Before You Go

chapter sixteen

Eliza

On Monday, James and I are pencilled in for an appointment with a travel agent. Every time I think about the appointment, I chuckle to myself. We had both been so stubborn at the beginning of all this, telling ourselves that we could easily plan our own honeymoon and not spend the extra money to have it planned for us. But here we are, sitting in a small office as we watch the travel agent set up our trip for next winter.

Before we hired the travel agent, we spent a few months arguing over where we wanted to go. I suggested Colombia – I've always wanted to go there – but James rejected it immediately, saying it was unsafe and not very relaxing. It saddened me that he would shut me down so bluntly, but I saw his point the more I thought about it. Am I happy with where we've decided to go? No, not exactly. But the Amalfi Coast looks beautiful and stunning, so by the time our travel agent has completed all the necessary bookings, I'm a happy camper. One day, I'll be able to convince James to go to Colombia. Until then, I'm looking forward to some authentic Italian cuisine and swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea. I also can't wait to see the architecture of the older buildings there. Overall, it's been a long time since I went on vacation and I'm looking forward to being a tourist again.

"So," James says as we exit the building. His arm is wrapped around my waist, hand stuck in the pocket of my shorts as we head for his truck. "Are you excited?"

Enthusiastically, I nod. The enthusiasm is a little forced, though. The Amalfi Coast isn't Colombia. There's a part of me that wishes I would have pushed back harder when James said no. I can understand why he's scared of contracting a foreign virus like the Zika virus, but even without a vaccine, there are always health precautions you can take to prevent yourself from getting sick. Leon and I always used to dream about what it would be like to hike until our legs could no longer carry us; we wanted to explore the Fin del Mundo trek and see the Lost City. We wanted to taste Colombian food and get to know their different cultures. We had planned on going to Colombia after we –

No. Stop.

Why am I thinking about Leon right now? God, he needs to get out of my head. Even when he's not near me, his presence still lingers.

"I am excited," I reply. "James, this is going to be a fantastic honeymoon. I'm so glad we found a place to travel to."

"I know," he sighs, looking extraordinarily content. "I can't wait to go to Italy with you. Spending time together, after all this wedding stuff ends, is just what we need." He leans down and kisses me on the cheek, his lips lingering long enough to make my blood spark. I grip his hand tighter to let him know how good he's making me feel while he kisses me.

He grins against the corner of my mouth and softly shakes his head.  Strands of his luscious brown locks tickle the tip of my nose. "How did I ever get so lucky?" he murmurs, kissing me again.

"Please," I scoff. "We both know you'd rather have the waitress at the pub."

Although James knows I'm joking, his face sobers up and he turns to face me, tipping my chin up. The look in his eyes is serene and unfathomably passionate. There's a small crease between his eyebrows, which are pinched together in thought. "It's only you, Eliza. Forever."