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I hesitate “Next week,” I decide “In fact, clear et a little unco with a rival coether when I return”

Fran stops typing “Are you sure you’re alright, Marco?”

I know she’s serious It’s the only time she will call me by my first name, she’s normally far too formal for that “Better than ever, h theat Hannah “I have a reason at last to skip work After all these years, I think I earned it”

I end the call, slass I quicklyalready that I don’t want to miss a moment of time by her sideChapter SixHannahAfter an afternoon of lazily exploring the back streets of Ro, it feels as though we are caught up He knows all about my life up until this point,that someone could need to know about me

And I know that… he works a lot, and is a friend of my Dad’s

Actually, when I stop to think for a iven much away at all

But I don’t have the time to call him out on it or try to learn more, because the afternoon has passed by in a daze, and now it seems that it’s time for our dinner reservations

As we race across Rome in the back of a taxi, a sudden uncertainty strikesat Marco in his impeccable suit “I don’t want to be underdressed”

Marco laughs gently “It is a nice place, but don’t worry so much,” he says “You look beautiful”

I feel a blush spreading acrosswhat is quite obviously a daytiabout the fat girl who doesn’t kno to dress herself

“Maybe I should go and get changed first,” I say

“There’s no tiivesunreadable in them “You feel that you will be out of place?”

I shrug helplessly I hate that he can see lad because it ht be able to help address them

“You won’t be out of place,” Marco assures owns they can’t breathe in, eat three leaves of salad for fear of ruining the lines, and then spend the rest of the evening ood time For that, you look perfect”

I feel a s on my lips, in spite of myself He knows just what to say to ic

At any rate, it’s too late to change my mind now, as the taxi pulls up outside a restaurant with floor to ceiling glass walls, showing off the diners within Tosuits and a lot of the wo dresses, and some of the other diners are also more casually dressed Perhaps I won’t stand out like a sore thuht reasons, either

Not that I think I’ve ever turned heads that way

The door staff greets Marco exuberantly, by na us over to a table which seems to have the best view in the place Frolih the open façade of the kitchen, and also out through the s to the world passing by outside But the gliant custoed food can only capture my attention for a brief moment Once we are seated, I really only notice Marco

He’s a quiet and attentivecarefully to what I say He’s perceptive and es to reco tohis jacket on the back ofatabout it at all

I can barely remember e talk about The food, the restaurant itself, the city Everything passes as if in a daze, including the delicious food But as we finish our et my attention so entirely that I hear every word branded into my memory