“What?”
“I forgot how much you enjoy new things.”
Unfazed, I checked every item on the menu, accepting yet another glass of champagne. Then I glanced at my ring, touched it. “Does it feel weird?”
He gave me a small smile. “I honestly never thought I’d wear one. How about you?”
“I freaked a little this morning,” I admitted in a small voice.
“So did I. But I think it’s normal. It’s not a small thing, and the implications are... well... we both know them.” He frowned, then half turned, leaning in closer. For a fraction of a second, I thought he was going to kiss me, leave no doubt for everyone that we were in love, but instead he said, “If you regret it...”
“Too late, I already signed on the dotted line.”
“We can get an annulment.”
The mere word made me sad. What was up with that?
I tried to sound playful as I said, “And miss out on the Maldives?”
“After we get back. It’s easier to get a marriage annulled during the first fourteen days,” he said in a low voice, barely a whisper.
“It’s generally not easy to get an annulment.”
“It’s doable. So if you change your mind after we’re back, you can still get out of this.”
“But that wouldn’t help you at all,” I protested.
“I’ll deal with the fallout. I just....” He shook his head, as if he couldn’t find his words, which was so unlike Hunter. “I’m just afraid that this is going to change things between us, all the pressure, the expectations. You’re my best friend, Josie. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. Who’s overthinking things now?” I tried to sound playful again. Yesterday, I’d felt so connected to him. His kisses had felt so real. And last night... he’d probably had a little too much to drink. That was all. I’d been projecting my own feelings onto him.
I spent the rest of the journey watching movies. Midway through the flight, Hunter turned his chair into a bed and slept like a rock. He was used to flying. I, on the other hand, grew restless after only a couple of hours and didn’t sleep a wink. When we landed in Dubai, I was already done for, and we had yet another long flight ahead of us.
“If you lie down, you might fall asleep eventually,” Hunter suggested.
But lying down made me even more restless. Eventually, the exhaustion won.
I woke up when the stewardess leaned in to say, “The plane is starting the descent. Please put your chairs in an upright position.”
I rubbed my eyes, then scrambled into a sitting position, glancing out the window.
“We’re over the ocean,” I told Hunter, who was still lying down, rubbing his eyes. “The water is dark blue. I suppose it’s because it’s still deep here. I wonder if it’s really as turquoise as it always is in pictures. With all the filters and effects these days, you never know.”
Hunter was grinning.
“What?” I asked.
“Your enthusiasm is adorable.”
“Why aren’t you enthusiastic? You’ve never been either.”
“I am enthusiastic. But clearly, there’s normal enthusiasm and Josie-level.”
“Don’t make me poke you this early in the morning.”
“You’re welcome to try. I think I know how to win this argument.”
He looked at my lips. I blushed, returning my attention to the window. I tried to remember all the activities one could do on the Maldives.