Kelly glanced toward the counter. Then toward the breakroom.
"I think I need a few minutes to calm down,” she confessed.
"Go ahead. It’s okay. Really."
She smiled weakly. "I might study for my test while I'm back there."
"How are your online classes going?" I asked.
A real smile spread across her face this time.
"They're going really well. I actually love psychology. It's way more interesting than I thought it would be."
For the first time since Rome walked into the shop, Kelly looked somewhat relaxed.
"I'm proud of you, Kels."
A blush tinted her cheeks. "Thanks."
"No, seriously. I'm proud of you. We really need someone with a psychology degree around here."
Though I meant it as a joke, the truth was, we really did need a therapist around here. Someone the Petals could talk to about their problems.
“After talking to one myself, I became interested in being one. If I can be a help to our team, that would be good. I really want to be helpful instead of a hindrance,” she muttered.
“You are a big help around here, Kels. I promise.”
“Thanks, Blossy. I’m going to go back and study for a bit. If you get busy, call me.”
“Will do.”
After Kelly disappeared into the breakroom, I moved behind the register and sank into the chair. The moment I sat down, the smile I'd forced onto my face vanished, and the mask I’d worn for her benefit fell away.
My heart was still racing, and my hands were trembling slightly.He knew something. Rome knew something. Not about Marcel. Not about my mom. Not about The Circuit or Kelly. It was me.
He knew who I was. Or at least he suspected it. The way he'd looked at me today had been different. More focused. More attentive. Like he was studying me. Like he was searching for something in me... someone in me.
He’d been looking at me and seeing Juliet With Curves. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.Damn it.I couldn't risk hacking him again to try to find out what he knew. I’d told myself I wouldn’t do that again.
It was too risky. I’d implemented plan B. I had to wait it out and see if it worked. Plus, my instincts screamed that if I hacked him again, it would be a trap. Rome was too smart for me to keep taking chances.
If he suspected I was Juliet, then the last thing I needed was to hand him confirmation by letting him track me back to my cottage behind the store. All I could do was play it cool. So, when he showed up, and he would show up again, I’d remain nonchalant.
I’d smile, pretend he was a customer, and pray he eventually gave up. The problem was that I didn't think Rome Cattaneo was the type of man who gave up on what he wanted. My gaze drifted toward the front door.
Toward the place where he'd stood only minutes ago. The way he'd looked at me replayed in my mind. The way he'd smiled. The way he'd watched me. The way he'd kept finding reasons to continue the conversation.
He was searching for her.
For the version of me who’d hacked him.
His Juliet.
And my heart hated that I couldn't let him find what he was looking for. I blinked rapidly as tears threatened to spill over. No. I couldn’t do this. Not here. Not now. Not with Kelly in the other room.
I had to hold it together. I swallowed hard. Rome wanted something he could never have. He wanted Juliet. And Juliet couldn't exist in his world. Not if I wanted to protect the people in mine.
A painful ache settled in my chest. I wished I could rewind time to before the Marcel incident occurred. I wished I could change things, prevent it all from happening, and protect everyone. I wanted to protect Kelly and my mom.
