“Let’s create a Bucket List then,” he said.
“But will you actually go anywhere on yours?” she asked.
“Sure, when things have settled down at work.”
“I think that’s part of your problem.” She eyed him.
“What do you mean?”
“All four of you guys are waiting for things to settle down before you startliving. Don’t you understand yet that life will never settle down?”
Rafe paused. “I’ll have to think about that.”
“You said you were looking to do something fun. Do you have anything in mind that you can add toyourBucket List?” Ahri asked.
“My brother-in-law Ethan has an interesting family,” Rafe said. “He has a brother who went on a cruise and ended up stranded on a Pacific island for over two years. I think I’d enjoy a cruise, as long as I didn’t get shipwrecked.”
“Getting shipwrecked would definitely not be on my Bucket List either. It’s not very likely anyway.” Ahri grinned. “I think a cruise would be fun, but I wouldn’t want to go if I got seasick.”
“I think they have medicine now to help with that. I’ve never seen you carsick.”
“I don’t get carsick.”
“Then I’ll bet you won’t get seasick either.”
“Where would your cruise go?”
“I like the fall colors,” he said, thinking through the options he’d looked up. “There are cruises that go up and down the Eastern seaboard between Florida and Canada. That might be fun.”
“They have some singles cruises.” Ahri scooped more ore for Lessa. “I had a coworker in Arizona who used to go on those. She saved all her vacation time for them. I can’t see that kind of trip for myself. I’m afraid they’d be full of expectations for hooking up.” She shuddered. “That’s just not me. But I have always thought it’d be fun to take a river cruise.”
“Along the Mississippi River?”
“No, in Europe. If I were to confess to having a Bucket List, I guess a river cruise would be my dream trip. I’ve wanted to visit Europe, but I hate the idea of hauling luggage around from hotel to hotel. On a ship, you get to sleep in the same bed every night.” Her expression turned a little dreamy. “I’m okay having the ship’s itinerary planned for me. When I’m on vacation, I don’t want to have to think about too much. It’d be different if I knew somebody who lived in the cities I was visiting who could take me to places the normal tourists don’t go. It’s never been anything I could afford, so it’s a pipe dream anyway.”
A European river cruise. That actually sounded intriguing to Rafe. He knew what he was going to check out when he got home.
14
“SHE’S BEAUTIFUL, CASS.” AHRI ACCEPTED the little bundle and inhaled the sweet, freshly-bathed baby smell. She glanced around the pretty little backyard where Cass's husband Jax was chatting with Rafe’s other assistant, Kris, by the grill. “It’s nice of you to have us over.”
“Oh, we love doing this kind of thing. Jax has already had two barbecues for his coworkers since the baby was born. When it’s his party, I make him do all the work.” She grinned. “With my mother gone back home, I needed to be around some people again.”
“It must be hard having your mother so far away.”
“I love having her—forshortvisits. She’s a bit of a control freak and can be too much of a good thing.” Cass gave a dark chuckle, her tone going sarcastic. “Funny, but in my own home I kind of thinkIshould be the boss, so you can imagine the tug-of-wars we have. Jax spends a lot of time in his workshop when she’s visiting.”
“I can’t imagine it.” Ahri’s mother had always been happy letting someone else be in charge. Ahri would never have to worry about ‘who’s the boss wars’ when she ever remarried and started a family.Ifshe did.
“How's the Midsummer’s Eve event coming?” Cass studied her. “You haven’t called to ask as many questions the last couple of weeks.”
“No, your early suggestions really helped. I think I’m getting the hang of how Rafe likes things. I’m so glad he’s not a micromanager. I had one of those on my first job, and he killed all my desire to do well.” She shook her head in disgust at the memory. It hadn’t been long before she’d been job hunting again after that experience.
“How are you settling in outside of work?” Cass asked.
“I’m almost finished with my graphic design class.” Ahri’s excitement had raised her volume, and the baby stirred. She lowered her voice. “I’ve been dabbling at book cover design. My instructor said I have a knack for it.”
“Kris said something about you dragging him to a food kitchen?”
