"Ready for a taste adventure?" she asked, setting down the plates .
"Always," Lucas replied, his eyes bright with anticipation. He took a bite, the layers of spices and textures playing across his palate. "This is incredible, Mel. You've outdone yourself."
"Thank you." She watched him with a mixture of pride and affection. "But?"
"But," he continued, his voice carrying a note of determination, "we need to talk about making some changes."
"Changes?" Melanie's fork paused mid-air, curiosity piqued.
"Nothing bad, I promise." Lucas reached across the table, his touch grounding. "I just think we could use a bit more balance. More nights like this, where it's just us, good food, and no talk of work."
Melanie considered his words, the businesswoman within her calculating the logistics. Yet, the woman who had laughed so freely in his car on the way back from Portland understood the value of what he proposed. A balanced life—one where love and ambition could flourish side by side.
"Balance is good," she conceded.
"Great," Lucas smiled, relief evident in his expression. "Because there's a puzzle waiting for us in the living room, and I plan on winning this time."
"Winning, huh?" Melanie chuckled, feeling the weight of the week lift from her shoulders. "We'll see about that, Mr. Barnett."
They cleared the table together before he showed her a puzzle he’d ordered from Amazon. As they settled down with the puzzle pieces scattered before them, Melanie felt their relationship was on the precipice of something. She only wished she knew what.
Melanie watched Lucas as he fiddled with the last piece of the puzzle, his brow furrowed in mock concentration. He turned to her, flashing a boyish grin.
"Mel," he said, taking a deep breath, "I've been thinking about something."
"Uh-oh," she teased, leaning against the kitchen counter, her arms folded. "Should I be worried?"
"Only if the idea of having more weekends like this worries you," he replied, crossing the room to stand beside her. His hand found hers, fingers intertwining naturally. "I want us to alternate being on call with Abigail and Jacob. I think we need that space, time for us to grow."
The words hung in the air between them, a proposal that challenged Melanie’s deeply ingrained work ethic. Her mind raced through schedules, client needs, and productivity charts. To step back was to lose control, yet the warmth from his touch spoke of different possibilities.
"Lucas, you know the plant is my baby," Melanie said, her voice a blend of caution and intrigue. "Being away from work...it's not something I'm used to."
"I know," he acknowledged with a nod. "But I'm not talking about stepping back entirely. Just every other weekend. It’s about finding a rhythm where work doesn’t consume all our time. We need moments where it's just you and me, away from the daily grind."
She considered his words and thought about the wonderful time they’d had on their weekend away. A part of her resisted the change and feared the unknown that came with it. But then there was Lucas with his eyes filled with an earnest plea for shared moments, for laughter unburdened by deadlines.
"Extra time with you does sound tempting," she admitted, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The thought of lingering mornings, unhurried conversations, and leisurely walks with him sparked a happiness she couldn't deny.
"Think about the puzzles we could conquer," he said, pulling her closer.
"Or the recipes I could botch without the threat of a phone call interrupting," she added playfully, resting her head against his chest.
"Exactly," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Life isn’t just about the work we do. It’s also about these moments. With you, Melanie, every moment counts."
Melanie felt a surge of hopefulness. She saw the promise of weekends spent having fun with him. Maybe there was more to life than just work.
"Okay," she said, her voice threading through the space between them like a delicate promise. "Every other weekend on call with Abigail and Jacob sounds like a perfect compromise."
"Perfect," he said, his lips curling into a smile.
AFTER SUPPER THE FOLLOWING evening, they cleared the dining table, making room for their fun project—a thousand-piece puzzle of the New York City skyline.
Lucas sat across from her, his long legs stretched out beneath the table, eyes tracing the constellations of freckles on Melanie's focused face. She bit her lip, a habit he'd learned signaled her deep concentration, as she turned pieces this way and that, searching for the right fit.
"Remember when you said you loved these puzzles because they reminded you of farming?" he asked, picking up a piece that appeared to be part of the Empire State Building.
"Of the land," she corrected without looking up. "How every little bit matters, how everything has its place. It's satisfying, seeing it all come together."
