Page 26 of Worth the Try
I make the sign of an X across my upper left torso. “Cross my heart.”
“I want to run a honeymoon planning company,” she says. “Like, I’m who the couple calls. They give me the gist of what they’re after and the budget, and I plan the entire thing from start to finish.”
“Seriously?”
She nods, her lips pressed together nervously.
“That,” I declare, “is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard.”
A pretty blush stains her cheeks. “No, it’s not.”
“It is,” I insist. “That’s really cool. What made you think of it? How did it come to you?” I’m leaning toward her now, legitimately invested. I wasn’t kidding when I said it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard of. My head whirls with possibilities. “Do you need an investor?”
Her eyes really do widen now. “A—an investor?”
“Seed money. Someone to get you started,” I continue. “Because I’m interested.”
She stiffens. “I don’t need help.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“I don’t need help,” she says again, in a tone that tells me she’s serious. But then her body relaxes, as if she wants to apologize for telling me to go to hell. “My old boss…she wasalways going on about how my ideas were ‘too much’ or ‘too silly’ or whatever. And maybe they were.”
“Your old boss was an idiot,” I interrupt.
Elodie smiles, tilting her head in consideration. “Maybe. But then, I don’t know, I was watching some reality show where the couples are all on this pre-wedding vacation thing, which was weird, but it doesn’t matter. It got me thinking about how there’s so much emphasis put on the wedding itself, right? And there’s so much stress involved in it, and all the details and energy go there. Which makes sense—for most people, anyway, that’s the big moment. The huge party. The celebration. But what about the honeymoon? Who’s putting the detail and thought and love into that? I mean, sure, there are probably people on those giant island resorts who do this as part of an overall wedding package, but I’m talking about making it happen anywhere in the world. Not just a relaxing island vacation, either. Whatever a couple wants. Wherever they want. That’s what I want to give them.” She’s flushed again, but this time, it’s because she’s bursting with excitement. And it’s incredible to see.
“Can you planmyhoneymoon?” Rosie asks, her mouth full of mac and cheese.
I point a finger and give her my best fake scowl. “No way. You’re staying with me forever.”
She gets the joke and delivers her own fake pout in return, before smiling brightly. “Okay! As long as I get the guesthouse.”
I pretend to think about it. “Deal.”
“Deal!” Rosie pops another forkful of food into her mouth and chews.
I look back at the remarkable woman to my right and blurt, “Elodie. It’s an amazing idea. Truly.” I reach over to grasp her free hand and squeeze it, the movement so natural that I don’t realize I’ve done it until I feel her skin beneath my own. And when I look up, Elodie’s expression belies a jumble of emotions.
I pull away right as she does, both of us reaching for our waters. I down mine in a giant gulp. I have got to get a grip.
After a beat, Elodie recovers. “Right. Well, thank you,” she says with a shaky laugh. “Anyway, that’s my plan. I don’t think I’ll have it up and running in a mere six weeks, though, so…I don’t really know what I’m going to do after the summer.” She delivers the last bit of information as a mumble.
“Then stay here.” The words are out of my mouth before I have time to catch them.
“Oh, I couldn’t?—”
“Why not?” I interrupt. “I won’t charge you rent, and the guesthouse will be empty otherwise. I’m not asking you to watch Rosie; I’ll have figured something else out by then.” As I talk, it’s as though I’m having an out-of-body experience. Watching myself look and sound like an absolute nutter while Elodie slowly retreats into herself. I take a breath. “Just think about it. The offer stands.”
She smiles, but it’s strained. “Thank you. Truly. It’s a generous offer. But I can’t accept.”
Well, that stings. “Why not?”
Her lips curve up. “Because I can do it myself.”
“Just because you can do it yourself doesn’t mean you have to.”
She studies me, and after a beat, she says, “You’re right.”
