LITMIR.BIZ

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to follow it up by reaching across the table and folding her hand in his.

      “I meant what I said earlier,” he told her instead.

      “About?”

      “About being grateful to them. They were there for you when you needed them.”

      When he couldn’t be.

      Facing his wife across the table, Travis acknowledged that he’d abrogated his role as a husband too many times. When the Bank of America promoted Kate in recognition of her adroit handling of foreign investments during the recession that panicked markets around the world, he’d been swatting mosquitoes at a remote airstrip in Kenya. And just months ago, while she’d agonized over whether to accept the offer from the World Bank and move to DC, he’d been freezing his ass off at a classified location he still couldn’t talk about. Time now, he vowed silently, to realign his priorities and reclaim a place in her life.

      Assuming she would let him. He’d cracked the door open by getting her to spend this time with him, but the determined expression that now settled over her face suggested he’d have his work cut out to push it open all the way.

      “What did you want to talk about?” he asked her.

      “We need to discuss the ROE.”

      “Are we speaking your language or mine?”

      ROE in her world stood for return on equity, a formula that assessed a company’s efficiency at generating profits for its stockholders. In his, ROE stood for the rules of engagement outlining the type of force that could be employed in various situations.

      “In this instance, they represent the same thing. We need a set of parameters that define what we should and shouldn’t do during this time together.”

      Travis didn’t much like the sound of that. “I figured we would play it by ear.”

      “Right. Like you did with the villa? Tell me you just pulled that idea out of the air.”

      “Okay, I might have scoped out a few possible courses of action...”

      “Exactly. And if I remember the principles of war correctly, the purpose of a course of action is to achieve an objective.”

      She didn’t add at all costs, but the implication hung heavy on the air. His brows snapping together, Travis shook his head.

      “We’re not at war, Kate. At least I hope to hell we’re not.”

      “No, we’re not. Now. And I want to keep it that way.”

      “All right,” he conceded, not particularly happy with the direction this conversation was taking. “Let’s hear your ROE.”

      She raised a hand and ticked them off with a decisiveness that told him she didn’t intend to negotiate. “One, separate bedrooms. Two, we share all expenses. Three, we decide on the itinerary together. Four, no changes unless by mutual consent. Five, no surprises of any size, shape or dimension.”

      He took a moment. “Okay.”

      “That was too easy,” Kate said, frowning. “What am I missing?”

      “Nothing.”

      “Do you want to add to the list?”

      “I think you’ve covered the essentials.”

      Her frown deepened. “This won’t work if we’re not honest with each other, Trav.”

      “I am being honest. I can live with those ROE. As long as you understand I intend to focus most of my energy on number four.”

      Focus, hell. He intended to use every weapon at his disposal to make it happen.

      “That’s my sole objective, Katydid. Gaining your consent...to changes in bedrooms, expenses, itinerary and—oh, yeah—our pending divorce.”

      “Well.” She sat back, her brown eyes wide. “That’s certainly honest enough.”

      “Good.” He pushed back his chair, figuring he’d better make tracks before she added to their list of rules. “Why don’t you text me a proposed itinerary? I’ll look at it tonight and we can negotiate if necessary. Just be sure to factor in some driving time. I want you to see Italy the way it should be seen.”

      “I, uh... Fine.”

      * * *

      The blunt declaration left Kate feeling flustered as they crossed the Cavalieri’s elegant lobby to the elevators. Travis didn’t touch her this time, not even a gentlemanly hand on her elbow, and she was furious with herself for missing that small courtesy. So furious she jabbed the elevator button before she could miss more than his touch. Like the feel of his breath tickling her ear. The whisper of her name when he...

      The elevator doors pinged open. Kate almost jumped in with a promise to zap him a proposed agenda within an hour.

      Dawn and Callie were still up and open to further discussion on plans for the remainder of their time in Italy. Snatching up her notebook filled with maps and detailed descriptions of major tourist attractions, Kate worked up an alternate itinerary for them based out of the Tuscan villa. Then she went to work on one for her and Travis.

      Driving time. He’d said to factor in driving time. So...

      Lips pursed, Kate studied her heavily annotated map of Italy. Since driving in Rome was a nightmare, Kate decided she and Travis should depart the city in the morning, tour the countryside and save Rome for the end of the trip...assuming they were still together at that point. The uncertainty of that churned in her belly as she emailed the proposed itinerary to Travis’s phone.

      He emailed back while she was still studying her map. The flight plan looked good. No negotiations or changes necessary. He’d pick her up at eight thirty.

      * * *

      Kate fully expected to lie awake the rest of the night riddled by doubts. She slid between the satiny sheets, still mulling over Travis’s stated intention to do whatever he could to change her mind about their future. But almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, the combination of rich food, several glasses of wine and mental exhaustion following hours of wildly conflicting emotions put her out.

      The alarm she’d set on her iPhone went off at 7:00 a.m., but the happy marimba barely penetrated. Fumbling for the phone, she hit the snooze button. Twice. So when she finally came fully awake, she glanced at the time, let out a yelp and scrambled to get showered, dressed and packed.

      Luckily, she’d packed light for the trip. All three of them had. Just one tote and roll-on each. The absence of heavy luggage made traveling so much easier but restricted choices. Kate had opted for two pairs of jeans, one pair of khaki twill slacks, tanks and Ts in various colors, a lightweight cotton sundress, and her slinky, caramel-colored pants and jacket. Since she would spend the day driving, she decided on jeans and a cap-sleeved black T paired with the chunky wooden necklace.

      Callie was up when Kate dashed out of her bedroom, but Dawn hadn’t seen the light of day yet. Noting the tote and roll-on, Callie smiled.

      “No second thoughts?”

      “God, yes! Second, third and fourth. But... Well...”

      “You don’t have to explain. Just keep safe, Kate, and keep us posted on how things go.”

      “I will.”

      The doubts hit with a vengeance while she waited in the Cavalieri’s lobby. The break with Travis had been agony enough four months ago. She had to be certifiable to court that kind of pain again.

      She swiped her palms down the sides of her jeans and tried to settle her nerves by admiring the magnificent triptych that dominated the wall above the reception desk. The Cavalieri’s website boasted that it was home to one of the greatest private collections in the world. The hotel’s art historian even offered private tours of the old masters, rare tapestries and priceless antiques that included, among other things,

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