Page 53 of Tangling Hearts

I was thinking of doing exactly that. “Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes. Please stay with me tonight,” she says, imploringly.

“Okay. I need your keys. I locked up when I left…” I was about to mention Brendan, but she interrupts me, glancing over to see new people in need of a drink.

“If you promise not to vanish while I’m working. If you don’t promise, I’ll make you wait until we close so you can’t get your suitcase!” Her face is so severe as to be very funny.

With amusement, I stand. “I promise. I will be there when you get home.”

With a few strides to the register, she reaches behind it for her keys, pulling off the ones to her home and tossing them to me, one after the other. I catch them both and nod to the woman called Barb. She winks at me so I walk over to her and hold out my hand. “Signora, sei una donna di bellezza.”

Having no idea what I just said, she swoons anyway. “Honey, you can keep talking to me like that all the way to my bedroom. Yowza!”

On a hearty laugh, I bow and kiss her hand. Glancing back to my Annie, I nod goodbye

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