‘To learn as much as we can, as quickly as we can. To build trust. To pull off this charade.’
‘And to support each other.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ he said, proffering his glass in a toast. ‘To us?’
‘Yes. To us.’ They both took a drink and Sarah set hers down. She gave the cards a rough shuffle and withdrew the first that naturally met her fingers. Running her eyes along the text her mouth puckered at first, then formed a cheeky grin. ‘Intimacy,’ she announced, eyes wide and focused squarely on Matthew.
‘You’ve got to be joking!’ He dropped his head. ‘No warm-up? No “how traumatising was your childhood?”’ He reached across for the card. ‘Ok, let’s see the damage.’ Taking it from her, the red tint which had only just warmed his face suddenly disappeared. ‘Personality! You got me.’
‘But good to know how you feel about sex,’ Sarah giggled.
‘I’ve got no issue with sex, Sarah. Let’s makethatclear.’ He prodded confidently at the tabletop. ‘This Stephanie, on the other hand—’ He gestured to the box.
‘DrStefania Recca,’ Sarah playfully corrected. ‘Use her correct title, please. She’s an expert in her field.’
‘Bloody Dr Stefania.’
‘I won’t have you trashing my girl.’
Both succumbed to the moment and laughed their way through a few more sips of wine.
‘Ok, no more trashing from me. Let’s go.’ Matthew returned the card to Sarah.
‘Personality,’ she read. ‘When I’m upset, please . . .’
‘Give me space.’
‘Check in on me, but respect that I like time to process things on my own.’
‘Good to know,’ he said.
Sarah returned to the deck and withdrew a second card. ‘Lifestyle. The thing I can’t live without is . . . yoga. Every day. It’s part of me.’
‘Is that why your mat joined us on the plane?’
‘That isthemat. We are in a deeply-committed relationship. There was no chance I was going to risk losing it with my checked luggage!’
Matthew smiled. ‘Fair enough.’
‘What about you?’
‘My phone. Well, up until now. Day in, day out. All day. Like another limb.’ He picked it up and tossed it onto the bed. ‘Love–hate relationship.’
Drawing another card, Sarah announced, ‘Personality. I’m happiest when I’m . . .’
Matthew paused for a moment. ‘That’s a loaded question.’ He tried to draw upon some of his most cherished memories, and they all seemed to have one thing in common. ‘When I’m not working.’
‘Really?’
He nodded sheepishly. ‘Work hasn’t brought me real pleasure for a long time.’ He drew in a long breath, and said, ‘I’m looking forward to this time away.’
‘Good. I hope the break gives you the time to enjoy other things.’
Matthew smiled thankfully. ‘What about you? When are you most happy?’
Her smile gathered and her eyes cast to the intricately gilded ceiling of their palatial suite. ‘Two things make me happy. The first, when I am being creative and I’ve got my groove on and all my ideas are coming together. That usually involves a mess of fabric swatches, colour samples, paper stock cards . . . Picture a huge creative mess. But I love it. And the second, when I get to slow down. Just quiet time. At home on Mum and Dad’s farm, or even just in my little apartment. Time in the kitchen, or reading. Pottering around, really. That makes me happy.’
Matthew grunted, feeling jealous. ‘Both of those sound so great. You’re lucky that your work brings you so much happiness.’
