WALK WITH YOU, CHAPTER 11 AND 12

“No, actually they passed away when I was 10.” I don‟t bother looking over at him, I
don‟t want to see it. He sucks in a sharp breath just loud enough for me to catch it.
“How did they die?” he asks carefully.
“Car accident. A drunk driver fell asleep at the wheel and crossed over the line and hit them head on.”

The officers said they died instantly which made me feel slightly better knowing they didn‟t suffer at all.
“That must‟ve been pretty tough for you being so young.”
“Yeah it was, I went to live with my Aunt. She was cool, did the best she could for someone who never wanted children in the first place. We stayed out of each other‟s way for the most part. I respected her because she never pushed, never hovered. Two years later I met Ella and she brought back some life into me again and we‟ve been best friends ever since.”
Feeling the need to look at him I turn my head bravely and look into steel blue eyes. His beautiful face completely impassive, no sadness, no tears and most of all to my complete surprise, no pity. The only thing I can make out in his eyes is a spark of curiosity. How can someone I just met say and do everything I need him to when I need him to do it? How can someone know me so well without knowing me at all? Baffled to say the least about the person in front of me he carries on with new knowledge and sensitivity.
“Sounds like you have some pretty special friends.”
That brings a small grin to my face. “They‟re definitely special to me.”
“Maybe I‟ll get to meet them someday. You know, at my trial after I get arrested for stalking you like a creeper.”
I burst into laughter and just like that my solemn mood and mention of my parents fade into a breezy effortless conversation of getting to know each other.
“Maybe I’ll get to meet them someday” Maybe, just maybe.

Chapter 12
The warm fluttering feeling is back; I don‟t know how else to describe it. Sometimes it feels like my stomach is doing warm somersaults and it carries on all the way up to my chest. Maybe I‟m just tired, I definitely am getting hungry again which means only one thing. Evan must be starving.
“You getting hungry?”
Evan sighs in relief “I thought you‟d never ask. I didn‟t want to say anything because we were making such good progress and your feet are starting to hurt.” How did he know?
I feel like I need to create a shrine to my flats after tonight. My nude pumps might be cute but at this point they would‟ve been at the bottom of the East River and I would‟ve been hiking it barefoot. Or Evan could‟ve carried me fireman style, in his strong arms, maybe even lose his shirt somehow… Focus woman!

“Nope I‟m definitely hungry. For food.” Smiling nervously at where my thoughts have turned, we come up to cross the street into Union Square. Trees still green and flourishing from summer we take in the big statue in the middle and the Empire State building in the distant background.
With a cheeky grin and a mischievous laugh, I run forward toward the statue making sure no one is around. Evans footsteps right on my tail I turn and say “Ready?”

“Born ready! Wait, ready for what? What are you doing?” Tip toeing over the flowers and reaching my hands up to the base of statue I begin to climb.
“Woah, Izz, what are doing? You‟re going to get yourself arrested.” I laugh under my breath as to not draw attention.
“Oh come on Ev! Live a little, we can share a jail cell if I‟m caught.”
Shaking his head and looking around the square he gives me a lopsided grin and starts forward to climb next me. Giggling like two years olds, we attempt to climb the horse‟s legs when my foot slips off and I start to slide down. Evans huge arm wraps around my waist turning me, as he catches me and pins my body against him and the statue while holding himself up with his other hand. Face to face, body to body. I can feel his warmth and hear his breath pick up. My heart starts doing a tap dance inside my chest as I stare at his chiseled features. The rest of the world goes black, New York in silence. The only thing I see and hear is Evan. Lowering his face down while staring at my parted lips I brace myself for impact.

A blinding white light sends us scrambling to hide our eyes. “What do you think you‟re doing?” Oh crap!
Evan releases me and I hit the ground hard.
“Run!”
He shouts and leaps down off the statue with a huge thud in the grass and grabs my hand and pulls with such force I stumble. Righting myself using his hand we haul ass through the square. Footsteps behind us and the flashlight bouncing off the trees.
Everything becomes a blur as we rush past some wandering pedestrians and break through the trees and into the street. My lungs start to burn as the footsteps behind us start to die away and the flashlight turns back to streetlamps.

Crossing E 17th Street, we make our way back onto Broadway where we finally slow to a stop to catch our breath. Coughing from my dried throat I hear Evan begin to laugh unexpectedly, at first looking at him like he‟s lost his mind, I then find myself uncontrollably joining in. Before I know it both us are laughing so hard we‟re silent, only our shoulders shrugging up and down giving us away.
“I can‟t believe we just tried to do that.”
Still laughing he says, “I know, my assistant would‟ve just had a heart attack if he knew I did that.”
Assistant? I think before he continues,
“You are a bad influence on me!”
“Me? Screw you, I‟m perfect!” We continue laughing till it hurts until Evan reminds me of my earlier hunger.
“Holy crap, I‟m hungry! How do you feel about stopping for fuel?”
“Considering I‟m debating whether or not to break into that Mexican place right now, I‟d say I‟m down with that.”
Thank god, I really didn‟t want to have to choose between Evan and food. I would need to make a pros and cons list for that one. “Come on, I know a place.” Not wanting to over analyze what just happened near the statue I follow Evan without word. I just need to get food in me then I can act like a complete girl.