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“No shit, Sherlock.”
He meets my eyes, his lips curving up. I poke my tongue out at him.
Alex chuckles. “Come on. It’s nearly five. Let’s go and have dinner.”
Leia’s dozing, so I put her in her seat, and James carries her through to the dining room. The waiter shows us to the best table in a bow window looking out at the snow-topped mountains, and hands us all a menu.
I’m nervous about what to choose—there are lots of words I don’t recognize, some in French, I think. I like cooking, but I mostly cook plain food, and I have no idea what a Bouillabaisse is, or a Velouté.
But James is there to rescue me, as he says, “I was thinking we could go for the platter, what do you think?”
“Sounds good,” Alex says, and Missie and I nod enthusiastically.
What they eventually bring out astounds me. Food fills every inch of a large square board they place in the center of the table. There are thinly sliced cured meats, savory crackers, breadsticks, crusty bread and thick butter, nuts, olives, hummus topped with olive oil and seeds, several different chutneys, figs, grapes, and dried fruits, baked brie with olive oil drizzled over, cheddar and Stilton, rice-stuffed vine leaves, baby peppers filled with soft cheese, and lots more.
We all tuck in, talking and laughing while we eat. Alex and Missie are good company, and they ease the slight awkwardness I feel every time I think about the fact that James and I are married.
Every now and again, I remember that we’re sharing a room, and my stomach flutters with nerves. Not that I’m expecting anything to happen. James told Alex to stop meddling earlier, and I know he’s determined to keep this strictly business. Still, even the thought of sleeping in the same room as him gives me goosebumps. Is that silly?
Leia wakes and I lift her onto my lap and give her another toy to play with. Even though I eat my fill from the platter, the guys insist on ordering a dessert platter too, and when that comes it’s impossible not to pick at the tiny macaroons, freshly made truffles, and the miniature donuts, and I can’t resist dipping strawberries, grapes, and orange segments into the white chocolate and dark chocolate sauces.
“You did not just dip a chocolate truffle into a chocolate dip,” I say to James.
He licks his lips and gives me an amused smile. “What’s wrong with that? I like chocolate.”
“I’d noticed. Ginny always makes sure there are bars of Cadbury’s available,” I tell the others. “And they’re always in the fridge.”
“You monster,” Missie declares.
“I like cold chocolate,” he protests.
“Well, if I crack a tooth I’m sending you the dentist’s bill,” I say sarcastically.
“Anything for my wife.” He dips another truffle into the white chocolate sauce and eats it with a grin.
I’ve had enough to eat, and I bounce Leia on my knees as she grizzles a little.
“Aw,” Missie says. “Is she getting bored? How about we go for a walk? There’s a path from the lodge down to the stream.”
“Good idea,” James says. He eats his final truffle, and we rise from the table and head out to the lobby. Leaving the carry seat and bag behind the front desk, he takes Leia from me, and we walk slowly along the path and down to the stream.
It’s a beautiful evening, and the late sun has turned the water to beaten copper. We’re thrilled as a kea swoops in front of us to sit on a fence and watch us for a while, and a New Zealand falcon floats high in the sky, possibly looking for its supper on the outskirts of the forest.
The breeze blows across me, making me shiver. “Here,” James says to Alex, “take Leia for a moment, will you?” Then he slips off his jacket and puts it around my shoulders.
“You needn’t do that,” I scold, but I welcome the way it’s warmed from his body heat, and pull it closer. It smells of him, too, his cologne rising from the material to ensnare my senses.
Is he doing it because he thinks someone’s watching from the lodge, and he’s keen on portraying the image of the marriage as real? I don’t think so, somehow. He’s just being kind and affectionate, and that warms me through more than the jacket.
We continue to walk, Alex singing Taylor Swift songs to Leia as he carries her, which makes Missie laugh. When we return to the foyer, James collects the carry seat and bag, and the four of us walk along to the lodges.
“Come in for coffee,” I suggest, and so they join us, and James and Alex make the coffees while Missie makes up the bottle and warms it, and I give Leia a quick wash and change her into a onesie. Missie then feeds her, obviously enjoying the chance to get her hands on a baby again, while we sip our coffees and watch the sun set over the mountains.
“It’s been a lovely day,” I say with a sigh. I’ve removed my sandals and now I rest my bare feet on the coffee table, crossed at the ankles. “Thanks for suggesting it, Alex.”
“You’re welcome. Hopefully it’ll foil Blue’s plans,” he replies. He picks up the cups and takes them over to the sink. “Come on,” he says to Missie, “let’s go back to our place.”
Leia is nearly asleep, so Missie takes her over to the bassinet and lays her down gently. We cover her with the thin duvet, and she bends to kiss her goodnight.
