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“You know you’re going to have to take the girls out on rides every time you visit now, right?”
“Does that mean I’m invited over again?”
“Yes, of course.” I grimace. “I… I’m sorry I haven’t been a good friend since everything happened with my parents.”
“Hey, I get it. No need to apologize. We kept in touch, and now we’re family men with different priorities.”
“Better priorities,” I add.
“Here, here,” Hawk agrees, tipping his beer bottle so it clanks against mine.
Cora walks out onto the back porch, searching the yard, presumably for me. I’m drawn to everything about my wife, even after nearly a decade of marriage. I’m more in love with her than I was on our wedding day. I know I’ll continue to fall more in love with my Cora with each passing day.
“I know that look,” Hawk says, patting me on the shoulder. “Go for it, man. I’ll watch the kids.”
I smirk at my friend, then take off toward my wife. She’s grown so much in the time I’ve known her, and I’d like to think I’ve given her a good life with room to heal from her awful, misogynistic father. I moved Cora out of his house the day after we found out we were pregnant. No way in hell I was going to let my family live under his roof when I’m perfectly capable of providing everything they need and more.
We left Big Dan standing on his front porch, yelling at us and tossing out every insult he could think of. Cora never looked back, and hasn’t seen her old man since. I may or may not have paid my old boss a visit some time later and let him know he’s not welcomed in our lives, unless for some reason, Cora wants to contact him.
So far, she hasn’t. We’ve been living a wonderful life without his presence.
My gorgeous wife is looking away from me as I approach her, which gives me the opportunity to come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.
“There you are,” she says softly, looking at me over her shoulder.
“Here I am,” I murmur into the shell of her ear before placing a kiss on her temple. “Did you need something from me?” I rasp, trailing my lips down her neck.
“Y-yes,” she breathes. “But now I can’t remember.”
I smile against her heated skin, nipping at her pulse point. “Well, I need something from you,” I tell her, walking us a few steps toward the house.
“In the middle of Hallie’s party?” she whisper-shouts.
I shrug. “I always need something from you,” I reply. Cora narrows her eyes at me, but I see the hint of a smirk playing on her lips. “Hawk said he can supervise.”
Cora laughs softly, then spins in my arms. I lift her and carry my bride inside, closing the sliding door with my foot. She giggles as I take the stairs two at a time, and I savor the sound.
My Cora makes everything brighter, every breath deeper, and every day worth living. I had no idea I could be so happy and fulfilled, but one look at my wife, and I know my joy will only grow with time.
I can’t wait.
* * *
THE END
