Page 45 of Chasing Olivia (Trace + Olivia 2)

“And yet,” he smirked, tapping my nose with his finger like I was a small child, “you’re still here.”

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” I taunted, getting out of the car before he could say anything else.

A light breeze swirled around me, ruffling my hair. It was only ten in the morning but I knew it was going to be scorcher. I’d need to find some sunscreen so I didn’t end up looking like a lobster.

“Which way should we head first?” Trace asked from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder at him, squinting from the sun. “Does it matter?” I asked, shading my eyes.

“I guess not,” he said, shrugging out of his plaid shirt and tossing it in the car, leaving him in only a wife-beater. “Geez it’s hot out,” he grumbled. “You’d think it was Florida or something.”

“It’s not that hot,” I laughed.

“Maybe not,” he locked the car, “but it’s still pretty hot.”

“It is,” I admitted. Sweat was already dampening my skin and we’d only been outside for a few minutes. Hopefully it would get cooler as we headed north. Scorching hot temperatures weren’t my thing.

“I think Independence Hall is this way,” he pointed. “I already got tickets before we left,” he pulled two pieces of paper from his back pocket.

I narrowed my eyes, glaring at him. “I’m beginning to think you’ve had this whole trip planned before you even asked me.”

I was only joking, but his posture stiffened and he wouldn’t meet my gaze. “That’s just silly,” he chuckled, trying to play it off.

“Huh,” I muttered to myself. What was going on with him?

“Come on, this way,” he grabbed my hand, pulling me after him.

There was a line to get into the tour but Trace bypassed it, flashing something I couldn’t see. I gave him a peculiar look and he explained, “Sometimes having money comes in handy.”

I hated to admit it, but the tour was actually pretty interesting. It made you feel so small to be surrounded by so much history. It blew my mind to think about all the important decisions that had been made in that building…in this city. It was crazy. Those people were long gone but I was sure if they knew the state we were in now, they’d think we were all a bunch of screw-ups.

As we left the old brick building Trace grabbed my arm, halting my progress.

“What?”

“I want a picture,” he explained, holding out his phone and taking a few pictures of us. He’d done the same yesterday at the Heinz museum. I think he was determined to document every moment of this trip.

We headed to the Liberty Bell next.

Tickets weren’t necessary so we strolled straight on through the gates.

I gazed at the bell for a few minutes in awe and read the plaque located in front of it that explained its history.

“’Proclaim liberty throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof,’” I read off of the plaque in a whisper. I looked up at Trace and said, “Those words must have meant so much to them at that time.”

He didn’t hear a word I said though, he was still staring at the bell. He tilted his head from side to side. “You know, I thought it would be bigger.”

I laughed. “It looks plenty big to me.”

“That’s because,” he hugged me to his front, “you’re small…like a little doll.”

I snorted. “Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “You sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself.”

“What? It’s true,” his lips brushed against the top of my head, “you’re short and tiny. You do have a nice chest and ass though. I especially love your ass,” he reached down and grabbed it.

“Trace!” I squealed, darting away from him. “There are people here,” I looked around at the different families. One husband and wife was staring at us with a look of contempt. I half expected them to pull out a Bible and throw it at us.

“What? It’s true!” He raised his hands in surrender grinning like an idiot.

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