Page 34 of Tour Wars
“Nah, it’s hot as fuck.” Cesca laughed. “Sorry for all the cursing. I learned English watching HBO, and I can’t shake it.”
“It’s fine.” The salty language reminded Emilia of her friend Dusty.
“Now that you’ve admitted it, are you going to make things happen with TJ?”
“Why are you so invested in this? You literally met me two hours ago.”
“Like I said, I love drama. Forbidden-romance drama is even better. Do you want him or not?”
The more Emilia thought about it, the harder it was to deny her feelings. There had been that kiss in Philadelphia. A kiss that might have led to more if TJ hadn’t pulled away. In Pompeii, neither of them had hooked up with anyone else, even though Marie and Paulo had both made overtures. Then, TJ had turned down a trip to Greece to support her on the tour. Hell, he’d even offered to give her his share of the pay, just so she wouldn’t have to deal with Luca on her own. Once he’d committed to the tour, he’d been all in.
Though TJ might have been too intense this morning, it was only because he’d been worried about her. Not once had she thanked him for looking out for her. Instead, she’d totally shut him down.
“Hang on.” She pulled out her phone and texted TJ before she lost her nerve.
Sorry I was so grouchy this morning. Thanks for having my back.
He responded immediately.
I got you, Em. You only need to ask.
The fact that he’d replied without a second of hesitation filled her with an unexpected burst of emotion. Even if the two of them had come to Pompeii as rivals, the dynamic between them had changed. This was a guy whocaredabout her.
She rubbed her hands over her face. “Shit. I’m so doomed.”
Cesca leaned in closer. “Hardly. You just need to figure out your next move.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
TJ took a screenshot of Emilia’s text, in case his messages somehow disappeared into the cloud. He didn’t want to lose this one.Ever.He couldn’t believe she’d sent him an apology. During all their confrontations—at Troy and Pompeii—she’d never backed down from an argument. He wished he could talk to her now instead of having to wait until they were done with the day’s outing.
Seated on a bench in a small strip of green space near the Forum, he’d been studying the binder for the last two hours but was growing weary of it. After setting it down, he indulged in a little people-watching. Even if the summer was almost over, Rome appeared more crowded than when he’d first arrived in June. Endless groups lined up to enter the Colosseum, led by guides like the one Buon Viaggio was using.
How many of the tourists took the time to enjoy the sites they were visiting? Were they absorbing the history or counting the minutes until they could go back to their hotels and rest?
Until he started working at Pompeii, TJ had never taken a guided tour of anything. He liked visiting sites on his own or with a group of archaeologists. He also hated being rushed. Growing up, he’d been the nerdy kid who insisted on reading every placard in a museum exhibit. Give him four hours and a huge building stuffed with antiquities, and he was in heaven. Of all the places he’d visited, his favorite was the Field Museum in Chicago. His dad had taken him there so often that he’d memorized the permanent exhibits.
When his phone buzzed, he peeked at it, hoping Emilia had replied to his last text. Instead, he’d received a message from an unknown number.
SOS. Come immediately! Temple of Vesta.
It had to be from Sandra, the grouchy tour guide in charge of the group. Something must have happened. Despite his trepidation, the adrenaline rush made him feel like Batman receiving the signal from Commissioner Gordon. All he needed was a cape. He sent out a quick response, telling her he’d be there as soon as he could.
He stood up, fully prepared to sprint over to the Forum, but stopped short. Just where was the Temple of Vesta, anyway? He recalled what he’d read about it—an ancient Roman building that had once housed the holy fire of Vesta, tended by six Vestal Virgins. It was located somewhere in the Forum, but the area was so large, so packed with swarms of people, that he wanted to narrow down his search.
His phone vibrated with an incoming call from Emilia. He answered it on the first ring. “Hey, Em. You okay?”
“Yeah. Did you get that SOS from our guide?”
“I did, and I’m on it. Or I will be, once I figure out where the Temple of Vesta is.” With one hand, he propped open the binder, trying to find the right section.
“There’s a map of the Forum in section three of the binder, right after the stuff about the Colosseum. Cesca and I can meet you there. She knows where it is.”
While he could probably handle the emergency on his own, he didn’t want to reject Emilia’s offer. What if the situation was so dire he needed backup? “Thanks. I’ll see you there.”
He leafed through the binder until he found the right map. After taking a picture of it, he tucked the giant tome under his arm. Dodging past the Arch of Titus, he ran down the Via Sacra—the main street leading through the Forum. Back in ancient times, the Forum had served as the city’s foremost public meeting space, where Roman senators would gather to discuss politics. In addition to a public square, the area had held courthouses, temples, and monuments. Now, it was so filled with tourists that TJ could barely move.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, hoping to stop it from dripping into his eyes. By now, the midday sun was at its peak. As he got closer to the temple, he paused, overwhelmed by the sheer mass of humanity. How was he supposed to find his group?
