“Where are the cameras this time? Will the crowds be bigger here?” she asks as we head down the path.
As always, the preserve looks divine, shrouded in endless rows of trees and snatches of vibrant purple flowers. The gardeners must be some of the best on the West Coast.
Above us, the old white estate house sits looking over the Puget Sound.
I direct Lena down the meadow trail, through the maze of bright-white and supple pink flowers.
I’ve been here enough times over the years to know where I’m going without a map.
“No cameras,” I say.
“Huh?” She stops and looks around like she’s expecting someone to jump out at us and fling their phone at her face. “I thought we’d be at it all day?”
“Not here.”
“... But it’s a public place and it’s a nice day. It can’t be that deserted. How can you be so sure?”
“Because I reserved the place for us, Lena. Remember when I told you I do that sometimes?”
“You ... what?” She stops walking, her eyes dancing. There’s something incredibly satisfying about the naked shock on her face. “What do you mean byreserved it? The whole park? Jesus.”
“Only for a couple hours. Plenty of time to explore and relax.”
“But why?” She’s flabbergasted.
“Why not? It’s summer, and from what I’ve gathered, you don’t get much time to yourself outside work. I want my girl to stop and smellthe flowers. Literally.” I shrug, threading my fingers through hers and kissing her hand. That’s all impulse. I don’t give a single, solitary shit if there’s no one around to see it. “Consider it a reward for putting up with everything in town—and with me.”
“But isn’t itexpensive?”
“Tremendously. Luis made the arrangements. They normally just close down the entire preserve for weddings.”
“Holy shit, are youcrazy?”
“Shhh, you’re disturbing the birds.” I bite back a laugh at the shock on her face. “Just enjoy it, Lena. I wanted to be here with you, so I splurged for a few hours in paradise. You smell that?” I make a big show of filling my lungs until my chest puffs out. “It’s gorgeous out here.”
“I—”
“Come on, I’ll show you around.” With her hand in mine, I walk her over the narrow path winding toward the bird marsh. “Check out the birds and keep quiet.”
She doesn’t need much encouragement, drinking in the atmosphere in awed silence. Friendly birdsong floats over us, even if we don’t see anything more exciting than a heron and a couple small hummingbirds flitting around.
I haven’t been here for over a year. Never with a woman worth closing the place down. With no one else around, there’s another layer to the majesty, the vibrant wonder surrounding us with every breath.
She’s the whole reason we’re experiencing any of this now.
Without her, I never would’ve done this. Likely wouldn’t even be here.
We wind up a smaller path snaking off the wider one to the rhododendron maze—an absolute riot of blooming pink and white flowers.
“It’s impressive. Like walking through one of those immersive art things, except real,” she says after a long moment.
“Yeah, immersive.” I don’t take my eyes off her for a single second.
I know how bad that sounds.
I know how boned I am, watching her like she’s the prettiest thing here.
I also know I don’t give a damn.
