Three days since we'd returned from Iceland, and my mood remained unusually light. Faced with mountains of paperwork, I felt no irritation. I'd even started browsing through Noelle's travel albums, planning our next destination—New Zealand, Norway, Scotland. Every place she'd marked, I wanted to take her to.
"Any other arrangements?" Dmitri asked.
"Look into Norwegian fjord cruise routes," I instructed. "The best company."
"Yes, sir." Dmitri nodded, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.
He'd worked for me for years—probably never seen me care this much about a woman's preferences.
"Oh, and," I remembered something. "Those Nordic handicrafts I sent yesterday—did she receive them?"
"She did. Mrs. Morozov loved them, especially the wool blankets. Darya said she's been reading while wrapped in one of them."
My lips curved slightly. I was eager to see her surprised expression.
I headed to the library. Seeing me, Noelle's face lit up with delight.
"Kholod, you're here!"
"Yeah."
"I'm picking our next destination!" She held up her album, showing me. "There are so many places I want to go, I can't decide."
"How about the Norwegian fjords?" I flipped to the Sognefjord page. "Good for hiking."
"Great idea!" She practically bounced with excitement.
"I remember this place from your itinerary."
"You actually remember!" She leaned closer, her hair falling forward to brush my cheek, carrying that faint orange blossom scent.
"Of course I remember. And I've already made plans."
"What?" Her voice held disbelief.
I pulled her down beside me. "Since Iceland made you so happy, we can visit every place you've marked."
"All of them?" Her eyes widened.
"All of them," I confirmed. "Wherever you want to go."
She suddenly threw herself into my arms, hugging my waist tightly.
"What's wrong?" I wrapped my arms around her.
"Nothing." Her voice was muffled. "You've just... changed."
"For better or worse?"
"You've become..." She looked up at me, tears shimmering in her eyes. "You've become like a normal person."
I paused, then laughed. "I wasn't normal before?"
"No." She was brutally honest. "Before, you were more like a breathing iceberg."
"And now?"
"Now..." She tilted her head, thinking. "Now it's like the iceberg is starting to melt. Still cold, but at least... at least there's warmth."
