“Actually, Geoff deserves the credit,” Katherine said as she stepped in. “It was on a surprise trip to Egypt for our anniversary that I came up with the idea.” She gave him a kiss as she handed him her wine glass.
“We’ve stated before that activities are optional,” Katherine continued. “The main focus of this weekend is digging down to the heart of your relationship and reconnecting. With some couples, just the act of getting away from your normal environment is enough to create that spark that has started to fizzle, or to open up the lines of communication that may have closed over the years. I do recommend that couples participate in at least one or two of the scheduled activities. But, as always, it’s up to you.”
Geoff chimed in again. “As for tonight, have fun. Eat marshmallows, drink wine, and get to know one another.”
Caleb turned to Leah, who lifted her shoulders in awhat do you do?shrug. “I guess we should mingle.”
They meandered around the grounds, introducing themselves to several of the couples they had not met because of their late arrival to the introductory session earlier this afternoon. As they chatted with a couple who happened to be from the D.C. area, Caleb noticed a forlorn look on Leah’s face. When the couple left to get more wine, Caleb pulled Leah aside.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
She nodded, then shrugged. “I’m good,” she said. “It’s just that as I see all these couples, I realize that I never had any of this with Der— Mr. Lexus.”
“Never had what?”
“This,” she said, gesturing to the crowd. “Affection. The genuine affection I see here.” She pointed toward the fire pit. “Look how Mark’s hand is resting at the small of Marcy’s back. And those two over there.” She pointed to a couple they had yet to meet. “I’ve been watching them for the past twenty minutes. He’s always running his fingers along his wife’s arm, or down her back, or over her hair. Those little insignificant displays of affection mean so much.” She turned to Caleb. “I didn’t realize until tonight that they had been missing from my relationship.”
Caleb took her hand and brought it to his lips.
“What are you doing?” Leah asked.
He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Playing the doting fiancé,” he said. “If that’s what you need tonight, I’m more than happy to provide it.”
His pulse quickened as heat flared in Leah’s eyes.
“I just have one question,” she said, her voice soft.
Caleb’s brow arched.
“Is this really all for show?” she asked.
He stared at her for several long moments before answering, “That’s up to you to decide.”
Just then the couple from D.C., Abigail and Joel, returned, carrying wine for the four of them. Caleb watched Leah as she sipped her wine. He tried to gauge her reaction to that last statement, but she was suddenly engrossed in the story Joel was telling about poison ivy he and Abigail had fallen into the last time they attended a couple’s retreat.
Determined to play his role as the loving fiancé, Caleb wrapped one arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip. He felt Leah stiffen just a bit before she relaxed and laughed again at something Joel said. Caleb was so tempted to take it a step further and kiss her. Not a full on kiss; a peck on her temple, or maybe the top of her head. He just wanted to feel that connection, just in case she decided later on that thisreally wasall for show. He wanted, just for a moment, to pretend it was real.
“So, how did he propose?” Abigail asked, gesturing her wine glass toward Caleb.
Leah looked up at him, her eyes bright with what would look like affection to anyone who didn’t recognize it for what it actually was: pure panic. Her eyes practically screamedShit! Why hadn’t we thought to cover this!
“It was the most romantic proposal,” Leah started. “I, uh, came home one evening to find a trail of roses leading to the backyard, where Caleb had set up a romantic candlelight dinner underneath the stars.”
What the hell?He’d never do something so cheesy.
“Except, when she lifted the dome off of the serving tray, it was a cheese pizza,” Caleb interjected. “You see, I knew she would have found that proposal cliché. Like something from a sappy chick flick,” he said, looking at Leah.
“I happen to like the occasional chick flick,” Leah replied.
“Not as much as you love action movies,” Caleb said. “See, after I revealed the pizza, she realized it was all a set up for therealproposal. I brought her out to this place in the city that specializes in extreme skydiving. We did a nighttime tandem skydive, and I popped the question right before we pulled our parachutes.”
“Oh, wow! That’s amazing,” Abigail said. She bumped her husband with her hip. “And you thought proposing in front of the Lincoln Memorial was the epitome of romance.”
“The lighting is romantic,” Joel said with a shrug. He pointed at Caleb. “Thanks a lot. I doubt there’s anyone here who can compete with skydiving.”
“I’m a bit of an adventure fanatic,” Caleb said. “I was lucky enough to find a woman who has the same adventurous streak.” He pulled Leah closer, until the entire length of his thigh pressed against hers. Heat radiated from where their bodies touched.
“It sounds like the two of you were made for each other,” Abigail said with a wistful sigh.
