Page 105 of Yours, Forever

He, Tía Sonia, and Javier went inside to play. Gabe, Lina, Jake, and Vi decided they wanted to get in the hot tub.

"What do you want to do?" Max asked me.

"Can we go for a walk? I'm still stuffed."

"Why? Not used to eating for six hours straight?"

"Eight, if you count the hours of prep, when we all had an aperitif and picked at a charcuterie board."

"Oh, I don't count those." He stood and offered me his hand. "That's the pre-game."

I shook my head and followed him down the stairs shooting down from the deck, and onto the path leading to the lake.

We walked in silence for a while, hand-in-hand, the smell of dirt and trees around us. The trail curved on itself a few times, helping to soften the steep descent to the shore. At the bottom, the lake lapped softly on a mix of sand and stone, and against the floating dock going into the water.

"Dock or shore?" Max asked.

"If I say shore, will that wreck your shoes?"

"Darling, please. Don't worry about my shoes." He pulled me toward the rough patch where the ground met water. "I've never come across as too precious, have I?"

"No… but I do wonder why you insist on slacks and blazers and elegant shoes…"

"I'm wearing a sweater."

"On top of a dress shirt. Also you're wearing dress pants, a belt, and shoes a millennial would wear to the office."

He laughed. "Why is that a problem?"

"It's not aproblem, but aren't you uncomfortable?"

"Never. My clothes are very comfortable."

"So it's just a style choice?"

"Mostly. If I'm being honest, it's also that I like the contrast. A reserved exterior, when my personality is… not."

I patted his stomach. "I like your personality."

"But my clothes are an issue? I'll undress right here."

I snorted. "I said it's not an issue, darling."

"I rather thought you enjoyed the way I dressed."

"Aesthetically? Yes."

"But? Come on. Tell me what the issue is. Unless you want me to beg, which I will happily do."

"Stop." I chuckled. "There is no issue. I think I'm having trouble adjusting to some things, that's all. I had all sorts of expectations that were plain wrong."

Trees lined our path, tall and thick and wizened by weather like the ones at home. Here, they advanced almost to the lakeshore, allowing for a narrow trail at the bottom of a rocky wall.

The smell of nature was different in this place, with sweet, calm waters to one side, and dirt whose petrichor reached different earthy tones.

He stopped our walk to watch me closely. "Such as? Me wearing suits at the beach?"

"And suits being comfortable sometimes, I guess."