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He thought about it, not wanting to reveal too much. “As you already know, traveling is one of the big ones. And before you ask, I’ve enjoyed all the countries I’ve visited, but for different reasons.”
“I know what you mean. It’s hard to say that a single place is a favorite, because it’s like comparing papayas with grapes. I was always frustrated when my schedule meant I had to leave a country and all I’d seen was the hotel and the photo location. The one time I was in Moscow, I only saw the Hermitage from a distance.”
Once before, when she’d alluded to something similar, he couldn’t deny that he’d been dismissive, even derisive, implying she felt sorry for herself without a valid reason. Now he considered what it would be like to be in Athens and not be able to visit the Acropolis, or in Paris and miss seeing Notre Dame. Or not being able to just laze a few days away in Hawaii. He would feel extremely deprived.
“That’s like being invited to a feast,” he said, “and only getting to sniff the scent rising from the table.”
“Yes. I’d like to try road trips. You know, driving cross-country, maybe following the old Route 66. Or it would be interesting to visit all the Civil War sites. Then there are the national parks. It feels strange when I talk to someone from Australia who raves about the Petrified Forest in Arizona and I have to admit that I haven’t been there.”
Jordan thought back to his childhood and the times they’d been in the car, his parents arguing while he and his sisters poked each other in the back seat.
“Road trips might be over-romanticized,” he said. “We did a few when I was a kid.”
“Where did you go?”
“There was a trip to the Grand Canyon.”
“That’s an amazing place. Did you ride the mules down to the canyon floor?”
“Yes.” He snickered. “Terri picked out the most cantankerous mule she could find, one that’s usually left in the corral or ridden by the mule driver. They got along great. The driver couldn’t believe it.”
“That sounds like Terri.”
“You bet. Mom and Dad joked about taking the mule back to California and keeping him in our backyard.”
Nicole’s voice was soft. “That must be a good memory.”
It was good. Now that he thought about it, the arguing hadn’t been on road trips, but around town. Vacations were the times when the Masterses had been a family. Jordan’s standby position was to forget his childhood or only recall the bad parts, but that didn’t provide a complete picture.
“When was your family at its best?” he asked curiously. “On vacation?”
“We didn’t take that many, since we were on the go so much, partly for my parents’ work as fashion buyers, and partly when I was on assignment.” Her lips curved. “But there was one time we flew up to my aunt’s funky little cabin on the Northern California coast. It verged on primitive and definitely wasn’t something my parents usually liked.”
“Which is…?” Jordan prompted.
“Luxury hotels with room service. Anyhow, Mom went there often when she was a kid and Dad had visited a few times, too, so I guess nostalgia helped. We all collected shells and sea glass, along with so much driftwood, we couldn’t get it into our suitcases and had to ship it home. I remember being supremely happy, and I think everyone else was, too. The greatest part was being able to walk on the beach with Emily and just be sisters.”
It wasn’t quite the answer Jordan had expected, but maybe that was par for the course when it came to childhood memories. What he couldn’t explain was his sudden wish that he could have been there with Nicole, picking up shells on the beach.
CHAPTER TEN
NICOLE WONDERED WHAT Jordan was thinking about; there was a relaxed smile on his face, as if he was contemplating something pleasant. Probably her imagination.
The traffic was stop-and-go, even on surface streets.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a particularly long wait on the freeway. “My talk with the other models probably put us in even worse traffic than if we’d left immediately.”
“I doubt it made much difference and you’re the one paying the price, if there is one. All I have to do is sit back and relax while you drive.”
