“Listen to this,” Gwen said, stopping at a passage in John Muir’s bookTravels in Alaska, which began with a trip in 1879. “‘When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dew drop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars allsinging and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.’”
“He wrote that in 1879?” Peter asked, leaning close to her on the sofa and looking at the printed words on the page.
“He certainly had a passion for the physical world,” Gwen said.
“So did Valerie.” Peter’s eyes met Gwen’s. His face was mere inches away, so close she could feel the beat of his breath on her lips.
There was an energy between them, a physical awareness that had been building all day. She’d seen it in his eyes, in the way he looked at her, and she’d felt it in his touch when he’d leaned close to tell her something on the boat and his hand had rested on her hip for a second or two. The memory of it caused a pleasant vibration in her body.
The fire danced and crackled in the grate, and sparks floated up the chimney. Gwen hadn’t dated anyone since her separation. She’d been living a very quiet life. Whatever was happening here felt novel and exciting.
Peter didn’t speak, but his gaze dipped to her mouth. Their eyes met again, and he smiled and touched his lips lightly to hers.
The kiss was soft and warm—and all too brief—but it was perfect for that moment in the lobby, next to the fire, in the company of other hotel guests seated not far away, on soft chairs arranged in intimate clusters.
Peter’s eyes glimmered in the firelight, and Gwen had a memory of the first time she’d laid eyes on him when he had stepped out of his car in the parking lot at the museum. Perhaps even then, she’d felt an attraction, but she had decisively ignored it because of the work he did.
It still bothered her when she thought about it, but she couldn’t ignore what was happening between them now, after days of constant togetherness and deep, stimulating conversations. And now that she knew him better, she didn’t see him as a heartless or sleazy photographer, not when he had regrets and had chosen to leave that line of work behind.
“That was nice,” she said, feeling suddenly shy. She lowered her gaze to the book on her lap.
“Yes.”
It was mostly dark outside, except for the hint of dusk that seeped in through the sheer curtains of the lobby. Gwen still wasn’t used to these late sunsets, but there was something magical about them, as if she and Peter were existing in an alternate universe.
Peter closed his eyes and touched his forehead to hers. Gwen closed her eyes as well, breathed in the musky scent of him, and everything grew calm.
“I didn’t expect this,” Peter said.
“Expect what?”
“To like you so much.” His eyes lifted. “I’m afraid I have a bit of a crush.”
Feeling flattered, Gwen smiled and placed her open palm on his chest. “I didn’t expect this either.”
He sat back and put his arm around her, and she set the book aside and snuggled into him.
The following morning, Gwen woke at six and couldn’t go back to sleep. She took a long hot shower and asked herself if she regretted kissing and snuggling up against Peter on the sofa the night before.
The answer was a firm no. She may still be a married woman, but she was separated, and her husband had certainly enjoyed his freedom over the past year. Eric’s texts and phone calls lately didn’t change that. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she had never felt truly seen or understood by Eric. Even when he’d called and apologized and finally accepted some responsibility for their separation, he’d had no idea what she was feeling about “that guy” she was working with, and he hadn’t seemed interested in probing deeper into herfeelings about Peter. He just wanted her to come home and hear him out and give him a second chance. It was obvious that he was feeling some jealousy, but did he even care whatshewas feeling?
Gwen shut off the shower, got out of the tub, and toweled off in front of the steamed-up mirror.
No. She had no regrets. And she was certain there had been no element of getting even with Eric by kissing someone else. Honestly, that morning, she didn’t care about Keri, and perhaps that spoke volumes about her state of mind and her vision of the future.
After she blew her hair dry and dressed for the day, she brewed coffee in her room. She had just taken the first sip when her cell phone chimed. Picking it up, she saw a text from Peter.
Hey. You up?
She quickly responded.Yes. I was awake at six. I just showered and I’m hungry for breakfast. Chop chop.
Peter sent a goofy-face emoji and followed up with:Jumping in the shower now.
Gwen pictured him leaping out of bed. She smiled at the image and continued to sip her hot and delicious coffee.
Gwen and Peter spent the entire day at the Valdez Museum. They met Douglas Warren at ten o’clock and spoke at length about the earthquake. Then he showed them the photography collection and left them alone to conduct their research.
At lunchtime, they ordered a pizza, and when the museum closed at the end of the day, Gwen and Peter went for supper in town and discussed their findings.
