Two women farther ahead whispered and turned around.
A teenager walking to the restroom slowed as he passed our row.
Luca noticed too.
His expression changed.
Not fear exactly.
Weariness.
He leaned closer to me.
“Can I ask you a ridiculous favor?”
“That depends on how ridiculous.”
He glanced across the aisle.
The young man was holding his phone upright near his chest.
“Would you mind pretending you fell asleep on my shoulder?”
I stared at him.
“You’re serious?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Why?”
“Because if they think I’m traveling with family, they may lose interest.”
I looked at the people watching him.
Then back at him.
“Are you famous?”
His mouth twitched.
“Unfortunately, sometimes.”
That should have made me more suspicious.
Instead, he sounded so sincerely unhappy about it that I almost smiled.
“Five minutes,” I said.
“Five minutes.”
I adjusted Fiona, who was watching a cartoon with headphones on, and carefully rested my head against Luca’s shoulder.
Across the aisle, the phone lowered.
One of the women ahead turned around once more, saw us, and faced forward.
Luca exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“You owe me coffee.”
“Done.”
I closed my eyes.
