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Paige: LOL. Reindeer is cute, but you put the note in the bathroom!
Chase: Figured you’d see it there.
Paige: I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet! Freaked out when you weren’t here.
Chase: Real sorry. Would’ve texted but didn’t want to wake you up.
Paige: That’s ok. When will you get back?
Chase: 30 min away. I’ll grab us breakfast on way back.
Paige: Ok thanks. You can run longer if you want.
Chase: Already on way back.
THE FOLLOWING DAY, after a long morning in the beach hotel, we drive along the coast to the big Christmas festival near Wilmington. It doesn’t take very long even with Chase deciding he wants to stop to check out a couple of big beach shops to buy discounted trinkets for all his friends.
The festival is a really good size—with all kinds of tables and vendors selling arts and crafts and food and drink. There’s a wide variety of local musicians and a parade of antique cars. Also competitions for the best pie, best chili, and best cider. The weather has warmed up today, so we don’t even need to wear jackets.
We have a great time. I talk to nearly every artist and jewelry maker of any quality and make a number of promising connections. While I’m deep in conversation, Chase plants himself next to the dress-up-dogs-as-Santa’s-elves booth and watches the transformations with the excited wonder of a little boy.
When I’m done with the business portion of the day, we wander around, checking everything else out and eating way too much.
The day passes quickly, and it’s nearly five before we get tired and decide we’ve done all we can do here. We drive over to a charming bed-and-breakfast to check in and rest a little before dinner.
It’s only when the host shows us to our room that I remember that this is the one place on the trip that I wasn’t able to get two different beds. All the other places were able to either separate the beds into twins or swap us to a different room with two beds. But this one is a fancy honeymoon-type suite with a big king-size bed, jetted tub, and romantic decor.
I’m slightly flushed as I thank the host and tell him everything looks perfect. Chase’s expression is completely natural. He doesn’t look remotely concerned, but I can’t see anything but that big bed.
As soon as we’re alone, I say in a rush, “I’m sorry. I called about swapping rooms, but they didn’t have any others available.”
“It’s no problem for me. Happy to take the couch thing if you want.”
The “couch thing” is an antique settee that’s maybe two-thirds the length of Chase’s body. “I’m not going to ask you to sleep on that thing! Or on the floor. We’ll be fine on the bed. There’s plenty of room. As long as it’s okay with you.”
“It’s fine with me.” He slants me a look. “You’re the one who’s uncomfortable with it. And I’m not okay with you being uncomfortable.”
“It’s mostly because it’s fixed up all romantic. I’m sure we’ll be just fine on the bed itself. It’s plenty big for there to be a lot of room between us.”
“All right then.” He walks over to the window and picks up the big vase of flowers and puts it inside the walnut wardrobe. Then he collects the beautifully displayed toiletries and the wineglasses and the candles and thick white bathrobes and stuffs them in the wardrobe too. “There. Now it’s not so romantic.”
I giggle helplessly at his matter-of-fact actions. “What if I actually want to use some of that?”
“Then you can grab them out of there.” His mouth twitches slightly as he moves his bag over to the far side of the bed. “So you’re really okay if I’m on the bed?”
“I’m really okay. Do you need the bathroom? I’m kind of hot and sweaty, so I want to take a shower.”
“I’m good for now. Go right ahead.” He toes off his shoes and stretches out on top of the covers on his side of the bed, relaxing with his music the way he always does.
I take a shower and then lie down next to him on the bed, reading for a little while and then closing my eyes for a fifteen-minute snooze.
And it’s fine. There’s less space between us than normal since we’re both on the bed, but it’s not like we’re right on top of each other.
We’ve been doing fine sharing rooms. It will be no problem to share a bed for one night.
I’ve nearly convinced myself of it by the time we leave for dinner.
TONIGHT WE EAT AT THE nicest restaurant on the trip. It’s significantly more expensive than where we’ve been going so far. I’ve changed into good black pants and a dressier top, and even Chase puts on a pair of dark gray trousers and a button-up shirt.
