Bereft (Seven Year Itch #2)(50)

“You know who he is?” I finally got her attention. “When did you figure it out?”

“It doesn’t matter. I need to know this weekend will be about us. It’s only fair to leave everything else in our lives behind. It’s for three days. That’s all I’m asking. If you decide we’re over, I’ll watch you walk away. I won’t fight with you. It’s ultimately your decision.”

Rachel tossed her bag in the trunk and headed for the passenger seat of the car without replying to my comment. I couldn’t tell whether she was annoyed, or afraid of what I knew. It didn’t matter. Unless I had her full attention this weekend wouldn’t help us.

I’d been driving for ten miles before she spoke. “Are we going to stop somewhere for dinner? I’m starving.”

“I had a place in mind. It’s about twenty minutes from here. Can you wait that long?”

She stared out the window as she answered. “Yeah.”

The place I wanted to take her was special. I knew she wouldn’t remember it until we arrived. We hadn’t gone there since my first wife had passed away. It was on the way to the institution she’d been living at. We’d taken the drive to pick up the little bit of her belongings she’d been able to keep. On the way home we were hungry and exhausted. We pulled over at the first place we came to, which happened to be a motel with a small diner attached. After we had a home-cooked meal, we sat there talking for hours, finally succumbing to our fatigued bodies. We got a room, but after an emotional embrace, one thing led to another. We stayed up half the night making love, discovering new things about each other, and setting the pace for a future wedding. That following weekend I asked her to be my wife. We’d never looked back after that trip, and I hoped somewhere in her heart she’d be able to reconnect with me again.

Fortunate for me, this wasn’t the only surprise I had up my sleeve. Like it or not, we weren’t going to a couples retreat, not like one she assumed. I’d made reservations for a cabin, secluded from everything else. We’d be in the middle of the woods with no cell service or electricity. It was a desperate attempt, but I knew once I got her there she’d have no choice but to give me a chance. I wasn’t thinking she’d go along with it calmly. I was hoping for a miracle to guide us in the right direction for our future. I already knew where I wanted to be in in five years time. It was up to Rachel to make her own decision, whether it was with me, or someone else.

It wasn’t long before I pulled into the old motel parking lot. Rachel hadn’t been paying much attention until the gravel started picking up as the tires moved further. She took in her surroundings, finally turning to address the situation. “I know this place.”

“I was hoping you would. This is our first stop.”

She unbuckled her seat belt. “It’s not going to end the same as last time, I can assure you of that.”

I nodded, but kept my opinions to myself. She didn’t need to see me get upset. I wouldn’t let her feeling sorry for me allow her to make decisions she’d regret later.

We entered in the establishment and were quickly seated across from each other. Rachel held the menu up to keep me from seeing her face. “Do you remember what we had last time?”

“It was ten years ago, Grayson. Give me a break.”

“You had their signature sandwich. It’s called a Rachel. It’s turkey, swiss and coleslaw on a bun. You said it was the best sandwich you’d ever eaten.”

She lowered the menu and squinted her eyes. “That was easy to answer. Once you saw it you remembered.”

I accepted it could have been the case, but it wasn’t true. She went on and on about a food having her name. “Whatever. So, is that what you’re ordering?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

I kept staring down at my menu, too focused on Rachel to concentrate enough to read.

The waitress came to take our orders and Rachel went first. She ordered the same sandwich and then began to tell the waitress what I was having. “I’ll have the Rachel, light thousand island on the side please. He’s going to have the pulled pork, with the Carolina style sauce, and the hand cut fries. We’ll both have a sweet tea, one with lemon and one without.”

I was impressed. As soon as the waitress walked away I saw her peering into my eyes. “Two can play this game, Grayson. You’re easy to guess. You always have the same things.”

“I think it’s a little more than being perspective. I think you remember the details from the last time we were here, back when we were insanely in love with each other.”

“Thinking about back then makes my heart hurt.” She looked at the menu again. “I wish this place served wine.”

“They may not serve it, but I bought a few bottles of your favorite to take with us.”

She sort of smiled. “That was kind of you.”

“I’m trying, Rachel. I really am.”

“Noted and appreciated.”

“How was your day at work?” I figured small talk would help pass the time.

She shrugged. “Work is overwhelming at the moment. I have a lot riding on my shoulders. When I took on the new position I was under the impression that I’d have a little leeway as far as delegating jobs to other people. So far it hasn’t happened.”