends!” she announced in full-on local newscaster mode.
Noah stepped back just as I yanked my hand from his pocket.
“We’re back from seeing the Colorado National Monument this morning,” Josie said, holding her camera out in front of her, “with the handsome Dr. Noah. And look who’s up and about—our little chef, recovered from her mysterious illness. Tell me, Luna,” she winked, “how was the shopping?”
“I, uh…fine?”
Noah shook his head, but he was laughing. “Josie, you’re filming the bus.”
She frowned, adjusting her angle, and—thank the travel gods—seemed to forget about us entirely.
Without waiting for a second take, we ducked inside the hotel and made our way to the elevator. A small group had gathered by the doors—Babs, Christine, and a few of the others—who were all chatting about today’s excursion. I stayed silent, very aware of the person standing about three inches from me.
When the elevator stopped on our floor and we all split off toward our rooms, Noah went ahead of me, walking backward though, so that he could stay facing me.
“What kind of wine do you like?” he asked.
What?
“Since you’re skipping the tour this evening.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—” But then I stopped myself.
He’d asked.
He wanted to know.
“Pinot Grigio,” I said.
He nodded once. Just once. Then he turned and disappeared down the hall.
And suddenly I felt like I was sixteen again, watching the guy I liked walk away and trying not to read too much into everything.
What was happening?
Back in my room, I tore open the Velcro, kicked off my new Chacos—they landed in a satisfied little heap by the door—and flopped onto the bed.
Incapable of keeping this to myself, I grabbed the phone and fired off a message to Ashley:
Me: Okay so… I think he wanted to kiss me??
I barely had time to blink before my phone lit up.
“Don’t say it.”
“I’m already saying it,” Ashley replied. “No. Just—no. You’re on a healing trip, remember? Not a ‘let’s make out with the first hot guy who makes me tingle’ trip.”
“I’m not making out with anyone!”
“You just texted me saying he almost kissed you. What does that mean, anyway? How did this happen?”
“How much time do you have?”
“The boys are over at Susan and Bob’s tonight, so…spill. I want all the tea.”
