"What, you don't think I'm capable of making up my own mind about what kind of tent to stay in?" My voice rose a notch before I could get myself under control. "I can make my own decisions, thank you very much."
Penn leaned forward across the seat. "Then before you decide, you should consider the alternatives. Imagine it's just you in the woods. You have a tent and a sleeping bag and everything you actually need. The difference is you don't have any of the extras to weigh you down. There's no one there to judge your choices; there's no complicated choices at all. All you have to do is survive. I'm telling you, that's the most relaxed I've ever felt."
I hated to admit that his argument appealed to me. It had been a long time since I hadn't felt tested, graded, and compared to others. Roughing it in the woods meant I would have no one to impress and no one to please but myself.
And Penn. The thought seared through my mind before I could stop it. Ideas of how we would be together jumbled any counter-argument I might have been able to form.
Xavier chuckled. "And here we are at the spa."
I took one look at the artfully carved wooden doors and expensive Moroccan lamps and crowed with triumph. "See? Even your mother can appreciate a little luxury now and again."
Penn laughed. "Alice? In the spa? No, she's out back. Her clients meet her in a tee-pee at the edge of the trees."
I saw the tee-pee seconds before the flap flung open and Alice emerged. I was stumbling along the ice plant path in my heels when she met us with a flourish.
"I can't wait! You have to tell me all about the engagement and the wedding plans now this instant," Alice said.
"Don't you want to talk about your treatments-"
Alice cut me off as she looped an arm through mine and one through Penn's. She turned to her son. "What kind of wedding are we thinking about?"
Penn gave me a twinkling glance. "Something off the beaten path, closer to nature," he said.
Xavier immediately started to argue in my defense, and Alice swooped ahead to take him on. I crammed an elbow in Penn's side. "I know you're teasing me, but it's already backfired. Your mother loves the idea. You've made her happy."
Penn watched his parents walking arm-in-arm and frowned. "She looks so pale."
"But she's smiling. And she's in good company."
His frown turned to a scowl. "I'm never going to agree with you there."
I stopped him on the path and let his parents go ahead. "How can you say that? Xavier makes her happy; he's helping her through all of this. And she's forgiven him. Can't you see how much lighter that makes her? You're still letting it weigh you down."
"I didn't ask for it," Penn snapped.
I laid a hand on his stubbled cheek. "What if I want to see you happy, too?"
Penn's dark eyes softened. "Now you're going to use my arguments against me?"
"Only if they work," I teased.
Alice caught us smiling at each other. "I just can't wait. I got you an early engagement present! My friend Tabitha has time to see you both tonight."
Xavier groaned. "No. Why? The last thing newlyweds should face is a psychic."
"A psychic?" My stomach iced over. I couldn't tell exactly what was going on between Penn and me, so I didn't know why I should be worried that a perfect stranger could.
Penn looked as worried as me. "There's no rush. We came to see you."
"And I love you for it," Alice said. She pushed him towards a rustic trailhead marker. "Trust me. Talking to Tabitha is a great place to start. Maybe she can help you two sort out this argument about the style of wedding you want."
"That's true," I couldn't help but tease Penn and get a little revenge. "I have been leaning more towards a landmark wedding location, like maybe the Legion of Honor in San Francisco."
"No way," Penn snorted. He grabbed my hand and dragged me down the path. "All right, Mother. It looks like my bride-to-be and I will meet up with you in a little while."
"Don't rush Tabitha," Alice called.
I glanced back as Alice tucked herself under Xavier's arm. "I don't think she wants us to hurry. Looks like they might want a little private time themselves."