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Riley and Lu are staying with Katie while Maren and Tuck are in the hospital. It’s worked out kind of perfectly; of course Jen offered to stay with Katie, but then Tuck floated the idea of her taking Katie after they got home with the baby in the likely event Katie would need some quality one-on-one time during her adjustment to her new role as big sister. I’m worried Tuck won’t allow that once he finds out Jen and I are together. But I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Joe offered to take Katie too, but Maren and Tuck wanted him to be able to visit them as often as he liked in the hospital. Which meant someone else would have to be with Katie.
Luckily, Lu and Riley love being the cool aunt and uncle. So Katie’s at the house with them, with the caveat that Jen, Joe, Lady, and I are around to pinch-hit if needed.
I turn my head and catch a glimpse of long blonde hair. A bag slung over her shoulder, Jen smiles as she makes a beeline for the dogs and me.
I feel that smile like a bullet to the chest. Air wheezes out of my lungs. At the same time, warmth unfolds inside my chest, starting at my breastbone and radiating outward.
Aw, fuck.
Fuck fuckfuck.
“Hey, y’all!” She holds out her arms.
The dogs go apeshit, wagging their tails while trying to launch themselves at their mom. Laughing, Jen takes Cher into her arms, who is shaking with the effort to frantically lick Jen’s face at least a hundred times a minute.
I clear my throat, an attempt to force oxygen in and out of my body, and curl Tai against my chest. “It’s like they haven’t seen you in years.”
“They’re lunatics. I missed them. How’d they do? House looked okay when you got home?”
I’m gripped by the fierce need to keep Jen smiling. “Foundan empty bottle of tequila. Vomit everywhere. I hate to say it, but I think they had boys over.”
Jen laughs, and the warmth in my chest migrates south. I wanna kiss her so badly I can’t breathe.
“I forgot to mention these girls do love to party,” she replies. “Y’all, what did I tell you about stealing liquor? Ask first! And no boys over unless we’re there to chaperone.”
DoI kiss Jenny? Do we hug? People aren’t really watching, but it’s weird, right, if I don’t greet my wife without some show of affection?
Jen, being the overachiever she is, solves the problem while I’m still navel-gazing. She goes up on her tiptoes and I have a tiny heart attack when she presses a quick kiss to my cheek.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Taking care of the girls. Picking me up. And the black car?—”
“It’s a big day.” My windpipe is not working properly. “I. Uh. Wanted it to be special. Feel special.”
Her eyes lock on mine. In the grey light of the overcast sky, they are the shade of the forest at sunrise. Pale green. Clean and soft, lit with early morning sunshine.
Since when do I wax poetic about eye color of all things? I’m introuble.
And because some fucked-up part of me likes trouble I say, “Got a surprise for you.”
Jen’s eyelashes flutter. How have I never noticed how long they are? “The Escalade and driver weren’t surprise enough?”
“Cher and Tai told me they wanted to do dinner on the beach. So we packed a picnic.”
A groove appears in Jen’s forehead. “You packed a picnic?”
“Really, I purchased some pork products and a pair of pilsners.”
She’s smiling again and my face hurts so I must be too. “I love pork products and pilsners. And the pitter-patter of pooches on... on... packed sand?”
“You really gotta step up your alliteration game, Jen.”
“It’s something I’ll have to practice, Abel.”
