The Height Of Happiness

“Well, I think that’s you, Teddy,” Serena said as they walked down the hill.

He laughed, “I am her little prince!”

“But you know….” Serena admitted. “I think she was trying to tell me something.”

He raised his eyebrows as he replied, “Is that so? What, pray tell, was my mother telling you in her maternal code?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll let you know when I figure out her puzzle.”

They walked along alone together, and after a brief moment of silence Serena spoke again.

“You know, I never set a return date for this trip,” Serena told him.

“Really?” he said with surprise. “I thought you had your whole year planned.”

She shrugged, “My home is buried in snow right now, and Grandpa has my cat. I didn’t see a need to rush back if you didn’t want me to.”

Stopping them, Edward looked her in the eyes as he said softly, “I don’t know if I would ever want you to leave. I love—I love having you here. It’s wonderful to have someone to be with during the day.”

“I know what you mean,” Serena whispered. “I missed you after you left me. I got used to you, and it seemed….”

“Lonely,” Edward finished her thought for her. “But not anymore.”

Serena let her eyes close as she knew what was coming. Eyelashes fluttering shut, she felt his lips on hers. Edward’s kiss was strong with intent and tasted like table wine and chocolate. It was sweet and good. To kiss him again felt like coming home. This however was not the kiss of a stranger. It was different from their encounter in New York. While the thrill remained, she now knew him from all their conversations and days spent together. This wasn’t casual drunken lust. As the kiss deepened, Serena knew it felt right to be in his arms. Wrapping her arms around him, they stood there in the valley intertwined as the strength of Edward’s arms pulled her close to his chest.

Serena could feel that he’d been waiting for this moment. Desire was there. It felt stronger than the wanting she’d sensed by the pool all those months ago, but her memories faded away as she focused on the present. She felt his warmth and the way he cared about her after all this time together as they stayed embraced, kissing.

When they pulled apart to finally breathe, Edward leaned to just barely whisper in her ear. His words were a bit breathless from their shared moment,“Follow me.”

He led her down across the grass toward a barn. Serena didn’t understand at first, but as they reached the rustic red structure she saw the stairs leading to the balcony on the second level.

“I don’t want to ruin anything by over-explaining,” Teddy said as he let her climb the stairs first. “But I do hope that you like it.”

Serena reached the heavy wooden doors, and slowly turned the antique bronze door knobs. A faint creak sounded off as the door slowly swung open. Inside, Serena looked around at a place she hadn’t been expecting to see.

The long skinny space they now stood inside of was simple and rustic. The wood floors were rough and unfinished. Decorated with old botanical illustrations above the antique writing desk to Serena’s left, the brick walls otherwise remained relatively plain. There was a small corner just by the door with a dining table for two with a cactus for a centerpiece near a tiny galley kitchen with one cupboard and all the tiniest essentials Serena had ever laid eyes on. There was a sink no bigger than a soup bowl, an oven that looked fit for a child, and a fridge that was just a cube. An old leather sofa sat under the wide open window overlooking the fields of grapes with a green travel trunk being used in lieu of an actual coffee table. Across the room, the couch faced a few low shelves piled up with well-loved books.

Walking toward the back, Serena noticed the space was meant to be a bedroom. The wardrobe by the bed was hand carved and delicate looking. Flowers painted on the stained doors were the work of an old master. The side tables holding two simple lamps were nothing more than preserved sections of an ancient tree trunk that had been two feet wide. Another window cast light over the bed and into the tiny bathroom just big enough for a pedestal sink, toilet and tiny cubicle shower. Serena let her hands fall on the bed frame as she looked over the crisp striped linen sheets and puffy white comforter. This iron canopy bed at the back of the strange room was crafted to look like dark tree limbs climbing upward with sheer white fabric draped over in a soft canopy. The drapes billowed in the soft breeze moving through the room.

Serena looked back at Teddy, waiting for an explanation.

“Welcome to my apartment.”

Serena looked over everything as she responded with, “This… is your apartment?”

“Yes.”

“This is where you’ve been while I was in the main house?”

“Why?” Edward asked cheekily. “Were you looking for me?”

She shot him a look, and he backed down.

“I just never knew where you were,” she finally replied.

“I do own a lot of homes for business and traveling, but this place is mine. I can’t exactly bring business executives, customers, board members, or whoever here. I like that. This is just for me, but now that I’ve stayed in your home I feel it’s a bit inadequate. You’re making me rethink my bachelor pad, Serena.”

Serena smiled, filling the distance as she took his hand in hers, “No Teddy, it’s perfect, but how did you even get this place?”

“My father used it as his study. His father used is as his first office. My father had the little kitchen corner installed, and I had the shower put into the bathroom. It seems like a nice change. It keeps me… separate.”