“We were led to believe we’d be smooshing my niece’s face tonight,” Lainey countered.
Bree sighed. “Eventually, but if we miss this sleep window, it’s going to throw off the whole schedule.”
“Are you sure you’re okay we brought the dog?” Elliot asked for what was probably the fifth time.
She dismissed his concerns with the wave of her hand. “Of course. Waffle’s perfect. I want to clone him so Elodie can have a Waffle of her own. Is that a weird thing to say? I don’t really sleep anymore. Is that a gift?” She gestured to the bag behind Elliot’s back.
“It’s just a WubbaNub. My nephew loved his when he was Elodie’s age.” He straightened his glasses on his nose, squirming as his lovely gesture quite literally moved Bree to tears. Though, these days, most happy things moved her friend to tears on account of the aforementioned sleep deprivation. Pride bubbled between Lainey’s ribs. She felt so lucky to be standing beside this man. Her husband.
Bree pressed her finger into the corners of her eyes to preserve her makeup. “You are the nicest person. Just—Lainey, did you see this?” She held up the Pottery Barn Kids bag an inch from Lainey’s nose.
“Yes. I was standing right here.” Lainey batted away the bag. “Mygift for Elodie is more experiential. The second you think she’s old enough to hot-wire a car, let me know and I’ll teach her.”
Bree’s eyebrows blended into her hairline. “You’re not funny. Don’t make that joke near my mother.”
“I won’t if you admit that I’mveryfunny.”
Bree refused her a response and pointed to the back door that led to the rest of the party.
Elliot lowered his voice for Lainey, and Lainey alone. “Do you actually know how to hot-wire a car?”
“No.” She pulled a face as her arm stretched to open the back door. “But seriously, how hard could it be?”
“You have enviable self-confidence.”
She lifted her chin. “Thank you. And don’t think for a second that I didn’t immediately clock that you used the remaining balance on your PB gift card to buy that gift.”
“I know my wife. I was surprised when you didn’t out me mid-handoff.”
My wife. It felt the same every time he said it, like something in her chest was clicking perfectly into place. He gave her a look that told her something in him stirred when he said it, too.
He brought his mouth down to her ear and whispered, “Marzipan.”
Snaking his hand around her waist, he led her through the smattering of partygoers in their best florals and a beaming Colin holding court next to buckets and buckets of wine. A giggle bubbled through her chest as Elliot walked her around the side of the house and out of sight.
His mouth was on hers in seconds. His fingers bit into her waist.
“You’re my wife.” He whispered it into her ear like he couldn’t believe it.
His lips on her throat vibrated with her laugh. “I have been for a while.”
He pulled away to look at her when he said, “But now it’s different.”
It is, she thought as she caught her breath. She inhaled the surrounding scents of pine and barbecue and Elliot through her nose.Now we’re permanent, she thought.
“How much did you have to end up paying for the pacifier? A dollar?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “I have four cents left on the card.”
“Color me impressed, Hodges. Roll that into the fund for next year’s renovations.”
Elliot adjusted his collar. “About that…I don’t think we should put any more money into the Shore Thing. I want to sell it. Forest’s Bridge, too.”
She blinked. “What? Why? This is your path to passive income. What about your innkeeper dreams?”
“I hate being an innkeeper,” he admitted. “Tripadvisor is a horrible place for horrible people to commiserate about the noise level of cicadas. I can’t control the circle of life, Patricia from Seattle. My dream sucks, and now that I’ve tried it for one season, I don’t want to do it anymore. I want to do your dream now.”
“Seriously?” It was so much to take in. “Which dream? The health-care one? Now that I’ve locked you down, I’m kind of good.”
