All Chapters of Teach Me How to Love You: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

We flew out to Italy on Alan's private jet.It was my first time anywhere near one. We arrived at the airport, and once it registered that we were flying private, I could hardly contain myself, desperate to see what the inside of a jet actually looked like.Luxury was the only word for all of it. The seats were soft enough to melt right into. I teased Alan that I'd have to work this whole life and the next just to afford something like this. It really was beautiful in here.He looked at me. "Why do you think you couldn't own one in your lifetime?"I shot him a be serious look. He gave a small smile and let it go. He took out his laptop, and once we were in the air, he buried himself in work.Putting my earbuds in, I turned to the window, music filling my ears, struggling to believe how fast my whole life had turned over. Weeks ago I was working shifts at the restaurant, grateful for whatever I made. Now here I was on a private jet, on my way to Italy on vacation.Me. Nora. The same gi

Spencer pulled up outside the villa and put the car in park."So, how would you score the day?" he asked."Solid ten. That pasta is clearly the highlight, no offense to the rest of it." I smiled. "Thank you. For today. I had a blast.""Don't thank me yet. I've barely shown you anything." He turned in his seat to face me. "Tomorrow. You in?""Hell yes.""I'll pick you up in the morning."We swapped numbers, and then I climbed out, waved him off, and headed inside to crash.When my eyes opened again, it was two in the morning. I had crashed so early that now I was wide awake, sleep nowhere to be found.I lay there a while, then gave up on it. I got up and stepped out onto the balcony, leaning on the railing to take in the night, everything still and quiet, the air cool against my skin."You didn't come down for dinner."Alan's voice came from his own balcony, and I nearly jumped out of my skin."God, you scared me." I pressed a hand to my chest. "I didn't think anyone else was awake.""

Spencer recognized Alan, and I confirmed that he was the friend I'd come to Italy with."Must be your best friend," he said, an amused tilt to his voice. "He was the last number you'd dialed, and the speed he showed up at the station, I've never seen anything like it.""Yeah." I smiled, going along with it because it was easier than explaining what Alan and I actually were.I could feel his eyes on me, Alan's, the whole time. But every time I glanced over, he was already looking my way.Spencer and I were the first to head out."You know," Spencer said as we walked to the car, "our whole day somehow turned into one big love theme. So there's one last place I have to take you, just to round it off properly."He drove us to a quiet street just off the main square and parked. When we got out, he led me toward a long stone wall, and as we got closer I saw it wasn't bare.Every inch of it was covered in writing. Names, dates, little messages, some faded almost to nothing, others fresh, all

I came down off him as fast as I had jumped up, playing it cool so it wouldn't get awkward for everyone watching.They declared us the winners, a cheer going up around us as someone handed me the teddy bear. I swear the thing was bigger than I was.Once we'd stepped away, I started in with an apology. "Sorry. For, you know. Jumping on you like that.""It's fine. You were excited. I get it."Once I was sure he wasn't annoyed, I let myself gush. About the bear, how he'd taken down every last person in that game."Seriously, how are you that good?" I squinted at him. "Are you secretly in the military? Some kind of assassin? Every single shot landed."A smile tugged at his mouth. "It's not that deep. Focus and calculation, that's all it takes. I happen to be good at both.""Lucky me, then." I lifted the bear up between us. "Your aim got me this.""Can you take a shot of me with it?" But before I could even get the camera off my neck, he'd already lifted his phone and snapped the shot.I l

"Tiana." Spencer's voice flattened. "What are you doing here?"Her eyes never left me. "What kind of question is that? I flew in to celebrate your birthday with you.""As what?""Your girlfriend, obviously."He let out a long, tired sigh. "Tiana, at this point this is harassment. We broke up. I'm exhausted from repeating it. I'm not your boyfriend anymore.""Oh, come off it. You can't be serious. You'd really throw away years together, just like that?""You threw it away." His voice sharpened. "When you slept with another man.""I told you, it was a mistake. It happened only once, and that's because you were never around, ""Wow," I murmured under my breath."That's what you don't get." He shook his head, disbelief all over him. "You're not even remorseful. You cheated on me and still you're blaming me for it. Do you know how insane you sound?""It's partly your fault, you know." Her chin lifted. "You were always working.""That's how I afforded everything you demanded of me." His voi