Page 87 of Pause

I raise my eyebrows as my heart skips about a thousand beats. Oh my. “Honeymoon, Mr. Sheridan? Was that a Freudian slip?” His turn to let out the same gaffe I did several days ago about our future.

His expression turns serious. “No, it wasn’t. I’m telling you where my thoughts are taking me. I don’t care about the two-week time frame. Don’t get me wrong, I respect the two-week time frame. But when it’s right, it’s right. I know this is right. And I don’t believe in insta-love.”

I don’t believe in insta-love either. Yet here I am, participating in it with gusto. What matters is that, even though we want to push things forward, we’re not going to. We still need time. Lots of it. He knows it and I know it. Talk about beating a dead horse. If I tell that to myself one more time, maybe I’ll believe it. My chest heaves up and down, his words leaving me breathless.

“I’m not asking anything of you, Marin. No worries, okay? Just wanted you to know where my thoughts are. You need to hear it. You need to know it. I don’t want to leave you wondering. I’ll never leave you speculating about my feelings. Just for the record, I know how you feel. You don’t need to say it. Everything you say and do tells me what I need to know. So, calm down. I can tell you’re freaking out.”

“I am not.” I point to my face. “This is called happiness.”

“Oh. I didn’t know shaking hands, tears, and a red face were signs of happiness. How’d I get that so wrong? I always thought happiness was jumping up and down, smiling, laughing, maybe a few screams here and there, and…”

I toss any and all caution aside. I rush over to him and plant my lips on his, stopping his words in their tracks. I wrap my arms around his neck and refuse to let go.

He doesn’t complain.

We still keep our promise to not rush our relationship. But as far as the most romantic night I’ve ever experienced, this one wins.

In my mind, the wordsto be continuedkeep repeating themselves over and over.

chapter twenty-seven

WE MEET MATTEOat the same place we met him yesterday. He’s looking (and smelling) just as elegant and fresh as usual. Lauren was lucky she wasn’t taken in by a player. Matteo’s heart is still dedicated to her. I’m touched in a way I hadn’t expected to be.

He once again hugs Slade for much longer than usual, showing his emotion without reserve. “My son, my son,” he says several times.

I again snap several pictures.

“Today, special surprise. Have you eaten? Ready to go?” Matteo motions in the direction he wants us to walk. Then he offers me his arm again.

And, of course, Slade takes his place on my other side. I’m the luckiest girl in the world. “We’ve already eaten,” I assure Matteo.

After our day of sightseeing yesterday, we both woke up with healthy appetites. We ate everything Slade had ordered no matter how sweet it was. Slade frowned when we were done and said, “I miss eggs.” The hotel serves eggs, but we’ve been trying to eat the traditional Venetian breakfast.

There are so many things I like about Slade, but one of the things I appreciate the most is his complete and total honesty. I loved how upfront he was about our relationship last night. He doesn’t play games. He tells me what he’s feeling. Blu kept so much of himself hidden from me. The more I think about it, the more I realize we probably would’ve been divorced in a year. A sobering thought.

Matteo goes on. “Today I book boat and tour of Murano. It take twenty-minute ride. You know of it?”

“Murano? Is that where all the Murano glass is made?” Slade asks. We’ve seen several shops selling Murano glass.

“Ah, yes. You have noticed?”

“We have. Is it part of Venice?” I ask.

“Yes. Still in Venice, beautiful Marin.” Matteo pats my hand. “Murano famous for glassblowing. Is stunning. You will love.”

I didn’t come here expecting to learn about glassblowing. I can sense Matteo’s excitement, and I try to feed off his enthusiasm, otherwise, I can think of about a million other things I’d rather do. We board the sleek boat and glide across the blue water to Murano while I think about how much I could get used to being called beautiful Marin all the time.

Our guide, an older gentleman, tells us, “Murano has been home to the city’s glass factories since twelve-hundred-ninety-one. The Doge, the ruling power, sent all glass artisans out of Venice proper and over to Murano to reduce fire hazards in the city.”

Even though Matteo meant for this to be a slower day than yesterday, it becomes obvious we’re about to embark upon another touristy day. Our first stop is the Murano Glass Museum. I’m feeling indifferent, and the apathetic look on Slade’s face tells me he’s thinking the same thing.

But then the tour begins. We learn about the rich history of glassmaking and glassblowing, how glass became a crucial trade for the Venetian islands.

Somewhere along the line, I become entranced. Especially as we stroll through Murano and see all the glass factories, workshops, and boutiques where you can purchase practically anything made of glass. The workmanship, the vibrant colors, the various shapes and sizes, and the creativity is incredible. I could browse the boutiques for hours on end and find everything I never knew I needed made out of glass.

The absolute best part is the glassblowing demonstration. Under my breath, I whisper to Slade, “Glassblowing, bubble blowing. What’s the difference? It’s in your blood.”

Slade guffaws. Of course, the difference is huge. We watch as a man grabs the mixture of silica, soda, lime, and potassium from a furnace with a long, skinny pipe. The furnace looks rather like a pizza oven. He rolls the blob on a special table, adding different-colored glass pieces to embed a colorful design. Alternately, he blows through the pipe and rolls the blob until it begins to take on the shape he wants. Using special tools, he pulls and twists to create different angles and edges. He marks the hot malleable mixture, engraving it with various designs. It doesn’t take long to see a beautiful horse take shape right before our eyes. As it cools, it will harden into glass. We clap for the artistry we just witnessed. I’m enthralled by what I watched and thankful Matteo brought us out here to see it. Definitely well worth the trip. Such a pleasant surprise I’m glad I didn’t miss out on it.

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