Honeymoon

Chapter 5

THAT EVENING NORA COOKED, a penne with a vodka sauce she made from scratch. A tossed salad and a bottle of Brunello from Jeffrey’s private cellar. Dinner was served. Everything just so. The way he liked it.

They ate and talked about his new novel, which was set during the French Revolution. Jeffrey had only just returned from Paris days earlier. He was a stickler for authenticity in his writing and insisted on traveling for research. With Nora having her own busy work schedule, they were apart more than they were together. In fact, they had been married on a Saturday, in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and had flown home on Sunday. No mess, no fuss, no records in the States, either. It was a very modern marriage.

“You know, Nora, I was thinking,” he said, digging his fork into the last of his penne. “We should really take a trip together.”

“Maybe you can give me that honeymoon you’ve been promising.”

He put a hand to his heart and smiled. “Darling, every day I spend with you is a honeymoon.”

Nora smiled back. “Nice try, Mr. Famous Writer, but I’m not letting you off with a cute line.”

“Okay. Where do you want to go?”

“How about the south of France?” she offered. “We could shack up at the Hôtel du Cap.”

“Or Italy?” he said, holding up his glass of wine. “Tuscany?”

“Hey, I know—why don’t we do both?”

Jeffrey threw his head back and roared laughter. “There you go again,” he said, his index finger waving in the air. “Always wanting it all. And why not?”

They finished up dinner, talking more possible destinations for the honeymoon. Madrid, Bali, Vienna, Lanai. The only thing settled as they split a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia was to get a travel agent involved.

By eleven they were snuggling in bed. Husband and wife. So very much in love.