When I was younger, I didn’t think much about the other drivers on the road. But now that I have Nora in the car with me, I’m much more aware of them and the potential dangers they bring.
Once the car is safely past us, I sneak a quick look at Nora again. “My parents aren’t upset at all,” I reassure her. “I explained that you’ve been feeling off the last few days. They understood why we wanted to go home.”
My parents adore Nora, so I could have told them she wanted to leave early to go on an Antarctic expedition,and they wouldn’t have blinked. But when I pulled my parents aside earlier this evening to explain that Nora hadn’t been feeling well, and I really wanted to get her home, they both agreed wholeheartedly.
“Of course you should take her home,” my mother replied. “I didn’t realize poor Nora was feeling poorly. You should have told me before. I would have insisted you go back.”
“Has she seen the doctor?” my father asked. “With so many viruses going around right now, you can’t be too careful.”
No, Nora hasn’t seen the doctor. Yet. But if she’s not better by tomorrow, I’m insisting on it. I don’t care how many excuses she gives—a restless night’s sleep, lots of things on her mind, she ate something that didn’t agree with her, she must have a touch of the cold Clara had last week—I’m not taking any chances when it comes to Nora’s health.
“Still,” Nora persists. “I’m notreallysick. Just tired. I could have stayed through tomorrow.”
“You’ve been dragging for days,” I point out. “And you know you don’t sleep as well when you’re not in your own bed.”
“When did that happen?” she asks with a slight shake of her head. “In my twenties, I could sleep anywhere. A rickety cot, a plastic chair, the rocky ground… and now, I feel like the Princess and the Pea. If my pillow isn’t just the right amount of fluffy, or the mattress is too hard, I’ll toss and turn all night.”
I give her hand a gentle squeeze. “I think it’s calledgetting older. I’m the same way. Ten years ago, I could fall asleep anywhere. But now…”
“You fall asleep on the couch all the time,” she points out with a chuckle. “We’ll be in the middle ofHouse Hunters, and I’ll hear this rumbling sound from beside me?—”
“I don’t snore.” Or at least, I’ve never heard myself snoring. Which counts in my book.
Nora snorts. “You absolutelydosnore. It’s not terrible, like a chainsaw. I’d say it’s more like…” She pauses to think. “An electric lawn mower.”
“Alawn mower?” I shoot her a quick look of mock-offense. “You think I sound like a lawn mower when I sleep?”
“An electric one,” Nora corrects. “Which is much quieter than a regular one. So it’s really not that bad. Now, Nolan, on the other hand… His snoring was like a commercial mower. One of those huge ones you can hear all the way down the street.”
“Like a commercial lawn mower, you say?” Nolan is one of Nora’s former Green Beret teammates—not a part of her original split team, like Cole, Leo, Zane, Rylan, and Finn, but they were in the same battalion. And now that he’s out of the Army and living in the DC area, we’ve been able to see him more often. Which means I’ll get to trot out Nora’s snoring accusation the next time he visits.
Nora laughs. “Don’t tell him I said that. He’s pretty sensitive about it. Ever since this girl he really liked broke up with him after the first night they spenttogether. And of course, Finn and Zane had to tease him mercilessly.”
“You didn’t tell Finn and ZaneIsnore, did you?”
“Of course not.” She leans across the console to kiss my cheek. “And besides, there’s nothing to make fun of. I think your little snorting sounds are cute.”
“My snorting sounds?” It’s getting worse by the minute. “How have we been married for three years and I’m just hearing about this alleged snoring?”
“Because I love you,” Nora replies. “And I like hearing you snore. It’s—” She cuts herself off.
As the turnoff to Sleepy Hollow comes up on the right, I flick on the turn signal and carefully veer onto the exit ramp. The tires slip a little on the snow-slicked road, but the all-wheel-drive kicks in to keep us steady. “It’s what?” I ask. “Annoying? Keeping you from getting enough rest?”
“Neither.” More softly, she adds, “It’s reassuring. Hearing you beside me. You know I still get nightmares sometimes. Of the…” Trailing off, her hand tightens around mine.
My jaw clenches.
She doesn’t have to say it. I know what she means. Though the nightmares don’t come as frequently as they used to, there are still nights when Nora wakes up in a panic, convinced she’s back in the trunk where that asshole stashed her. On those nights, we head out to the couch to watchHouse Huntersuntil she finally falls back to sleep.
Before I respond, Nora says, “Anyway. It helps.That’s all. Hearing you there. So I’m glad you snore like an electric mower. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Swallowing back the anger rising inside me, I force a light laugh. “Well. I’m glad you don’t mind my snoring.” A beat passes. “But if itdoesbother you, tell me. I can try those nose strips. Or a mouth guard. Or?—”
“Nothing,” she interrupts. “You don’t need to change anything, Jack. I love you just as you are.”
Oh.
My heart rolls over.
