Page 39 of The Princess and the Pizza Man

“I think I like the other nickname better.”

He raised an eyebrow. Had he called her something else? He honestly couldn’t remember, and that made his heart beat double time. Maybe he’d felt more at home than even he’d originally thought.

Will lay on the plush couch in his and Bells’ suite, staring up at the ceiling. He’d no idea what time it was; it was late. The pizza he’d made for everyone tonight sat on the counter in the small suite’s kitchen, probably questionable to eat. He’d sent a few more texts when he didn’t find Bells in the room, but she hadn’t responded at all. Sleep wasn’t comin’ easy either, and it wasn’t entirely because of his sister.

There was this feeling he couldn’t ignore, one he never thought he’d feel in the middle of the frosty north.

He called it “Sunday mornin’,” something his momma would say a lot. That feeling of knowing you got a whole day off in front o’ ya, but being unable to enjoy it because you got work—or at the time, school—the following morning.

He’d be packing up to leave on early Saturday to make the long trip back home. The second he’d gotten to Frostville he’d been counting down the days with a sense of excitement. Now the thought of leaving in less than forty-eight hours had his mouth turning down in the corners.

He tilted his head at the dark ceiling, the shadows creating the shape of an arrow piercing a heart. He was losing his dang mind.

The sound of the doorknob cut through the room, and he sat up, crossing his arms and putting on his protective brother look. Bells slid inside, holding the doorknob as she closed the door.

“Hey,” he said, and she jumped back into the door, holding a hand up to her chest.

“Gosh, don’t do that.”

He strode over, flicking on the light. Bells’ red, puffy eyes had his anger melting right into concern. “What happened tonight, Bells?”

She tried to smile, but it was incredibly strained. “I think I wanna go home.”

He jolted back. “What?”

Her back straightened, determination setting in her jaw. “Yes. I think it’s time to go home.” She pushed past him and went right to her room. When Will shook free from his shock, he followed. She was already halfway through stuffing her first suitcase.

“Wait… Bells…”

“If you want, I’ll say it, William. I’ll say it, even though it’ll kill me.” She shook a pair of stockings at him before tossing them in next to a red skirt. “You were right. This place is a joke. And I’m a silly woman who actually thought that Eros or Cupid or whatever his name is was gonna shoot me in the butt and change my life.”

“Weren’t things going well with Garreth?”

She threw him a look like he deserved a dunce cap, staying silent as she chucked another item of clothing in the suitcase.

“It don’t matter, anyhow. You wanted to leave, and now I’m sayin’ let’s go. So let’s go.”

He rubbed his chest, his thoughts a maze of reasons to stay. All he had to do was land on one. “Don’t ya want to see who the murderer is?”

She snorted, bending over to start on her second suitcase.

“What about the ball? There’s a ball or somethin’, right? You wanna go to that, I know ya do.”

“Not anymore.” A shoe went flying across the room, landing sloppily on the bed. “That’ll just make things even messier.”

His head tilted, but he knew she wouldn’t elaborate, so he kept going. “But didn’t you promise Winter you’d do her hair?”

She paused, hand poised in the air as she held a heel like a weapon. Her eyes were big and lost, like she couldn’t excuse her way out of that one.Bingo.

“She’s been excited,” he continued. “And it’d be good for you, yeah? Maybe she could recommend you to some of those famous people you want to style for.”

Bells breathing slowed, a watery wall coming up in her eyes. Panic gripped Will’s stomach, holding on for all it was worth. What was he thinkin’? He wanted to go home. He loved Alabama, couldn’t wait to sit in the sun and toss pizzas for a crowd and sleep in his own bed. Over and over again he’d told himself he was only in Frostville for Bells, and now she wanted to go. It was his out.

But that Sunday morning feeling wrapped around him like a blanket, and he desperately wanted Bells to give him these last couple days.

“Yeah,” she said after a minute. “I did promise her…”

“Maybe sleep on it,” he suggested. “You may change your mind after you’ve slept.”

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