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“I was kind of throwing around the idea of Florida.Military retirement pay isn’t taxed there, I think,” I say sensibly.
“A logical choice.But how about where youwantto live?Forget taxes and logic.”
“Ah.Well, if we’re really dreaming here, then that’s another matter.I think I’d have two homes then.One in Alaska for the summer, and one in Hawaii for the winter.”
She nods approvingly.“Wow.Go big or go home, right?”
“Yep.”
“Why those two places?”
My mind drawing up a postcard-perfect image, I hang an ornament.“Alaska… the wilderness there…” My voice trails, thinking of the last time I was up that way.“You’d never get bored if you like being outdoors.Kayaking, hiking, all of it.”
“But not in the winter.”
“That takes a special kind of person.And I’m not one of them.I love cold weather, but I’m not into torture.So I’d fly down to Hawaii.Paradise.”
“Sounds like the perfect plan to me.”She grins.
“How about you?”
Her mouth turns slightly downward, and I hate that it does.
“You know, I don’t really think that far in advance.I just—try to appreciate the day.”
“Always a smart choice.And you seem to like Annapolis.”
“I do.It’s got such charm.Like a small town feel.Yet it’s a city.And the healthcare around here—it’s just unmatched.”
“And you accusedmeof being logical.”
“Hey, I never said that was a bad thing.”
“True.”I take out the last decoration in the box—a star.“This one looks like it’s a tree-topper.Are you sure you don’t need it for your own tree?”I try to remember if she had anything up there.
“No.Nicholas and I picked out a new one a few years ago.You can use that one here.”
I look at it inquisitively.“No bad memories attached to this star?”I ask.“I’d kind of like to invite you back to my place again.And I don’t need you getting another oil change just so you can avoid my tree.”
She laughs.“No.No bad memories.My former in-laws gave it to us, and actually, they’re great people.”
“How about your ex?”
She tilts her head for a moment.“He’s okay too.I mean, as ex-husbands go, I probably am lucky.”
“No, I mean do you think he’d want it—the star?”
Her eyes widen and she blushes a bit.“Oh!No, no.He and Nicholas bought all new ornaments that first Christmas after the divorce.”She steps away from the tree and finishes off her wine.
Then she moves to the box only to find it empty.
And I hate that it’s empty because I have no good excuse to ask her to stay longer, especially when we both need to head to work in the morning.
I’m already looking forward to the next time I can see her.
“We made short work of those ornaments,” she says.
I laugh, glancing at my watch.It’s nearly eleven.“Took us five hours, and it’s a small tree.I’m not sure that’s anything to brag about.”
