Page 143 of Lovestruck at Sundown
Long seconds later, I broke the embrace and said, “I’ll talk to Miss Patty and have her book you on the next flight to Tel Aviv.” I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. “I’ll take care of everything.”
Aaron blew out a breath. “Thank you.”
“I’m coming with you,” Naomi said.
“You can’t.” Aaron’s voice was low and shaky. “You are flooded with work. Your clients need you.”
“I’m not asking.” Her tone was resolute. “I’m coming. I can manage to work remotely for a few days.”
“And what about your mother,” Aaron insisted. “You can’t leave the country. What if she—”
“She’s been doing fine these past few weeks,” Naomi cut him off gently. “She’s been stable.”
Aaron stared down at Naomi; the height difference was endearing, almost comical, since she was not wearing her usual high heels. And still, that cute, curly-haired, tiny thing had Aaron wrapped around her finger. But the reciprocity was as clear as day because a workaholic like Naomi willing to drop everything and leave the country for a funeral spoke volumes.
“My family will harass you with questions,” he warned her, rubbing his tired face with his hands. “Especially my aunts who know no boundaries. Don’t think you will be exempt from being questioned because it’s my father’s funeral. It will be awkwardand—”
“I don’t care!” Naomi shouted, stopping him mid-sentence. “I don’t care.” Her tone softened. “Do you want me to come or not?”
Aaron considered Naomi’s question in silence. Then, he took a step forward, which made her arch her head back to level with Aaron’s intense, ink-blue gaze. “I don’t even want to imagine doing this without you.”
I pressed my lips together and looked away as I lifted a tight fist over my mouth. It was the only thing I could think of doing to prevent myself from falling to my knees and squealing with excitement.
“Okay, then,” Naomi replied in a breath.
I felt like an intruder, like my presence was hindering the flow of their interaction. As much as I wanted to witness how the scene would unfold, I knew it was best to make myself scarce.
“I’ll make sure Miss Patty includes you in the reservation,” I told Naomi, my tone an octave higher. I cleared my throat and tried to keep my cool as I walked backward toward the elevator. “You guys should go pack and get ready.”
Aaron’s lips twitched into a tender, relieved smile. I was glad Naomi would keep him company during the tricky days ahead. Besides, he needed time off work. It was way overdue. He was allowed to take vacations. But Aaron never allowed himself to do so. My father could easily find a temporary replacement for him during that time. Not that it was necessary.
“Thank you, Billie.” Naomi smiled, grabbed Aaron’s hand, and intertwined her fingers with his. The ease and familiarity of the gesture let me know this wasn’t a first-time thing. “You need to rest before the trip.” Naomi pulled Aaron toward their apartment. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. “And you need to eat something. Come on, I’ll make you one of my horrible sandwiches.”
Aaron snorted a soft laugh.
Naomi’s genuine concern for Aaron was adorable and made my heart swell. He ran an arm around Naomi’s shoulders and kissed the top of her head. He said something to her in Hebrew, to which she replied with a simple, “Of course,” and then, “Always.”
I knew their story was complicated, and I also knew that all I saw was nothing but the tip of the iceberg. But tragedy has a mysterious way of bringing people together. I remember how Caleb and I had first connected through our shared emotional struggles. We’d both lost someone dear to us, but we had each other to talk to about things. And I hoped it did that for Naomi and Aaron, as well.
Aaron peeked over his shoulder at me and dipped his chin in appreciation.
I turned on my heel and sent Miss Patty a text explaining the situation so she could alert my father and help Aaron organize his trip back home for the funeral. And when I arrived at my doorstep, I saw Cecile standing there waiting for me.
“Hey!” I hugged her and shared the news about Aaron’s dad passing away once we were inside. And before I could even kick off my shoes, a few texts from Aaron popped up in my screen.
Aaron:Thank you, Miss Murphy. Miss Patty has contacted me, and we’ll be leaving tomorrow first thing in the morning.
Aaron:My family called me last week to let me know my father’s condition was dire. So I’d been waiting for them
to call me all week, dreading the moment they’d tell me he had passed away. That’s why I haven’t been sleeping well and why I’ve been a bit off.
Me:You don’t have to explain yourself or anything. I
completely understand. I’m glad Miss Patty was able
to help youso quickly. Love you.
I’d never told Aaron that I loved him before. It just slipped out. But I did. He was like family to me, the older brother I never had. And knowing how much pain he was in made me want to let him know how much I cared about him.
