Anywhere (6 page)

He nodded. “Thanks. I was ready to lick the sidewalk to get that taste out of my mouth.”

“Right? You and me both. Though, I was thinking gelato rather than sidewalk.”

“Brilliant plan! Brains AND beauty.” He laughed as I rolled my eyes.

I squinted at him in the bright afternoon light. “I think if we’re going to go on a quest…” I began, but he cut me off.

“See? You’re feeling the Pull of the Quest, aren’t you. I knew that would happen. I could just tell by looking at you.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry,” he said, though not looking sorry in the least. “You were saying?”

“IF we’re going to go on a quest,” I said again, “it should be for something nobler than good pizza.”

He clutched at his chest, staggering. “Nobler than the Quest for the Perfect Pizza? IMPOSSIBLE. I defy you to come up with one!”

I scanned the area as we walked. Gelato and souvenir stands dotted the sidewalks, looking so out of place in this most ancient city.

“Can’t think of anything, can you?” Asher said. “I stand Triumphant. Pizza Quest it is!”

“Not so fast,” I said, and put a hand on his chest. I pointed at some particularly tacky looking souvenirs in a nearby shop. “I submit to the Triumvirate—of which there are currently only two members so it would be a Biumvirate, if there was such a word—the Quest for the Tackiest Souvenir.”

Asher gasped as if in awe and then started laughing. “I Stand Corrected!” he shouted, which made a couple of middle-aged Italian men jump and start yelling in Italian. Asher grabbed my hand and we ran, not stopping until we’d turned a corner and were out of sight, out of breath, and laughing.

Asher went down on one knee in front of me, two hands grasping my one. He bowed his head and brought my hand to his forehead. “I accept your Quest and am honored to be Chosen for this challenge.” Then he let go, stood up, and said, “You know that we’re going to have to stop at every single souvenir shop or stand we come across now, don’t you? You’ve set us up with an Epic Quest.” He grinned wide, looking around. “God, my brother would have loved this.” His smile turned bittersweet, but then he shook it off and said, “But first, let’s start with gelato.”

We bought some from a street vendor, then spent the afternoon exploring the ruins of the Forum. Afterwards, we wandered through souvenir stands, not finding much to suit our quest until Asher grabbed my arm and pointed.

Hanging from a string above our heads were an assortment of boxers. (Souvenir underwear?
Really?
) And one pair in particular made me gasp.

“Isn’t that…” I said.

“
David
’s package?” Asher finished for me, and I could hear the suppressed laughter in his voice.

Okay, so I hadn’t been an art history major, but I was pretty sure the naked crotch of Michelangelo’s
David
was featured prominently on the front of these boxers.

“That’s just…” Asher said.

“…so, SO wrong.”

“And yet, hysterical.” He held up his phone and took a picture. Then he pulled me over to stand with him and took a picture of us standing beneath them. I pointed to the shorts with a cheesy grin as he snapped it.

It felt nice to have his arm around my shoulders, his hand grazing the skin of my arm. A little TOO nice. So I stepped away as soon as he let go, putting some distance between us.

I couldn’t think things like that.

I wasn’t ready to.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

seven

“S
o, if you were planning this trip for years, why wasn’t it going to happen?”

We were sitting on the Spanish Steps at dusk, a deep blue sky darkening above while street lights flickered on like giant fireflies, illuminating us in rich yellows as we waited for Julia, Shayne, and Tommy.

I couldn’t look at Asher. “I was supposed to get married.”

“
No
.”

I nodded and chanced a glance at him. He was staring at me, an unreadable expression on his face. My stomach dropped. Was this the thing he wouldn’t like about me? I shouldn’t have cared, I know that. But I did.

“So, why didn’t you marry him?” Asher said, still staring at me. “You didn’t love him?”

I’d loved Blaine. At least, I think I had. But I don’t think it was the right kind of love.

“I don’t know. I guess not.”

“You guess not?” Asher laughed, looking slightly incredulous. “You
guess
not? Why’d you say yes, then?”

Blaine had proposed at a family barbeque the summer before our senior year. His entire extended family had been there. My parents had come, and at the time it had felt as if we were all this big happy family. Or, well, it had felt as if all of
them
were one big happy family. I had never really felt a part of things.

“I know. It’s awful. But he asked me in front of his family and mine, and I just froze. I didn’t know what to do with all of them smiling at me expectantly. If I’d said
no
everyone would have been upset with me. I would have spoiled the party. I would have spoiled everything.” I shrugged. “It felt like
no
wasn’t an option. And then we started senior year and my mom was doing the planning, and I just kinda got carried along with all of it until I panicked at the end. I just couldn’t go through with it.”

“Do not tell me you left him standing at the altar. I’ve never actually met anyone who’s done that, and am convinced it doesn’t actually happen in real life. Only in chick flicks.”

“No, I called Paige in a panic about a week ago, packed my bag, then stopped by his house on my way out of town. I called my mom from LaGuardia to tell her, right before we boarded the plane.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did.”

Asher threw back his head and laughed so loud, people around us looked over. My face got all hot and I knew I’d gone totally red, but I couldn’t help it. His utter joy released something in me and I laughed too. And once I started laughing, I couldn’t stop.

It was horrible, what I’d done. I knew that. I put my parents in a terrible position by running off. I was going to pay them back for all the money they’d lost. Eventually. But I had to do it. There was no other choice if I wanted out of the wedding.

And I’d really wanted out.

Tears ran down my face as I found myself sort of half-laughing and half-crying. And then it turned into sobbing. I tucked my face into my hands and cried, mortified at myself. This was a whole level of crazy I never showed anyone, but I couldn’t stop.

His warm hands pulled me gently to him, and he wrapped his arms around me. His chin leaned against my forehead, one hand rubbing my back slowly while the other held me tight.

And he let me cry.

“I’m sorry,” I said when I could finally talk again. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Hey,” Asher said, his voice soft and low. “It’s okay. You shouldn’t ever have to apologize for crying. It sounds like it was a huge stress for you. And still is. It
just
happened. It’s okay, Skye.”

“If I’d stayed, I’d be getting married in two days. And my life would be totally over.”

“Then it’s good you didn’t stay,” Asher said. He leaned away and looked right in my eyes. “I, for one, am very glad you got on that plane. I also happen to be happy your Plan A didn’t work out.”

I sputtered a laugh and pulled some tissues out of my pack to wipe my face and blow my nose. How could someone I’d only known for a few days be so good at making me feel better? And not make me feel stupid for getting upset. My tears always seemed to make both my mother and Blaine uncomfortable. But Asher didn’t seem put off at all.

Sitting there with his arm still around me, I was AWARE of him like I hadn’t been before. The heat of his body, the smell of his skin—of fresh sweat with a lingering hint of soap—the pressure of his fingers, and the effect his touch was having on me. It felt good, and not just in a friendly way. My pulse took flight.

I mean, Asher was beautiful. His sandy hair was mussed and long enough to fall over his forehead and get in his sometimes blue, sometimes grey eyes (they looked more grey at the moment). He had the most stunning smile punctuated by dimples on either side. All this, with his laid back attitude and general outdoorsiness, made one Very Attractive Package. It’s not like I hadn’t noticed before, I just hadn’t NOTICED. And I
was
, right at that moment. Noticing him. Even if I didn’t want to.

He aimed his smile at me and my stomach flipped. And it was one of those moments when everything slows down and your world gets very, very small. I couldn’t hear anything but my heart beating furiously, my own breathing becoming a little ragged as I stared at him. I couldn’t see anything but Asher—his eyes on mine, looking like he’d just
recognized
me on a deeper level, then his gaze lowering slightly to lock on my lips. We stared at each other in silence and something changed, shifted—I don’t know what. But I felt it and I’d swear he did too, because all of a sudden we were leaning in, pulled by some crazy-strong force.

His arm tightened around my shoulders. Our lips were almost touching, and I closed my eyes as I breathed him in, as I gave in—

“Skye!” Julia called out from the bottom of the steps. I straightened, my heart hammering in my chest, and turned to see her waving and climbing toward us, Tommy and Shayne in tow. All I could think was
had they seen us
and
what the hell am I doing?

When I turned back to Asher, his eyes immediately went to my lips again, and my stomach tightened. I shook my head slightly.

“I can’t do this,” I said quickly, quietly, trying to blurt it all out before everyone got to us. “I’m sorry. I just can’t.” Then I stood up and stepped away from him.

I needed space. There was something about him that was drawing me in and I needed to keep some sort of distance between us so it would stop affecting me. I couldn’t believe I’d almost kissed him. I was completely mortified. How could I be doing that—and with a guy I barely knew—when I’d just broken off a wedding? Seriously, what kind of person
does
that?

I tried to stay away from him as much as possible as we walked to a restaurant Shayne had heard good things about. I listened to Julia, Tommy, and Shayne chattering about their day, and tried to gather myself, not that it was doing any good.

I kept catching Asher looking at me during dinner.

Or maybe he kept catching me looking at him.

Maybe both.

We were both quiet—me because I didn’t know what to do with myself, and him…well, I had no idea. I couldn’t read his expression. And that just made me more and more nervous that he was going to decide he wanted nothing to do with me.

And maybe that would be for the best, in all reality. Maybe I needed to walk away now. Except we’d had an amazing day together—so much better than when I’d been on my own—and I wanted more of that. He was fun, and in many ways I felt as if I hadn’t had that in a long time. I was realizing that Blaine hadn’t been all that much fun.

“Have you guys been to Trevi Fountain yet?” Shayne said as we were all relishing our respective desserts.

“Not yet,” I said.

“You should totally come with us tomorrow. There’s supposed to be this little place right near it that has the best gelato in Rome,” she said.

Tommy leaned forward. “Shayne is letting her taste buds lead the way through the city.”

She smiled and slapped his arm. “There is nothing wrong with appreciating ALL the benefits of Rome. Even the food.”

“
Especially
the food,” said Asher.

“Yes, but it’s
Trevi Fountain
. One of the most famous fountains in the world. People come from all over just to see it, to throw some coins in. It’s not just some random landmark to help one find good gelato.” Tommy laughed as he fought off Shayne’s hands again.

“Imagine how much more you’ll appreciate it while eating the best gelato, though,” Shayne said.

“But the question is,” Asher said to Shayne, “have you found good pizza yet? Because so far Skye and I have struck out.”

I know it was silly, but I was so relieved that he was talking about us together.

Julia slapped her hand on the table. “Shayne found the best pizza EVER.” She turned to Shayne who was raising an eyebrow at Tommy. “Can you find that place again? We could go tomorrow.”

“Of course she can,” Tommy said. “If it’s good food, Shayne can find it.”

Later that night, as I slipped into bed exhausted from another day of walking, walking, walking, I was still feeling out of sorts over Asher. We hadn’t had a chance to talk since our moment on the steps and so I didn’t really know where things stood.

I pulled out my phone and turned it on. I’d texted my mom first thing in the morning (a) to make sure I didn’t forget and (b) so I wouldn’t have to actually talk with her. If she thought that was the only time I was available, hopefully I’d get by without ever having to talk or text with her.

At least that was my Big Evil Plan.

And though I was worried she might call while my phone was on, I really wanted to text my brother.