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“She’s writing,” Roth said from the front seat.
“Writing?”
“Shut it, Roth,” she growled as she finished her sentence and pocketed the phone.
“What does he mean, writing?”
“He doesn’t mean anything,” she said repressively.
“She writes fiction under Minnie Hess and Thalia Crane.”
“Roth!” She kneed the back of his seat.
“What are you embarrassed about?” Aleixo asked, turning to look at her in the back seat.
“Watch the road!” she shouted before she crossed her arms defensively across her chest. “I’m not embarrassed. I just…”
“You just what?” Johnny pressed.
“I like my privacy.” She glared at Roth’s back. “Especially since I have so little of it.”
Johnny pursed his lips. “That’s understandable, I guess. You don’t want the public to know all your secrets.”
“Exactly!”
“But there’s no need to keep it from us. We’re not going to blab. What do you write about?”
“She writes fantasy and romance,” Roth answered for her.
She relaxed a little. That didn’t sound so bad—
“She wrote about our affair, which is why she’s so reticent about telling anyone,” Roth finished, making her look around for something to wrap around his throat and choke him from behind.
Johnny eyed Roth’s profile thoughtfully. “You don’t care if it got out?”
“No.”
She could see Johnny approved of his answer. He looked at her with a strange fire in his eyes.
“Bebe, don’t hide who you are because you’re afraid you won’t be accepted. That isn’t a life. Take it from someone who knows.”
The flicker of pain in his eyes had her reaching over and gripping his hand. “You’re right.” But that didn’t mean she wanted to broadcast her profession if she didn’t have to.
Johnny leaned into her and whispered, “It’s easy to see your man loves you. Nothing else matters. Who cares what other people think?”
She gave him her best smile before she looked out the window.
* * *
Watchingthe sunset on the cliffs of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe, was the perfect end to a perfect day. The view was so breathtaking, it brought tears to her eyes. She had the ridiculous urge to spread her arms and lean into the strong wind to see if it could take her weight. Although it would have been amusing to see how Roth, Mo, and Johan would react, she huddled into her jacket instead and smiled through chattering teeth.
The splash of colors across the sky was unreal. The waves crashing against the cliffs caused a light mist to hover in the air. Others scattered along the cape tried to capture the magnificent sunset with cell phones and cameras, while those like her took in the spectacle in reverent silence. She had no idea who these people were or where they came from, but at this moment, they were all in one accord. The world wasn’t perfect, but this was. Life didn’t have to be complicated. Why did they make it so?
Two halves of a jacket wrapped around her from behind and drew her back against a broad chest. As she was engulfed in Roth’s body heat, her body flooded with endorphins. She tried to tamp down his effect on her, as she had been doing throughout the day, with little success. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to switch back to the nasty asshole she knew he could be, but as the day passed with no further incidents, a kernel of hope took root.
Roth was true to his word and behaved himself. He was attentive and indulged Johnny, who wanted them to pose for pictures everywhere they went. The only argument that broke out was when they stopped for lunch and Johnny insisted on paying the check. Roth protested, even raising his voice in exasperation, but Johnny wasn’t daunted. The only reason Johnny won was because he was great at making a scene.
When her face went numb from the cold, she turned and buried her face against Roth’s chest. She inhaled, taking in the scent of his cologne mixed with the fresh baked bread he toted around as they shopped. Johnny sent her several puzzled looks throughout the day. She knew he was wondering what was wrong between them, but as Johnny had with everything else, he didn’t pry. The more time she spent with her friend, the stronger the urge became to confide in him. What would Johnny think of their marriage of convenience? Would he be horrified, sad, or give her a grin and tell her to enjoy herself? If there was anyone who would understand the responsibilities and expectations their families put on them, it would be him. But he had also shirked that way of thinking and walked away to live his life. Why hadn’t she looked him up years ago? Her life would have turned out differently if she had this kind of support system.
