The Untold Fairytale, The Enchanted Realms, Part 8

Chapter 8 - The Afterglow

Eloise’s POV

The morning sun threatened to wake us from our slumber, but I had no desire to start my day. Cuddling up to Jack, I pulled the blankets tighter and closed my eyes again. I was content daydreaming about our wedding day, wondering what style dress I’d pick out or where we’d hold the ceremony.

My thoughts meandered from the Mansions in Rhode Island to a quiet cottage in Vermont. Or! Or! What about an old sawmill barn turned into a banquet hall? Um, no! Maybe, just maybe, the old book barn! That would be amazing!

Smiling at my fantasy wedding ideas, I held out my hand and admired my ring. It was so beautiful. I still couldn’t believe that he picked it out with my father. As I twirled the ring around my finger, I heard my sleepy mate start to stir.

Clearing his throat, he asked, “What are you up to?”

“Daydreaming!”

”Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Jack chuckled as he got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned, he stood beside the bed and looked at me, asking, “Are you getting out of bed this century?”

Rolling over, I whined, “Not without an American-sized coffee!”

”You’ll need to order a few cups to solve that problem,” he said before pulling the sheets away. I immediately tried to grab them back, but he was faster and pounced on me. Kissing my lips, he asked, “What shall be? Coffee? Or?”

He didn’t bother finishing his thoughts before his lips found mine.

❤️❤️❤️

My golden locks were soaking wet, but I decided not to dry them before we headed out to lunch once I realized that the sun had given way to grey skies and torrential downpours. Fortunately, the cafe we had planned on visiting was right around the corner.

From the other room, Jack yelled, “Hey!”

When he said nothing else, I popped my head around the corner and asked, “Did you intend to say something intelligent or stop yourself from acting the fool.”

He was on his knees with one shoe in his hand. Without looking backward, he explained, “Chasing a spider. Damn things!”

”You better catch it!”

Whack! Whack! Whack!

“Got it!”

Standing up, he held out his shoe and said, “Here! Look at this! You can see all of his guts and stuff.”

”Don’t be gross!” I saw the twinkle in his eyes before he stepped closer, waving it in my face. Squealing, I warned him. “Jack! If that gets on me, you’re doomed!”

”Chicken!” He gave up, cleaned his shoe and the mess on the floor, and asked, “Are you ready to jump between the raindrops?”

”Upwards and onwards!” I said, grabbing my backpack. From the corner of my eye, I saw my new leather journal and said, “But first! Not that I know what I want to write within its pages, but I think I’ll bring it along anyway. "Two minutes later, we stood at the inn's front door and looked forlornly at the flooding streets. I turned to Jack and said, “There’s only one type of adventure I want to go on today! One between the pages of a good book.”

”Agreed! Perhaps we can hang out in the pub next to the fire, eat, drink, read, and be merry!” Taking my hand, he leads us through the halls to the inn’s cozy pub.

Entering the main hall, it felt like we stepped back into history. The pub's walls were a mixture of stone, brick, and wood that had been whitewashed through the years. The booths had high backs and hand-carved wooden designs of soldiers and clans, but the best part was the little round red tables along the outside wall and the cushioned bench that wrapped around the corner.

I looked at Jack and whispered, “This could be a perfect setting for my first novel! If only these walls could talk!”