AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“As soon as I get home tonight.”
Jaelyn ran around the table to hug her. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! This place is so special. I knew you’d see it as soon as you came.”
“I knew already from what Alessandro told me,” Megan said, hugging her back.
“Good job, ’Sandro.” Jaelyn put her hand up for a high five. “The Drummer saves the day.”
Alessandro rolled his eyes but didn’t leave her hanging. As he leaned over the table to high-five Jaelyn, Megan caught his scent, and some of her reticence returned. He looked so good, even in the unforgiving lights of the gymnasium, which only set off shadows and planes on his sculpted face.
“I’m so glad I can help,” she said. “Thanks for asking me, Alessandro.”
“I am glad I came into the coffee shop yesterday,” he replied. Megan’s cheeks warmed and then really heated up when he said, “If you really plan to start tonight, let me get you some dinner first.”
“Oh! No, that’s not—I don’t need—”
“You have to eat,” Etta said mildly, smiling in a way Megan didn’t want to translate. Then Jaelyn started smiling too.
No. Megan couldnotsit in front of Alessandro at a restaurant for another hour while fighting her fangirl crush. Even if she had known him since way before the rest of the world. “Thank you, but I have leftovers at home from last night,” she lied. “And I really do want to get started on fixing up the website.”
A set of double doors at the other end of the gym slammed open, and a handful of teenagers burst in, making them all jump.
“Hello!” Etta called.
“I told you,” a girl in the front hissed.
“What class are you looking for?” Susie added.
“We…” a blond girl behind the braver one stammered. “We… uh, thought it was acting class tonight.”
“That ended at six o’clock,” Susie pointed out.
“Oh!” The students looked at each other, and apparently, made a silent decision. “Well,” the brave one said in a rush, “we just wanted to know if it was true that Jaelyn Jones and Alessandro Rosselli were here.”
“It is true,” Alessandro said. “Come on in, guys.”
Needing no further invitation, the gaggle of kids came into the gym, and Alessandro, closely followed by Jaelyn, met them in the middle. Megan stayed at the table. Etta and Susie stayed with her. “It was bound to happen,” Etta said.
“Sooner or later,” Susie agreed.
“Better get it over with.”
“It’s wonderful,” Megan put in, watching Alessandro talk easily with the children. “Look how they’re lighting up.”
Jaelyn was already taking selfies with some of them, and Alessandro was soon pulled in. Their voices crossed over each other until Megan couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she loved how Alessandro looked at each student as he spoke to them. From what she’d seen of his interactions with the media, he always appeared somber and standoffish. But that was obviously just for the professionals. He smiled so widely now that Megan had to stop herself from staring at him. His charisma, alongside Jaelyn’s, filled the room. Megan took a few photos herself. She would send them to Alessandro and Jaelyn later and get permission to post them.
“How do you handle parental permission for the kids’ photos?” she asked. “This is gold.”
Seriously, it was a crime that this center wasn’t drowning in donations, with the story it could tell. With the smile currently on Alessandro’s face alone.
“We’ll check the waivers we have on file,” Etta said, writing down the kids’ names. “I’ll let you know what you can post.”
The students got their photos, and the actors got their promise to tell everyone they knew about the auction. As the small crowd left the gym, Megan stood. It was a good time for her to leave as well. She began her goodbyes and looked on her app for a cab.
Alessandro joined her at the table. “My car can take you home.”
Another promise. Why waseverythinghe said a promise?
He only meant that he’d make sure she got home safely. She needed to get a grip.
