“I love this restaurant,” said Giovanni. “I love New York, and I love you.” Gio held his glass aloft.
“Sorry, hon,” said Cord. He typed:at dinner, turning off my phone.
Jacobey called. He called again. He called again.
“And we haven’t set a wedding date…” continued Giovanni.
“We will!” said Cord. “You want to pick a date? That’s fine; that’s great. When?” Cord’s phone buzzed again and he picked itup. “One second,” he said to Gio. “Just one—Jacobey! I’ll call you in an hour!”
“Get to the chopper, man,” said Jacobey. “Timmy and Eddie are on MDMA and they’re trying to jump off the balcony.” Timmy and Eddie were the founders of Sweethearts.
“I’ll be there in an hour,” said Cord. “Gio’s going to leave me if I don’t get off the phone.”
“I will,” said Gio. “Honestly, I will.”
“I mean, you won’t,” said Cord, hanging up on Jacobey.
“True,” said Giovanni. “You asshole.”
“I’m here, honey,” said Cord. “I’m here, with you. Let’s pick a date for our wedding.”
Giovanni shook his head. “I have other news.”
“Do tell!”
“Cord, I have planned a special vacation, and we leave on Sunday!”
“What?”
“Return to Love,”said Giovanni. “It’s a digital detox…with horseback riding, canoeing, and facials.”
“Sweethearts’ IPO is Friday,” said Cord.
“We leave onSunday,” said Giovanni slowly, as if he were talking to a child.
“Did you say facials?” said Cord, touching his skin, which was in need.
“You can call Jacobey and textwhoeverand handle what you need to handle. I am going to eat my butter chicken and all the naan and then I’m going home. The resort is in the Poconos, and you’re coming, and you have to put that fucking phone in a lockbox and we are going to return to love. Do you hear me, Cord Perkins?We are going to return to love.”
Cord’s relief that he could handle his work emergency wasimmense. “You won’t get mad if I leave, like, now?” he said. “Even though it’s our ‘Day We Fell in Love’-versary?”
“I won’t get mad,” said Giovanni. “As long as you show up in one week for the Sunday 10:02a.m.Greyhound from Port Authority to the ‘Return to Love Digital Detox Retreat.’ ”
“Greyhound?” said Cord. “You mean…a bus?” He stood, gathering his briefcase and spring jacket, an Isaia Capri pinstripe.
“And maybe at the retreat, we can also talk about…” said Gio.
“I know,” said Cord.
“We can detox from…from everything.”
“I can try,” vowed Cord.
19
Regan & François
Regan and her daughters starteda new life in Athens, Greece, three days after Savannah Country Day ended for the semester. Regan was filled with anticipation and her daughters were furious (Isabelle) and glum (Flora).
