Zach’s hand, resting at the nape of Janine’s neck, tightened as he spoke, though his voice was warm and amused. “You’re right, Pam. I like them very much.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Janine sat next to Zach in the front seat of his car. Dressed in a pink suit and matching broad-brimmed hat, she clutched her small floral bouquet. Although the wedding had been arranged in seven short days, it had been a lovely affair.

Zach had taken care of planning the short honeymoon. All he could spare was three days, so instead of scheduling anything elaborate, he’d suggested they go to his summer place in Ocean Shores, a coastal town two and a half hours from Seattle by car. Janine had happily agreed.

“So you think I’m handsome?” Zach asked, keeping his eyes on the road. Neither of them had said much since they’d set off.

“I knew if I told you, it’d go straight to your head, and obviously I was right,” she answered. Then, unable to hold back a wide yawn, she pressed one hand to her mouth.

“You’re exhausted.”

“Are you always this astute?”

“Testy, too.”

“I don’t mean to be,” she apologized. She’d been up since before five that morning and in fact, hadn’t slept well all week. This wasn’t exactly the ideal way to start a marriage. There was an added stress, too, that had to do with the honeymoon. Zach had made it understood that he intended their marriage to be real, but surely he didn’t expect them to share a bed so soon. Or did he?

Every now and then as they drove, she glanced in his direction, wondering what, if anything, she should say. Even if she did decide to broach this delicate subject, she wasn’t sure how.

“Go ahead and rest,” Zach suggested. “I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

“It should be soon, shouldn’t it?”

“Another fifteen minutes or so.”

“Then I’ll stay awake.” Nervously, she twisted the small floral bouquet. Unwrapping Pam’s gift had made her all the more apprehensive, but delaying the subject any longer was impossible.

“Zach…are we going to…you know…” she stammered, feeling like a naive schoolgirl.

“If you’re referring to what I think you’re referring to, the answer is no. So relax.”

“No?” He didn’t need to sound so casual about it, as if it hardly mattered one way or the other.

“Why do you ask, Janine? Are you having second thoughts about…that?”

“No. Just some reservations.”

“Don’t worry. When it happens, it happens. The last thing we need is that kind of pressure.”

“You’re right,” she answered, relieved.

“We need some time to feel comfortable. There’s no reason to rush into the physical aspect of our marriage, is there?”

“None whatsoever,” she agreed quickly, perhaps too quickly, because when she looked at him again, Zach was frowning. Yet he seemed so willing to wait, as though their lovemaking was of minor importance. But as he’d said, this marriage wasn’t one of grand passion. Well, that was certainly true.