This Love is Ours

Sweet Escape

Our taxi arrives at five am, Hunter and I head out, travel mugs in hand and bundled up for this surprisingly cool October morning. When we arrived at the airport, there were reporters waiting for us. 'How's the married life?' 'When can we expect children?' 'Hunter - is having a family going to stop your career?' 'Are you going back to the studio?'

We quietly wave, and board the plane promptly. 'They're a bit demanding for six a.m.' I whisper to Hunter. 'He laughs as he readjusts his ball cap.

'Yeah, it's too early for me. This flight is like, eight hours right?'

I nodded and popped a gravol. I am fine on planes, but I needed me some sleep. Hunter and I got cozy once we took off. I was out like a light until we were preparing to land. Hunter said there was some turbulence, but I slept like a rock.

We exited the terminal, looking for the sign for our tour group. Hunter spotted the sign that said Hunter and Jenna, and proceeded to the hotel. After settling in the hotel room, we gathered with the other tour members in the lobby. Hunter and I figured there would be a chance of being recognized, especially being on a tour group with an assortment of people. I heard a squeal from behind me, and turned to see three young girls, maybe in their mid-teens shuffle in their handbags to grab cameras, pens and paper.

'Hunter! Jenna! Can we have your autographs?'

I force a smile out of my jet lagged body, 'Sure thing girls. Who can I make this out for?'

'I'm Tia, this is Rachel and Amber' one of the girls noted.

'Lovely to meet you girls' I said, scribbling autographs. 'Do you live here in London?'

'No, we are from Maine, actually.'

'Very nice to meet you,' Hunter says after signing and posing. 'We best be going. We're with a group.'

'Thanks again' the girls chimed in unison. Hunter held my hand as we made our way on a walking tour to dinner with the group. We walked past Big Ben in the heart of London. We were going to be here for two days, then off to Paris for three days, travel over night by train to Italy where we go to see Rome, Pisa and Pompeii before going to Greece for the last five days. We will be flying back to Nashville from Greece.

London was nice, it was busy, very much like the cities at home. Their driving made me nervous though. The coach bus drive to Paris was full of neat sights. Hunter spent a lot of the road time writing songs while I worked on programming ideas for work back at the hospital in Nashville. 'Baby can we get a dog?'

'Maybe.' Hunter said with a heavy heart. Hunter had two dogs with his ex, but she kept one and he kept Cole. Cole, his rescue greyhound passed away before Hunter proposed. He wasn't ready to get another dog just yet.

'Well, think about it, let me know.' I kissed him on the cheek. I look out of my window to see we were pulling up to our hotel. We step off the bus to gather our luggage, and once we were in our room we admired the Parisian skyline at sunset from our window. 'Nothing better than being in one of the most romantic cities in the world with my favourite person' I say, leaning back into Hunter as he wrapped his arms around my body.  He let out a sigh as he kissed my neck. I turn to face him, kissing him, following his body cues. Without hesitation we got under the sheets, the clothes came off fast after that.

I woke up to the ringing of the room phone, 'Mr. or Mrs. Hayes? Breakfast will start in ten minutes, we will be going on our tour at eleven'. I hang up to see it's already nine, and I turn to get Hunter up but he's not in sight.

'Hunter?' Silence, until I hear screaming in the hallway. I throw on his tee shirt just as Hunter walks in, showered, dressed and ready for the day.

'Good morning love. Sorry, I went to grab us coffees' he said nodding to the two cups on the dresser. 'And I forgot the sugar' he says rolling his eyes.

'It's okay love. Thank you' I said taking a sip. 'I'm going to shower quickly and we can go to breakfast. The front desk called me.' Hunter nodded and broke out his guitar to kill time while he waited. I close the washroom door and hear him strumming away. The more I thought about our duet the more excited I got.

After breakfast we went on a walking tour to the Eiffel Tour then Le Louvre art gallery. We took a bunch of pictures, I can't wait to scrap book them and everything from the wedding. 'So we get to see the Mona Lisa and the drunk Italian tower,' I chuckle to Hunter as we followed the crowd the gallery.

'Yeah, actually,' he said observing all of the art. 'This stuff is amazing.' We both admired the paintings and sculptures in awe. The rest of the gallery tour was about an hour, and we walked another forty five minutes through the city towards the Eiffel Tower. We enjoyed being typical tourists, and dare I say we actually felt normal, taking pictures in front of the Tower and the surrounding city.

'Hunter I have a surprise for after dinner' I whisper going up the elevator to the top of the tower.

'Okay babe, may I ask?' I pursed my lips together with a smile shaking my head. Hunter laughed, 'Fine, if you must insist on surprising me.'

'I do. And I also want to ask, why are we going up this tower? We are both petrified of heights.'

'Well yeah,' Hunter laughed. 'But I don't know the next time I'll be coming to Paris and going up the Eiffel Tower'

'You're such a romantic' I say, kissing his cheek.

After countless 'top of the Eiffel Tower pictures' and a delicious dinner, Hunter and I made our way out to my surprise. I double checked my purse, and got my phone out for directions. The tour group had been such a great idea, we've only been in Europe for a short while but we've seen so much. 'Are we there yet?' Hunter asks, half joking.

'A few more blocks' I say, catching sight of our destination. 'So call me cheesy or whatever, but I've got this' I say, fishing part of the surprise out of my purse and placing it in his free hand.

'A padlock and sharpie?' Hunter asked with a confused expression.

'Pont de Artes, that bridge,' I say pointing a few meters ahead of us, 'it's full of locks with the names of couples or lovers and then they throw the key into the river below'

'Oh wow,' Hunter said, 'That's beautiful. And such a sweet surprise.' He kissed me on the forehead and we sat on a bench beside the bridge. 'Can you write our names? My writing is too messy   '

'I'd have to agree with you there Hun' I laughed and wrote out 'Hunter and Jenna Hayes' on one side, and 'Honeymoon 2018' on the other. 'Okay, let's lock it on and toss the key!' I exclaimed.

Hunter pulled me in close and enveloped me into a bear hug, kissing the top of my head. I breathed him in, and squeezed him back before pulling away a bit. 'How do ice cream and a walk back to the hotel sound?'

'Perfect' he said with a grin.