for touring. Sometimes talking to her family wrung her out. Love could be the most tiring thing in the world.
Chapter 11
Rome was the most interesting city she’d ever seen. Aja wandered around with her mouth half open, stopping every few minutes to take in a new sight. She loved the colors, the Old-World feel of everything. The people were animated and intense. They made Aja feel washed out, tepid. The sun was perfect. Having spent most of her life living in the rainy city of Vancouver, it was wonderful to experience the Mediterranean climate. Aja longed for someone to share everything with. She pushed away depressing thoughts, stopped in front of a display of pottery, and was nearly knocked off her feet by someone behind her.
“Mamma mia!”
She turned to see a man looming over her, a jug of wine balanced on his shoulder.
“ Mi scusi. Ti ho fatto male ?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t speak Italian.”
He switched to English. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you. Are you alright?”
“I’m okay. It’s my fault for stopping so quickly.”
He smiled at her, his dark blue eyes crinkling in the corners. “You are visiting Roma?”
It sounded exotic, spoken with his Italian accent. “Yes. Just here on holidays. Sorry, I have to go. My husband is waiting for me.” She peered around as though looking for someone, ignoring his pointed look at her bare left hand.
She’d seen him earlier in the day, staring at her from across the street. It made her nervous to think that he might be following her. Maybe Stephen had found her already. Maybe he’d hired an Italian hit man. Or maybe she was just losing her mind. He didn’t look like someone who murdered people, but she was sure there were handsome hit men out there.
Aja hurried away, pretending not to notice that he watched her go with a sad face.
She spent the day browsing shops in the Piazza Navona district, gawking at the sights. With so much to see, her eyes felt strained. The sun beat on her head fiercely enough that she broke down and bought a hat. The relief was palatable. She walked out of the store and stopped dead. She had that prickly feeling again.
Aja didn’t want whoever was following her to know she suspected anything so she moved to the store window and tried to see the people around her, just like she’d seen in the movies. It was impossible. There were too many people milling around to get a fix on the person who had given her the eerie feeling. Stephen couldn’t have found her already. Could he? Despite the heat, an icy chill settled in her bones.
No longer interested in being a tourist, she turned in what she was sure was the direction of her hotel. As she walked, she could feel the heat leaching the liquid from her every pore. She stopped at a food stand and purchased a bottle of water. She glanced behind her, but didn’t see anyone she recognized from her other furtive glance around. Am I losing my mind ?Maybe not, but she herself was definitely lost.
Aja decided to get a cab to the hotel. There was no point trying to find her way on foot - besides, if someone was following her, maybe she’d lose them.
She stood at the side of the busy street waiting for a cab to come by, hoping to flag one down, being jostled as people shoved past. She was irritated by the bumping, but was more interested in finding a cab than in looking for a less crowded area.
Without warning, she was shoved from behind, and was only saved from flying into the path of oncoming cars by her unknown assailant’s hold on her purse. They had a brief tug-of-war - thankfully the strap held, and Aja swung around, yanking it fiercely toward her. The small boy attached to the other end gave a squeal, let go, and took off. With the force on the other end suddenly gone, she flew backwards and slammed into another body. Arms wrapped around her, stopping her headlong fall into the
Chapter 11
Rome was the most interesting city she’d ever seen. Aja wandered around with her mouth half open, stopping every few minutes to take in a new sight. She loved the colors, the Old-World feel of everything. The people were animated and intense. They made Aja feel washed out, tepid. The sun was perfect. Having spent most of her life living in the rainy city of Vancouver, it was wonderful to experience the Mediterranean climate. Aja longed for someone to share everything with. She pushed away depressing thoughts, stopped in front of a display of pottery, and was nearly knocked off her feet by someone behind her.
“Mamma mia!”
She turned to see a man looming over her, a jug of wine balanced on his shoulder.
“ Mi scusi. Ti ho fatto male ?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t speak Italian.”
He switched to English. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you. Are you alright?”
“I’m okay. It’s my fault for stopping so quickly.”
He smiled at her, his dark blue eyes crinkling in the corners. “You are visiting Roma?”
It sounded exotic, spoken with his Italian accent. “Yes. Just here on holidays. Sorry, I have to go. My husband is waiting for me.” She peered around as though looking for someone, ignoring his pointed look at her bare left hand.
She’d seen him earlier in the day, staring at her from across the street. It made her nervous to think that he might be following her. Maybe Stephen had found her already. Maybe he’d hired an Italian hit man. Or maybe she was just losing her mind. He didn’t look like someone who murdered people, but she was sure there were handsome hit men out there.
Aja hurried away, pretending not to notice that he watched her go with a sad face.
She spent the day browsing shops in the Piazza Navona district, gawking at the sights. With so much to see, her eyes felt strained. The sun beat on her head fiercely enough that she broke down and bought a hat. The relief was palatable. She walked out of the store and stopped dead. She had that prickly feeling again.
Aja didn’t want whoever was following her to know she suspected anything so she moved to the store window and tried to see the people around her, just like she’d seen in the movies. It was impossible. There were too many people milling around to get a fix on the person who had given her the eerie feeling. Stephen couldn’t have found her already. Could he? Despite the heat, an icy chill settled in her bones.
No longer interested in being a tourist, she turned in what she was sure was the direction of her hotel. As she walked, she could feel the heat leaching the liquid from her every pore. She stopped at a food stand and purchased a bottle of water. She glanced behind her, but didn’t see anyone she recognized from her other furtive glance around. Am I losing my mind ?Maybe not, but she herself was definitely lost.
Aja decided to get a cab to the hotel. There was no point trying to find her way on foot - besides, if someone was following her, maybe she’d lose them.
She stood at the side of the busy street waiting for a cab to come by, hoping to flag one down, being jostled as people shoved past. She was irritated by the bumping, but was more interested in finding a cab than in looking for a less crowded area.
Without warning, she was shoved from behind, and was only saved from flying into the path of oncoming cars by her unknown assailant’s hold on her purse. They had a brief tug-of-war - thankfully the strap held, and Aja swung around, yanking it fiercely toward her. The small boy attached to the other end gave a squeal, let go, and took off. With the force on the other end suddenly gone, she flew backwards and slammed into another body. Arms wrapped around her, stopping her headlong fall into the
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