Page 72 of Nash Falls
“Well, I would hope not. And why do you think Maggie wants to live in those places? Did she say anything to you about it?”
“No, it was my assumption, I guess. Two very exciting places, where lots of cool things are happening.”
“Well, I’m not sure she wants to live there, though she does like to visit them.”
“But you’ll be happy to know that I got a raise and a big bump in my bonus. I told Rhett it would help fund your Asian shopping trip.”
She smiled. “Well, it’s not just shopping. I am going to cheer Jean on, too.”
“You know I might just take some time off and go with you.”
She forcefully stirred the contents of the pan. “But you said it was your busy time.”
“I can afford to take some time off. What are the exact dates?”
“I’ll… have to check with Jean and get back to you.”
“I don’t have to be there for the triathlon, of course. Just the fun part.”
“It’s a long way to go,” she pointed out. “And knowing how demanding your job is, you’ll probably be on the phone or computer nonstop.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d start to think you didn’t want me to go.”
She turned and hugged him. “Don’t be stupid. If you can make it work, awesome. I’ll find out the dates from Jean.”
“Sounds good.”
She turned back to the stove and added some salt and pepper to a pan, then got a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil from an upper cabinet.
“Now, any other secrets you’re hiding from me?” she asked in a jovial tone.
When he didn’t reply, she turned around.
Nash was gone.
Judith leaned against the counter and closed her eyes. She loved her husband, but she also loved being with Rhett. And she knew at some point she would have to make a choice. And she was not looking forward to that at all.
CHAPTER
35
WHEN THE WEEKEND CAME NASHgot up early, put on shorts and a T-shirt, and went for a walk around the neighborhood to just think about things without interruption. By the time he got back to his house he had not resolved many issues. While he had some coffee and ate a granola bar, Nash thought he could hear his wife downstairs in the gym. He was just about to go upstairs and shower when Maggie came into the kitchen.
“How goes the revised proposal?” he asked.
She yawned and stretched. “More difficult than I thought, but I’m making progress.”
“Good. Um, did you know your mother was thinking of going to Asia in the fall? To watch her friend Jean in a triathlon?”
Maggie poured out a cup of coffee before settling on a barstool and looking at him. “No, she never mentioned it to me.”
“She wants to hit a few countries, including Vietnam. I told her I might go, too. And you wanted to see Vietnam and other places in that part of the world.”
“But you said that was a bad idea.”
“I don’t mean for your influencer business. I just mean for your general education, broadening your horizons. And we don’t have to just go to the cool, hip places. I’d, well, I’d like to see some of the places where my father was located during the war.”
Maggie eyed him with deliberate care. “You… miss him, don’t you? Even though he was so mean to you?”
