Adrian spun his wedding ring around on his finger, something he did when under pressure. “I’mfine,” he said. “Let’s eat.”
He made appreciative noises about the pasta but Ginny found it difficult to swallow. She had a strong urge to tell him about the holiday and hoped it would expel the Miss Peach incident from her brain. “Our wedding anniversary is coming up fast,” she said.
“Thirty-one years together and twenty-five of them married,” Adrian said, gulping his wine. “I mean...wow.”
Ginny liked his sentiment, though his voice sounded strangely flat. When she touched the booking confirmation, her heart began to race. “I know you’re busy at work, so I’ve planned a celebration for us. I’ve found an amazing hotel in Italy called Grand Hotel Castello Bella Vista. It’s got a fabulous spa and gorgeous bedrooms and I think—” She halted when Adrian held up a finger. He made a counterclockwise motion.
“Hold on a minute,” he said. “Wecan’tgo on holiday this year.”
Ginny tightened her grip on her fork. She felt a vein pulsing in her neck. “We always go away in June,” she said.
“I should have said something sooner. I’m too busy at work to take a break.”
The air between them turned chilly.
Ginny cleared her throat. “Our silver anniversary calls for a special celebration, and our fiftieth birthdays are coming up, too. Three weeks together in sunny Italy will be perfect. It’s a chance for us to chill and—” she lowered her voice to a whisper “—reconnect. I thought we could renew our wedding vows while we’re there...”
“Threeweeks?” Adrian stared at her. “No can do. I can’t take that long off.”
Overcome by panic, Ginny started to babble. “Surely, Nelson will understand if you ask him. You’re his right-hand man and usually take two weeks’ holiday in June anyway.”
Adrian slowly massaged his chin while he thought. “We can mark it in some other way, perhaps a nice meal with Phoebe and Pete or something...”
Ginny pursed her lips. She’d never admitted her feelings of listlessness to him, not wanting to bother him. She liked to appear cheerful and poised for her husband, but a solitary meal wasn’t going to give her the passion she was yearning for. She glimpsed the cost of the holiday on the booking confirmation and it suddenly seemed extortionate. “I’ve already booked our trip,” she said quietly.
Adrian clattered his knife and fork onto his plate. “What?”
“We’re going to Bologna.”
He groaned and pressed his palms to his eyes. “Youcan’tdo things like this without consulting me first, Ginny. The guys at work still call meDreamy Adrianfrom that magazine shoot you agreed to. Stop trying to organize my life.”
Ginny stared at him in shock, cut to the core by his words. “I’m only trying to help, and those photos are something Phoebe can treasure forever.” She laid her hand on his arm. “A summer holiday might relieve some of your stress.”
Adrian glowered for a while. “You’re turning into Ginny the Patron Saint of Problems.”
Ginny thought about this and decided it was a compliment.
The rest of their main course was conducted in a prickly silence. When Adrian eventually said, “This is great tiramisu,” Ginny took it as an apology.
“Thank you,” she said.
Adrian slumped back in his chair and eyed her. “I didn’t want to worry you, but there are going to be several job losses at work and I need to prove I’m indispensable. I’m nearly fifty and the employment market is ferocious out there. There are younger, more dynamic guys snapping at my heels. And I’m sure we’ll want to contribute to Phoebe’s wedding and honeymoon, rather than pay for a fancy Italian break.”
Ginny’s cheeks grew hot. She wondered how much was left in their bank account now that she’d paid for the holiday.
Adrian stood up and made coffee for them both, setting the cups down on the table. The air settled a little as they sipped them together. “Anyway, how was your day?” he asked.
Ginny recalled slicing her finger across her neck in the Talk Heart FM studio. “Um...” she said lightly, focusing on her cup. “Did anyone mention my show to you today?”
“And why would they do that?” Adrian’s shoulders crept upward, as if preparing for a slap in the face.
“I took a crank call. The woman sounded really regretful about her life. I tried to be sympathetic, but she turned on me, accusing me of trying to be Ms. Perfect.” She flicked her eyes to his. “She asked me how well I know you.”
Adrian’s left cheek started to spasm. “Did this go out live on air?”
“Yes,” Ginny said quickly. “But don’t worry, it will be okay—”
Adrian screeched back his chair. “It’snotokay. What if Nelson hears about this?” He jumped up and started to pace the room. “It’s humiliating.”
