Free Forgetting August (Lost & Found) by J. L. Berg Page B

act out in odd ways. Particularly in ways that involved food.
    “No—no anniversaries. No special celebrations. I just thought it would be nice to have an evening together. We always eat in a rush, gathered around the TV. Isn’t this better?”
    The coppery flecks of his eyes caught under the lights, turning a dazzling gold as he walked toward me. A casual smile tugged at his face.
    “Yes. Very nice.” Placing a slow, soft kiss upon my lips, he lingered, grabbing me around my waist to pull me closer. I could smell the familiar scent of his aftershave mixing with the fruity scent of my own shampoo. He’d run out of his own brand, so he’d been using mine for the last few days. The thought made me smile as I rested my head on his shoulder, loving the fact that I had someone to share my shampoo with.
    “Now, what can I do to help?” he asked, stepping back to admire me one more time. I hadn’t really done much to my appearance—just a little more makeup than I usually wore and a nice pair of jeans that hugged all the right areas. I appreciated the attention, though.
    “Nothing, really—oh, maybe pour the wine?” I suggested, pointing to the bottle I’d just uncorked.
    “How was your day?” I asked, hoping he’d have some stories worthy of discussion—lengthy discussion. Although I did want to tell him about my day, I didn’t want to do it right away.
    Maybe after he’s had a glass of wine…and a bite of pasta. That might make things better, right?
    Cheese and wine always put me in a better mode.
    “It was good—okay, I guess.”
    I laughed at his muddled response. “Can’t quite decide yet, huh?” I asked as I watched him finish pouring the merlot. He set the bottle back down on our small dining table and turned back around, leaning against a chair.
    “Just frustrating, I guess. This new client I have. They’re—”
    “Frustrating?” I guessed with a smirk, as I finished stirring veggies that were sautéing over the stove.
    “Yes. One minute they want one thing. The next minute they want something else. And then they decide they don’t like something but they’re not sure why.”
    Ryan was a graphic designer—a pretty good one, and he worked with one of the top website companies in the area. He was used to picky clients.
    “And they’re different from your last client how?” I questioned.
    “I guess I’m just tired,” he sighed. “Ready for a vacation.”
    “You mean a honeymoon?” I corrected him with a grin. He stepped forward and slid his hands around my waist again, resting his chin on my shoulder.
    “Yeah, that would be nice. Any thoughts on my ideas for that?”
    Reaching forward to shut off the burner, he stepped back and allowed me to plate everything.
    “Paris? It’s just so much, Ryan. Can we even afford that?”
    “Ev, I’ve been a bachelor for a long time. Which means, I’ve basically had myself to care for. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m not exactly high maintenance.”
    I snorted, remembering the hint of raspberry shampoo wafting from his hair. No, definitely not high maintenance.
    “With my job, I’ve managed to save up quite a lot over the years. I don’t want to go crazy, but let me do this for us. We only have one honeymoon.”
    Turning to face him, I couldn’t help but smile. He brought that out in me—simply by being him. From the moment I’d met him, he’d always managed to bring out the best in me.
    “Okay, but only on one condition,” I said. “I want to pay for half from my savings.”
    His mouth opened to protest, but I stopped him, holding up my hand to silence him.
    “My choice,” I pressed. “You already take care of more than your share of the rent. Let me do this.”
    “Fine,” he grumbled, obviously hating the idea, but a small smile escaped from his lips before he pivoted back toward the table. “But soon, it’s not going to be yours or mine…it’s just going to be ours. That’s what this whole marriage thing is