Page 36 of Tour Wars
She placed a hand on his arm. Just the slightest touch, but the contact made his heart soar. “I’ve got this. If not, we can wing it together. We’re a team, right?”
Yes. For the first time since they’d embarked upon this tour, he truly believed it.
* * *
Something had clicked for Emilia.Even with the crowds, the heat, and the constant questions from Sylvie, she was having fun. This wasn’t like leading a group through Pompeii with a prepared script. She was improvising, calling upon her stellar memory to recall everything she’d read about this part of Rome. Knowing she wouldn’t have time to cover all the highlights, she skipped a few of the monuments in the Forum and led the group up to Palatine Hill. Back in the day, it had housed the elegant homes and palaces of the Roman elite. Now, it offered a spectacular view of the surrounding area.
She waited patiently as TJ helped Alice up the stairs to the Farnese Gardens. “Sorry for the climb, but you don’t want to miss the view,” she said. “It’s one of the best in Rome.”
“As long as you don’t mind waiting, I can make it,” Alice said. “I need some decent shots for my Instagram account.”
“I thought you didn’t like apps,” TJ teased.
“My grandchildren made me get it,” she said. “I agreed to it, but only if they promised to like all my posts.”
“We’ll make sure you get some great pictures,” Emilia said.
Located at the top of Palatine Hill, the Farnese Gardens provided a peaceful oasis filled with shady walking paths, fountains, and statues. Emilia took a deep breath, catching the faint scent of roses. What she wouldn’t give to spend a quiet afternoon here reading. Even if she hadn’t intended to lead a tour today, she was grateful for a chance to visit this part of Rome.
“These gardens were originally built in the sixteenth century by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who was a wealthy nephew of the Pope,” she said. “They once included aviaries with all kinds of birds. Take your time walking around, but make sure to observe the view. From here, we can see the Forum, the Colosseum, and the Capitoline Hills.”
They stopped at a cast iron fountain with a distinctive curved spout. “Anyone thirsty?” TJ asked. “Now’s a good time to refill your water bottles.”
Sylvie frowned. “Are you sure the water’s safe? When we went to Morocco last year, we wouldn’t have dreamed of drinking from a public fountain.”
“Our guide told us to stick with bottled water,” Alice added. “But even then, a few of us had tummy trouble.”
“You won’t have to worry about that here,” Cesca said. “There are over two thousand of these public fountains all over the city. We call them nasoni—noses—because the spout is like a big nose. The water’s not only drinkable; it’s also deliciously cold.”
As the others filled their bottles, TJ sidled over to Emilia. “You still doing okay? Anytime you want me to pitch in, just say the word.”
She poked him in the shoulder. “You wish. You can’t stand that I’m showing you up.”
“May I remind you thatIwas supposed to be the one saving the day here.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I wanted to be the knight in shining armor.”
“You already did a lot by letting Alice tour the area at her own pace.” She lowered her voice. “Speaking of which, when I talked to Davis yesterday, he told me one of the reasons he panned that Portugal tour was because their guide rushed them through everything. The pace was too intense. It’s something we might want to consider. We need to make sure our guests aren’t overtired or ask them if they want a less taxing alternative. We might not be able to accommodate every demand, but having two of us means we have more flexibility.”
A slow grin spread across his face. “Does this mean you actuallycareabout these people? That inside your prickly exterior, there’s a sweet center?”
Typical TJ, always pushing her buttons. “Oh, shut up. There’s no sweet center, but I never half-ass anything. If we’re going to do this, then we’re going to give our group the best damn tour we can.”
He was still looking infuriatingly smug, like he was the one responsible for her change of heart. She didn’t want to give him that much credit, but she had to admit she felt lighter now that she’d told Cesca how she felt about him. While she still intended to banter with him as much as ever, now she didn’t have to lie to herself anymore.
At times, he might be too overconfident. Even boastful. And his theories about the Bronze Age sucked. But shelikedhim.
And she suspected he felt the same way about her.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Emilia sat in the hotel’s shaded courtyard, enjoying the solitude. Beside her was the binder, but she hadn’t cracked it open. Instead, she was using the time to let her mind wander. After her conversation yesterday with Cesca, her thoughts kept drifting to TJ. When had she started liking him? Had it been three nights ago, when they’d spent the evening in her room watchingGladiator? Or back in Pompeii when they’d paired up to give tours? Or even last summer while sparring at Troy?
One thing was certain—ever since they’d embarked upon this adventure, he’d been on her mind a lot. Not that she had any idea what to do about it. Obviously, she couldn’t pursue him now. The rules didn’t allow it. Even after the tour ended, they only had two months left at Pompeii.
Or did they?
What if Dr. Roberti got the funding to extend the project until next June? And what if she and TJ were selected to join the team after proving their worth as tour guides? Then they’d have eight months together in Pompeii. More than enough time for a real relationship to grow.
But was it worth it to invest so much of herself in another person when they didn’t have any chance of a future? Once they returned home, they’d go back to being competitors. They’d take jobs wherever they could find them, which meant they couldn’t be tied down to anyone or any place.
