“Ah,” he said, rolling over on top of her. “But actions speak louder than words.”
Epilogue
Two months later
Too nervous to eat, Amity pushed her near-full plate away and pressed her hand to her churning stomach. She should have skipped dinner altogether.
“You’re not eating much,” Marshall said.
“Not that hungry tonight.” She retrieved her plate and forced down a nibble. She might not feel hungry, but her body needed nourishment and fortification. She peeked at her husband.I have something to tell you, and I don’t know how you’re going to take it.
“Well? What do you say? Do you want to go? The four of us? It will be a double date.” Faith looked at her expectantly.
“Go where?” she asked. Faith and Bragg had jabbered nonstop. Wrapped in her own concerns, she hadn’t caught so much as a word of their conversation, just managing to insert an “uh-huh” at appropriate intervals.
“To the hot spring I’ve been talking about all through dinner!”
“The hot spring?” She glanced from Faith’s avid face to Marshall’s bewildered one. He hadn’t been listening either. In fact, he’d seemed distracted, too. Anxious, almost.
“Aren’t we sitting on one? There’s a heated aquifer underground,” he said. “That’s how we get hot water in the cabin.”
“This is a pool in a grotto. We can soak, maybe swim. It’s like a huge natural hot tub,” Faith said.
“Uh…” No. Definitely not. But Amity couldn’t tell her why. Not yet. “Um…”
“We’ll have to get back to you on that,” Marshall answered for her. She shot him a grateful smile. She could always count on his support. He was so good at reading her.But I bet he didn’t read about this.He had a surprise coming.
She had no idea how he would react.Please, be happy.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked.
“Yes!” She jumped up.
“You guys haven’t finished eating.” John eyed their mostly full plates.
“Sorry to cut out, but we have important stuff to do,” Marshall said.
“Like what?”
“Stuff.”
“You’re not going to eat your dessert?”
“You take it,” Amity said.
“I hoped you’d say that.” John snagged their dessert plates. “You want one?” he asked Faith.
“No, you go ahead. One is enough for me. Are you all right?” She looked at Amity.
“I’m fine. A little tired. Long day.” She forced a smile.
Marshall took her hand, and they left the mess hall. At the entrance, they ran into Chartreuse and Lucento.
“All good!” Lucento flashed a thumbs-up and winked.
“Great!” Marshall replied.
“What was that all about?” she asked as they crossed the compound.
