Page 40 of Tour Wars
Tears trailed down her cheeks. TJ wanted to console her, but the best he could do was pass her the box of tissues on the nightstand.
She grabbed one and dabbed her eyes. “I know I’m better off without him, but at the time, I was crushed. I hated that I’d been used. That he’d fucked with my head by convincing me I was special and then turned around and treated me like garbage.”
“I’m so sorry.” Hardly adequate for what she was sharing, but he didn’t know what else to say.
“It’s okay. This thing with Luca? It’s not like I was attracted to him, but he gave off a similar energy. Vince was used to getting what he wanted, and Luca’s the same way.” She blew her nose, then crumpled the tissue and tossed it onto the floor. “Like I said, you were right about him all along.”
For once in TJ’s life, he would have preferred to be wrong. “Would a hug help? Or would you rather not have anyone touching you right now?”
“I’d like a hug.” She leaned over and allowed him to take her in his arms.
He held her tightly, hoping his embrace would ease her anguish. Outside her window, birds trilled softly, and voices drifted in from the courtyard, but he stayed silent, giving her time to recover. When she pulled away, he passed her another tissue, and she wiped off the last trace of tears.
“Thanks for listening,” she said. “Sorry to dump all that on you.”
“That’s what friends are for.” As he said it, he worried he’d assumed too much. In the past, they’d always referred to themselves as enemies. Competitors.Rivals. But now, those terms seemed like a way to mask their true feelings. “Just to clarify—wearefriends, right?”
This time, she gave him a real smile—the kind that illuminated her whole face. “I still think your Bronze Age theories are shit. You’re too braggy. And you talk too much. But yeah, we’re friends.”
As relieved as he was that she’d admitted it, a part of him wished for more. Not that he’d dare bring it up now. After what she’d been through, she needed a real friend, not another jerk trying to get her into bed. “Do you want to make a game plan for dealing with Luca? You shouldn’t be alone with him.”
“I think I’ll be all right. He might turn off the charm now that I’ve rejected him.”
TJ’s stomach growled, reminding him he’d eaten a light lunch to save room for pizza. “Any chance I can tempt you into checking out that pizzeria Cesca suggested? I’ve been dreaming about it all afternoon.”
She picked up the pillow and pressed it against her chest. “I don’t know if I want to go out tonight. I feel kinda crappy.”
“You sure?” He pulled out his phone. On the bus ride back to their hotel, he’d drooled over the mouthwatering photos displayed on the pizzeria’s website. “Take a look. You can order by the slice, which means you can try more than one kind. Here’s one with crispy potatoes, herbs, and parsley. Or one with sun-dried tomatoes, pancetta, and arugula. This one has zucchini flowers, black olives, and—your favorite—salted anchovies. You’re the only person I know who likes anchovies.”
“Don’t knock my anchovies.” She scraped a hand through her hair. “I need to pull myself together. If you’re really hungry, you don’t have to wait.”
Like he’d leave without her? “I don’t mind. The hungrier I am, the more pizza I get to try. Don’t forget we can charge it to the Buon Viaggio credit card, which means there’s no limit to the amount of pizza we can order.” He eased off the bed. “Text me when you’re ready, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Okay. And TJ?”
“What?”
“Thanks.” She regarded him tenderly. “For everything.”
“Anytime, Em.”
He meant it. For the rest of this tour, he’d be there for her, no matter what.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
As the Buon Viaggio bus pulled up to the entrance of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, Emilia stood and joined Nico at the front. She found it hard to believe they were already on the fifth day of the tour, which meant it was almost half over. Since today was a weekday, she’d hoped Pompeii would be less crowded, but lines of people had already formed, waiting for the site to open.
She turned to Nico, who was trying to wedge the bus into an open spot. “Don’t worry about parking. You can idle here until everyone gets off.”
Nico nodded. “This place is always packed—spring, summer, fall. One of these days, I’ve got to check it out.”
“You’ve never visited? Nico! It’s an archaeological gem.”
“So I’ve heard.” He offered her a warm smile. “Someday, I promise, but only if you and TJ show me around.”
“It’s a deal, but you’ll have to squeeze it in before we leave in December.”
A car horn blared behind them, but Nico paid it no attention. “What time do you want me to pick up the group? You’re walking to lunch, right?”
