Say You're Mine - Layla Hagen Page 0,46
“Being here with you and your family is making me rethink a few things. I know Mom would be happy if I showed up.”
“I don’t even know her and I’m sure she would be. When is the party?”
“Next weekend.” He feathered the tip of his nose over my temple. “Do you have plans?”
My heart somersaulted in my chest. “No, why?”
He pulled back a notch, looking straight at me. “Come with me.”
“You’re serious?” As much as I wanted to go, I realized this was kind of a big step too, wasn’t it?
Isabelle, quit making something out of nothing.
“Yes. They’d be happy to meet you. And I want you there. I want to show you where I grew up.”
Holy shit! I felt so giddy that I could barely tone down my smile. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I was a bit afraid of how much our lives were intertwining, but I was too freaking happy to think about it too much.
“I’m all in,” I announced.
His eyes crinkled at the corners, like they always did when he flashed his heartfelt smile.
I was over the moon for the rest of the day. The party lasted until early afternoon, because with so many kids, it was impossible to stay up later. They got cranky and needed naps. But that worked fine for me, because a colleague at the tour guide agency had asked me to step in for him today. He got sick and didn’t want to cancel the tour.
Brayden was not too thrilled about it, since he’d hoped to spend the whole weekend together, but I was only going to be away for a few hours. After the tour, I was heading to my office to pick up some diary-making supplies, because I was crafting a new one for a client.
I went straight to Midtown Manhattan, where a bus awaited me. I mentally reviewed the highlights of the tour, already giddy.
It was perhaps a little silly of me to get so excited about the tour, since I’d done it so many times before, but I loved it. The crowd was already on the bus when I got in.
“I’m here. Sorry I’m late,” I exclaimed when I stepped inside. “I’m Isabelle, everyone. How about a short introduction round? Just your name and where you’re from. And let us know if the AC is turned too low. We’re in the third week of August now, but the humidity is still high outside. We New Yorkers tend to overcompensate by cranking up the AC.”
I counted twenty people in the group, which would mean lots of tips. I had an international mix today, with tourists from Australia, Japan, Italy, France and Portugal. There were also two college students from Boston who were here for a weekend trip. One of them was looking at me with a strange expression, as if she was trying to figure something out.
“Okay, everybody, let’s start right now. Who recognizes this apartment building?”
“Friends,” the crowd said in a chorus.
“That’s correct.” I smiled as the bus lurched forward. I pointed out several movie and series spots on both sides of the road. It was amazing how much was filmed in the city.
Everyone was listening except the students, who had their heads together, looking at a phone. My own phone vibrated in my tote a few times. I ignored it at first, but by the third time it buzzed, I took it out, glancing at it quickly and noting I had a message from Brayden.
Brayden: Call me as soon as you can!
I had two missed calls from him as well, so it had to be urgent, but I couldn’t pause the tour, not after arriving late. I texted him quickly.
Isabelle: I’m doing the tour, can’t call right now! What’s wrong?
I slipped the phone back in my tote, focusing on the group. We’d reached my favorite part, the Plaza, which was featured in a lot of movies over the years.
It was then the two students walked up to me when the bus stopped at a red light. “It’s you, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You’re dating Brayden.”
I froze, unsure how to react. The blonde turned the phone toward me. On the screen was a photo of me and Brayden from earlier that day. There was no denying that was me. My face was clearly visible. I realized this was what Brayden had wanted to talk to me about.
“Yeah, that’s me,” I said with a smile. What else could I say?
“Holy shit! Can you get