Page 55 of Meet Me in Montreal

She understood this bubble of perfection would pop when it rubbed up against reality. But in the meantime, she was more than content to exist within the iridescent little sphere with him.

The phone pinged to notify her of a second incoming message. Santino’s big fingers teased at the disarray of her long, tangled struggle-curls as she snatched up her phone to read the texts with an exhale of annoyance. With relief, she saw they weren’t from Scott. The last thing she needed was another verbalconfrontation, especially at this moment. It was from Bobby. That only made her marginally relieved.

First message: “Hey, sis.”

Second message, showing a hint of impatience in its enthusiasm:“Wake up! We’re in town!Let’s get this party started…. right?”

Damn. Seems like good old reality had come to them. Time to face the music and reveal what she’d been up to these few days in Montreal “on her own.”

“Bobby and them?” Santino asked with an eyebrow raise.

“Yup, Bobby and them,” she confirmed with slumping shoulders. “Ugh. Do I have to answer it?”

“Wecouldjust pretend we’re not here…stay in, get room service. Just eat, fuck and take naps all day.”

Vanessa let him pull her down for another long, slow, delicious kiss. “That actually sounds amazing.” Another ping. “But Dr. Watson is relentless.”

Santino’s laughter rumbled through her from head to toe. She absorbed the sensation, cherishing it and how it felt being wrapped in those strong arms again. The itinerary he’d suggested was all too tempting, but she had to respond to her brother.

“Okay. How about you tell him we’ll meet up after lunch at least?”

“That’ll work.” Vanessa raised her finger to her lips, indicating Santino should remain quiet while she called Bobby rather than text back and forth.

Her brother answered right away. “Yo, yo! What are you doing, where are you?”

“I’m just getting up,” she fibbed, blowing a silent kiss at Santino. He pretended the kiss had been a slap, whipping his head on the pillow dramatically and cradling his face with his palm.

“Just getting up? What, no crazy workout routine or meditating or working on a brief for a case?” Bobby asked with mock surprise coating his baritone voice.

“Oh, I worked out. Pretty hard,” Vanessa replied. Her entire body was sore from the last two days of their exertions, which was absolutely true.

“Damn, Montrealismagical if it can getyouto relax.”

Santino seemed unable to help the laugh that slipped from his lips. She glared at him, hoping Bobby hadn’t overheard.

Bobby lowered his already deep voice, probably so Zoe wouldn’t overhear. “Who was that? I thought you said that guy canceled on you? You better not be in there with some French-speaking stray you found up here. You know Lady Marmalade would not approve.”

That was their secret sibling code name for their mother. Yes, it was extremely rude but as she’d once explained to Santino, her very proper mother used to sing the Labelle song at the top of her lungs when doing housework, oblivious to the true meaning of the lyrics. It seemed hilarious that she’d sing a song like that with such gusto, and it was even more hilarious when their father had finally showed her the translation after they’d argued over it. She’d been so furious, she’d left the room and slammed her bedroom door.

That had been one of her last memories of their father before the accident and one of the funniest.

Even now, the nickname and the memory made Vanessa laugh. “Lady Marmalade disapproves of much of my life, so I might as well have fun with my debauchery.”

“Debauchery, huh? Okay, you’ve definitely got a French-speaking dude in there. Tell him I said to keep his hands off my sister and get the hell out of there.”

“Excuse you? Let’s not forget who’s the eldest here. Put some respect on my name.” She winked at Santino, who gave her a thumbs-up.

“Youareold as hell. Anyway, we’re in our room at the Four Seasons.” Bobby made a sound of annoyance at something Zoe was saying to him. “Wish you could have gotten another room here. Where are you staying? We’ll come pick you up for brunch if you’re far out.”

“I already have plans,” she said quickly. “And I actually got a room at L’Hotel Li. It’s on the Rue de la Montagne, too. We’re kinda neighbors.”

Bobby whistled. “Fancy, fancy. How did you manage a room at that place? Not that you can’t afford it, but…”

Her face flamed. “I saved my pennies like a good girl, just like Lady Marmalade taught me. My friend got me a hook-up.” She crossed her eyes at Santino, who was jabbing his chest with his thumb and taking silent credit for the fabulous suite.

“Alright. Let’s plan to meet up around four. We can go take in some sights and then have dinner before the Panthro show. Remember Brooklyn last year?”

Fondly, she grinned. “I did. Best night I’d had in a while. Alright, I’ll check in later.”

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