CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
A Surprise Week Away
Luke came home from work wearing a grin Emily hadn’t seen in days.
She looked up from the kitchen where she was making spaghetti.
“Okay…”
Luke set his lunchbox on the counter.
“What?”
“You’re smiling.”
“I am.”
“You only smile like that when you’re hiding something.”
Luke laughed.
“You know me too well.”
Emily crossed her arms with a playful smile.
“Out with it.”
Luke reached into his jacket pocket and laid an envelope on the counter.
Emily looked at it.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
She slowly pulled out the papers inside.
Her eyes grew wider with every page.
She looked back at Luke.
“Vacation request approved?”
Luke nodded.
“For both of us.”
Emily blinked.
“You took a whole week off?”
“I did.”
“So did you?”
Luke smiled.
“I may have talked you into using some of your vacation time.”
Emily laughed.
“When?”
“Last week.”
“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”
“You were eating tacos.”
Emily thought for a second before laughing even harder.
“I would’ve agreed to just about anything.”
“I know.”
? ? ?
Emily looked through the papers again.
“So…”
She smiled.
“Where are we going?”
Luke leaned against the counter.
“That’s the best part.”
“You planned it?”
“Every bit of it.”
She walked over and hugged him.
“I don’t even care where we’re going.”
“You might after I tell you.”
Luke picked up a folded brochure from the table.
He handed it to her.
Emily unfolded it.
Across the front was a beautiful photograph of a towering waterfall surrounded by evergreen trees.
Snoqualmie Falls, Washington
Emily covered her mouth.
“Oh…”
Luke smiled.
“We’re staying for a whole week.”
“A week?”
“A whole week.”
She looked back at the brochure.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
Emily threw her arms around him.
“I love it.”
? ? ?
That evening they spread maps across the kitchen table.
Emily traced the route with her finger.
“This isn’t too long.”
Luke smiled.
“I planned that on purpose.”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“Because of me?”
Luke grinned.
“I figured we’d stop every so often.”
Emily laughed.
“So you’re admitting I have a tiny bladder?”
“I’m admitting I know the woman I love.”
She pointed a finger at him.
“I feel attacked.”
Luke couldn’t stop laughing.
“I packed the route with plenty of rest stops.”
“You planned bathroom breaks?”
“I planned for reality.”
Emily doubled over laughing.
“You are unbelievable.”
“I try.”
? ? ?
Before bed, Luke checked their savings account one last time.
The vacation wasn’t cheap.
It would mean putting off a few other purchases.
Maybe waiting a little longer for the dream house.
But as he looked over at Emily, already excitedly making a packing list, he knew it was worth every penny.
Money could always be earned again.
Time together was different.
Those moments couldn’t be bought back.
Luke smiled to himself as he turned off the bedside lamp.
In just a few days, they would head north toward Washington.
Neither of them knew it yet…
But that vacation would become one of the happiest weeks of their lives.