Minutes of peaceful silence were broken when Ben groaned, “Why is it so hot?”
“Heat wave,” Tenzin said. “They say it’s the worst in sixty years.”
“That’s just hideous and wrong.”
“And yet, you’re still forcing me to dance.”
“You like it.”
“I don’t—”
Ben slapped a hand over her mouth so she couldn’t argue. “Stop. Just dance. It’s Louis. We always dance to Louis. That’s the new rule.” She bit his hand and he let go. “Ouch.”
“It’s so cute when you try to boss me around. Is this an absolute rule? What if a Louis Armstrong song happens to come on at an inopportune moment? If we’re fighting for our lives, do we have to stop and dance?”
“We can be flexible in life-threatening situations.”
The record switched to “Blueberry Hill,” and they kept dancing.
“So,” he said. “I did a lot of thinking in Tuscany.”
“You brood.”
“I was not…” He stopped talking so he didn’t start yelling. Take a deep breath. “Thinking is not brooding. I was thinking.”
“Fine. Whatever you say.”
“And I figured out what you can call me when you introduce me.”
Tenzin looked up, her eyes laughing. “Oh yes? Can I stick with life coach? That’s my favorite so far. I was thinking about some other ones though—”
“No.” Ben spun her round and round until she was laughing aloud. “I’m not going to be known as your life coach or your yoga instructor or your publicist.”
“So what then?”
Tenzin took a wrong step and tried to take the lead, but Ben shook her arm until she stopped trying to push him around. “No. Don’t do that, you’ll just mess up the dance. Let me lead. I’m a better dancer.”
“Fine.” She relaxed and Ben stepped forward, dipping her until her hair brushed the ground.
He pulled her up. “Partner.”
Tenzin blinked. “What?”
“You and I,” he said, “are going to move to New York.”
“Hmmm.” It was a suspicious hmmm.
“We’re going to find shiny, pretty things,” Ben continued.
“I like that.”
“And we’re going to return them to the people paying us to find them.”
“I don’t like that so much.”
“For a very generous fee.”
Tenzin thought. She thought until the needle was bumping against the edge of the record, but Ben didn’t stop dancing.
Finally, she asked, “Can we—?”
“No, we cannot make forgeries and keep the originals for ourselves.”
She pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“I just need to know.” Ben spun her out and tugged her back, the quiet lapping of the water in the canal the only accompaniment to their dance. “Are you in or out, Tenzin?”
Tenzin’s eyes narrowed and the corner of her mouth turned up in a smile.
“In.”
❂
TENZIN let Ben turn the record over and dance with her for another half an hour.
She was glad she let him figure it out on his own. It was much more satisfying to know he’d come to the same conclusion she had years ago. It was obvious after their trip to China that he’d be the perfect partner to treasure hunt with her. It had taken him a little while to come around, but he couldn’t help being slow. He was human.
For now.
The End
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Acknowledgements
I always have a long list of thank-yous when I travel, but for this trip, a few people definitely stood out. The staff at the Argentina Residenza in Rome and the AC staff in Venice were welcoming and incredibly informative. My most excellent tour guide in Naples and Pompeii, Fiorella Squillante, made our Naples experience a true pleasure and provided invaluable insight to this marvelous city.
Naples! Napoli, in general. Thank you. You are marvelous and I can’t wait to visit you again.
Venice, my love. Despite your truly oppressive weather, I’ll never turn down a chance to visit your magical streets.
A very special thank you to my Italian beta reader, Sara Villa, for her generous assistance and keen eyes.
Profuse thanks, as always, to my editors Lora Gasway and Anne Victory, my cover artists at Damonza, and my agents, Jane Dystel and Lauren Abramo.
And many thanks to my readers who have become such fans of this very unlikely (but oddly perfect) duo. Your love of these characters inspires me.
ELIZABETH HUNTER is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and paranormal mystery writer. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class but decided that middle school was far less frightening. Thankfully, people now pay her to write books and eighth graders everywhere rejoice.
She currently lives in Central California with her son, two dogs, many plants, and a sadly empty fish tank. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Cambio Springs series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.
Also by Elizabeth Hunter
The Irin Chronicles
The Scribe
The Singer
The Secret
On a Clear Winter Night (short story)
The Elemental Mysteries Series
A Hidden Fire
This Same Earth
The Force of Wind
A Fall of Water
Lost Letters & Christmas Lights
The Elemental World Series
Building From Ashes
Waterlocked
Blood and Sand
The Bronze Blade
The Scarlet Deep
Beneath a Waning Moon
The Elemental Legacy Series
Shadows and Gold
Imitation and Alchemy
The Cambio Springs Series
Shifting Dreams
Long Ride Home (short story)
Desert Bound
Five Mornings (short story)
Waking Hearts
Contemporary Romance
The Genius and the Muse
Imitation and Alchemy
Copyright © 2015
Elizabeth Hunter
ISBN: 978-1-941674-07-9
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover artist: Damonza.com
Developmental Editor: Lora Gasway
Copy Editor: Anne Victory
Formatter: Elizabeth Hunter
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Imitation and Alchemy Page 11