Is this really me? she wondered again later, in his arms. Could there be a more mismatched couple? But differences didn’t seem to matter when they walked the beach at dawn, when they swam at sunrise, and kissed just before falling asleep in Travis’s enormous king-sized bed.

For the rest of her all-too-short stay in Puerto Rico, Travis courted and wooed Jenna as she had not been courted before. With flowers and compliments, and laughter. He gave her fun by day—the kind she might have known as a teenager, had she grown up in America—and tenderness by night. And though she slept very little, she felt refreshed and renewed.

When it was time to go, she felt awkward. Had this been the beginning of a relationship? An interlude? What did she want it to be?

They separated at the airport. Travis had one more week in San Juan, then an engagement in Los Angeles.

“I want to see you again,” he said solemnly. She nodded and gave him her card.

They kissed good-bye.

On the flight home, the whole weekend seemed almost like a dream, something far removed from the reality to which she was returning. How on Earth could she explain Travis to Karim? Or to herself, for that matter? All she knew was that he’d been like the proverbial breath of fresh air, bringing a new dimension to her monastic life.

She tried to think of ways to prepare her son. ‘‘I had a lovely time,” she told him. “Puerto Rico is beautiful.”

“Uh-huh,” he replied.

“I met a lot of new people. Nice people.” “That’s good.”

She needn’t have worried. It was more than six weeks before she heard from Travis.

“I’m doing two nights in Toronto,” he said without prelude or apology, as if they’d spoken a day or two ago, “and then two nights in Boston. I’d like to come see you, if that’s okay.”

“All right,” she said, not at all sure it would be. Once again, she tried to pave the way by telling Karim that a friend would be coming by that weekend to take her to dinner. “His name is Travis Haynes.”

“A man? You’re going out to dinner with a man? When did all this happen?”

“There is no ‘this,’” she said, trying to remain calm. Maybe her son was deliberately kidding her, but his proprietary attitude reminded her too much of his father.

Travis arrived on a Friday night, still wearing his stage costume: a cow- boy suit of white satin embellished with rhinestones. Karim and Jacqueline were in the kitchen making popcorn. Karim scowled as he was introduced. Jacqueline smirked.

“I’ve got a present for you, darlin’,” Travis said, handing Jenna a big, brightly wrapped package.