Page 57

“Too cute,” Jill said with a wink. “Have fun.”

“Thanks,” she replied and waited for Jill to walk back down the alley.

When Kyle heard something a few seconds later, she looked up, finding Melinda standing on the small balcony.

“I’m picking up on a real Romeo and Juliet vibe right now,” Kyle pointed out.

Melinda smiled down at her and said, “Juliet and Juliet.”

“I doubt Shakespeare ever thought there’d be a Juliet with another Juliet.”

“Oh, please. All those actors were guys. I think he gotthe idea,” Melinda said, walking down the stairs. “And I can invite you in, if you want, but I don’t know what we’re doing, so I thought I’d meet you at the office. You beat me there, though, and now you’re here.” Melinda stood in front of Kyle now. “And I’m nervous, so I sound like an idiot.”

“No, you don’t,” she replied. “You sound great. And you look great.” Kyle took in the blue dress, that was tight in the bodice but had a flowing skirt under a white sweater, and the short heels that matched. “And I saidgreattwice, so now,I’m definitely sounding like an idiot. I promise, I know more adjectives than that.”

Melinda laughed and asked, “Are those for me?”

“No, they’re for Jill. I just forgot to give them to her. Can we go back into the office real quick so I can–”

Melinda laughed, cutting her off, and said, “I can put them in water.”

Kyle handed the flowers to her and said, “I picked them up at the grocery store. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed. It’s just a mixed bouquet.”

“They’re nice. You’re sweet, Kyle. Let me take these inside and get them in water, and we can go. Come up.”

“Actually, I think I have a solution for that, if you don’t mind carrying them for a bit.”

“That’s ominous,” Melinda said, chuckling. “Just where are we going, exactly?”

“Where do you take the tour guide who’s seen everything?”

“I don’t know. Out of town?”

“I probably should’ve thought of that, but I don’t have a car here and didn’t want to take some shared-ride driver far from home, so I went a different direction. Do you think you could go with me on this?”

“Yeah, sounds like fun, actually.”

Kyle reached out her hand and asked, “Where do you stand on PDA?”

“I think I stand on the side of it,” Melinda replied, took her hand, and entwined their fingers. “Lead the way.”

“Can you walk in those heels?”

“Yes, that’s why I wore the short ones.”

“Sorry, I had to wear tennis shoes. I didn’t bring anything else.”

“I like your tennis shoes. They’re cute. And they’re still surprisingly white, which is a miracle around here, with all the people in the Quarter, who will step on them, or all the mud you should have all over them.”

“I’ve been watching where I step,” she replied, squeezing Melinda’s hand.

They walked for a while, and Melinda caught up Kyle on the wedding she’d gone to with Bridgette and how she’d had some fun there but had been thinking about Kyle a lot. Feeling pretty good about that, Kyle pulled Melinda against her side when they stopped at a light outside of the Quarter, where the cars met the pedestrian area, and she wrapped her arm around her. When Melinda leaned into her and had her own arm around Kyle’s waist, Kyle wasn’t sure she wanted to move. She considered standing there forever, just holding Melinda while they waited for the walk signal to appear opposite them, but when it did finally show, they were off, and Melinda took her hand once more.

“I think I know where we’re going,” Melinda said.

“I thought you might figure it out about here,” Kyle replied.

“Have you been inside yet?”