Read Online Unwanted Stars by Melissa Brown - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Melissa Brown
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realized we'd be late.
"Whatever, it's fine. I took care of everything. They have all the boats ready for us. They'll have to go four to a boat."
"Got it." My stomach relaxed in relief. Knowing that Campbell and his three friends would fill one gondola took the pressure off of me to join him. I wanted to, of course, but wasn't confident that I could shake the watchful eye of the Sergeant. Especially since he and I had arrived at the docks together. It was best if I kept my distance.
Anabelle turned to receive a question from one of our tour members. Without any hesitation, I removed the object from my back pocket.
Another matchbook.
Adrenaline shot through my body as I opened the small book, taken from the cafe we'd just visited. Another small note in chicken scratch. His handwriting really was awful.
The corners of my mouth tugged into a smile. Luckily the rest of the afternoon would go by quickly. Gondola rides, a meeting with Anabelle, and dinner with the group.
Joining a group of Americans in their gondola, I found myself daydreaming of my handsome Brit. His gondola was the rowdy one of the bunch, he and his friends laughing and joking with their gondolier. I watched him with satisfaction. Every so often, he'd turn and smile at me. Nothing too obvious, and I was grateful for that, but it made my stomach flip all the same. I held my matchbook and looked forward to later that night.
After the longest afternoon of my natural born life, I said my farewells to the remaining members of the tour at 8:45, knowing I'd have just enough time to get to the bridge. Campbell and his friends had left dinner early, and part of me worried that he'd forgotten. Maybe he'd decided I wasn't worth the trouble of sneaking around. Maybe he'd decided to get "pissed" with his friends at a local bar and forget all about his American tour guide. Maybe I'd find myself alone and wandering the streets of Venice, only to see him through the window of a bar, chatting up a dark haired, exotic Italian beauty.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of my brain, I fixed my hair and makeup before walking to the bridge. Luckily Anabelle was going back to the hotel to call her boyfriend. I knew she wouldn't be a road block for me tonight. That is, if Campbell didn't stand me up.
Rounding the corner, my cell phone went off, telling me I had a text. Without evening thinking about it, I checked the message, thinking maybe it was from Campbell, which was stupid of me because we hadn't even exchanged phone numbers.
Instead, the message was from my mom.
Was visiting Hadley when you texted her. Worried about you.
Rolling my eyes, I placed the phone back in my purse. Charlotte Kelly could wait. I had a hot British man to meet. That's when I saw him, leaning against a pillar near the start of the bridge. His body pressed against the stone, he smirked at me—proud of himself that I'd actually shown up.
"You made it," he said, taking my hand and placing a peck on my cheek.
"Mmmm hmm.” I glanced around us. The crowd had thinned out dramatically since we'd walked past the bridge earlier that afternoon.
"Shall we?" he asked.
"Um...yeah, I guess so," I said, urging my body to cooperate. My hands were clammy, my heart was racing, and I was nervous. So nervous. Which was so not me. Somehow, this man had an effect on me that no one else ever had. It scared me. No, it didn't just scare me. It petrified me.
"I love this bridge. It's gorgeous, isn't it?"
"Yes," I said, my voice small.
Campbell's brow knitted in concern. "Auden, is everything all right?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem distant. Did something happen today? With Anabelle?"
"No," I said, looking out into the water. "Just thinking."
"About me?" he said, a smug grin plastered to his handsome face. I shook my head in amusement, cracking a smile without meaning to.
"Perhaps.”
"Look," he said. "All kidding aside, I'm into you. You must know that by now."
"I do."
"But your job means everything to
"Whatever, it's fine. I took care of everything. They have all the boats ready for us. They'll have to go four to a boat."
"Got it." My stomach relaxed in relief. Knowing that Campbell and his three friends would fill one gondola took the pressure off of me to join him. I wanted to, of course, but wasn't confident that I could shake the watchful eye of the Sergeant. Especially since he and I had arrived at the docks together. It was best if I kept my distance.
Anabelle turned to receive a question from one of our tour members. Without any hesitation, I removed the object from my back pocket.
Another matchbook.
Adrenaline shot through my body as I opened the small book, taken from the cafe we'd just visited. Another small note in chicken scratch. His handwriting really was awful.
The corners of my mouth tugged into a smile. Luckily the rest of the afternoon would go by quickly. Gondola rides, a meeting with Anabelle, and dinner with the group.
Joining a group of Americans in their gondola, I found myself daydreaming of my handsome Brit. His gondola was the rowdy one of the bunch, he and his friends laughing and joking with their gondolier. I watched him with satisfaction. Every so often, he'd turn and smile at me. Nothing too obvious, and I was grateful for that, but it made my stomach flip all the same. I held my matchbook and looked forward to later that night.
After the longest afternoon of my natural born life, I said my farewells to the remaining members of the tour at 8:45, knowing I'd have just enough time to get to the bridge. Campbell and his friends had left dinner early, and part of me worried that he'd forgotten. Maybe he'd decided I wasn't worth the trouble of sneaking around. Maybe he'd decided to get "pissed" with his friends at a local bar and forget all about his American tour guide. Maybe I'd find myself alone and wandering the streets of Venice, only to see him through the window of a bar, chatting up a dark haired, exotic Italian beauty.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of my brain, I fixed my hair and makeup before walking to the bridge. Luckily Anabelle was going back to the hotel to call her boyfriend. I knew she wouldn't be a road block for me tonight. That is, if Campbell didn't stand me up.
Rounding the corner, my cell phone went off, telling me I had a text. Without evening thinking about it, I checked the message, thinking maybe it was from Campbell, which was stupid of me because we hadn't even exchanged phone numbers.
Instead, the message was from my mom.
Was visiting Hadley when you texted her. Worried about you.
Rolling my eyes, I placed the phone back in my purse. Charlotte Kelly could wait. I had a hot British man to meet. That's when I saw him, leaning against a pillar near the start of the bridge. His body pressed against the stone, he smirked at me—proud of himself that I'd actually shown up.
"You made it," he said, taking my hand and placing a peck on my cheek.
"Mmmm hmm.” I glanced around us. The crowd had thinned out dramatically since we'd walked past the bridge earlier that afternoon.
"Shall we?" he asked.
"Um...yeah, I guess so," I said, urging my body to cooperate. My hands were clammy, my heart was racing, and I was nervous. So nervous. Which was so not me. Somehow, this man had an effect on me that no one else ever had. It scared me. No, it didn't just scare me. It petrified me.
"I love this bridge. It's gorgeous, isn't it?"
"Yes," I said, my voice small.
Campbell's brow knitted in concern. "Auden, is everything all right?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem distant. Did something happen today? With Anabelle?"
"No," I said, looking out into the water. "Just thinking."
"About me?" he said, a smug grin plastered to his handsome face. I shook my head in amusement, cracking a smile without meaning to.
"Perhaps.”
"Look," he said. "All kidding aside, I'm into you. You must know that by now."
"I do."
"But your job means everything to
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