Page 16 of Journey to You

Not forgetting the time he’d spent holed away with his mistress.

Thoughts of her husband’s infidelity soured her mood and Ethan shot her a concerned glance and pushed the platter of potato towards her. “More?”

Grateful for his distracting ploy, she nodded and ladled more food onto her plate.

“How did you get your start as a food critic?”

Another distraction and she silently applauded his ability to read her moods so well. Though it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out her expression must’ve soured at the thought of Richard and his secret girlfriend.

“I’ve always been passionate about food and I loved telling a good story at school. So, after I finished high school I worked in a professional kitchen for a while and cultivated my palate outside of it, immersing myself in all things food, then spent a year as a hostess atPulse.”

Admiration gleamed in his eyes. “You must’ve learned a lot there. That place was the hot spot; beforeAmbrosiaopened, of course.”

She smiled. “Of course.”

She’d loved her experience in the industry: being able to give an in-depth description of an entire meal, the restaurant, its décor, how the service contributed to the dining experience.

Work had never been a chore for her and thanks to Ethan and the opportunity he’d given her atAmbrosiathe last six months she now had the confidence to return to a job she loved.

He cocked his head to one side, studying her. “Can I ask you a stupid question?”

“Sure.”

“Does all that writing spoil the fun of eating for you?”

She shook her head. “I love to eat, I love what I do. It’s as simple as that.”

As they made desultory small talk over a dessert ofchurma laddoos—sweet balls made from flour, ghee, sugar, almonds and cardamoms—she pondered her words.

‘As simple as that.’

Were things simple and she was complicating them?

She’d wanted to expand her mindset this trip, wanted to explore a side of her long quashed, away from the sour memories dogging her, away from Richard’s malevolent presence still hanging over her.

While she had no interest in romance, maybe she could explore the side of her long ignored?

She was a woman, a woman who’d had her self confidence battered severely, to the point she didn’t trust her judgement anymore.

Maybe Ethan could help reaffirm the woman she’d once been, a woman who loved to smile and laugh and flirt?

She longed to be that woman again.

But did she have the courage to try?

Seven

“It’s beautiful.” Tamara couldn’t believe this trip got better and better, each stop more stunning than the last.

“It is,” Ethan said, his hand resting lightly in the small of her back, her awareness of him distracting from the view.

They stood inside Udaipur’s Jag Niwas, the stunning Lake Palace that rose out of the blue waters of Lake Pichhola like an incredible apparition, looking out over the rippling, murmuring waves lapping the foreshore.

When Tamara had been planning this trip with her mother, she’d wanted to stay in this dream-like marble palace—now a grand heritage hotel—with its ornately carved columns, tinkling fountains, and clouds of chiffon drapes.

With Ethan by her side, she was glad she wasn’t staying here. The last thing she needed was to be in a romantic hotel with a man putting unwanted fanciful ideas in her head.

She turned away from the picture perfect view and gestured to the silver laden table behind them. “Are you ready to eat?”

---