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“Aww, that is just the sweetest thing,” Grace said, wiping at her eyes.
“I told Garrett once, but it was a very long time ago. I didn’t even know he remembered.”
Katie put her hands to her chest. “Really? When was that?”
“When we went to Senior Prom together. He bought me a corsage, and really it was very pretty, but he asked me if it’s what I would have picked for myself. I had to be honest and say no. I would have been happy with wildflowers.”
“Wow, prom, that was a long time ago,” Sierra said. “That’s so sweet that you two have a long history. I wouldn’t change our story, but none of us knew our husbands that long.” She indicated the three women.
“Hawk and Maggie have known each other a long time too,” Katie said. “I agree. I love our own stories, but there’s something so special about knowing your whole history.”
Elise smiled. “It has its pros and cons.”
The sisters-in-law giggled.
“But it’s nice to hear that you wouldn’t change your love stories.” Elise’s heart skipped a beat. Was hers ever going to be an actual love story?
A soft knock on the door was followed by the sound of Lydia Macklin’s voice. “It’s time.”
Elise stood and tightly gripped the flowers in her hand. As the other women made their way out the door giggling and wishing her well, she slowly moved to the door.
“Here goes everything.”
13
Garrett stared up at the ceiling fan in his living room from where he lay on the couch. He’d barely slept. When he had picked out a couch last year, he hadn’t thought to test it for sleeping on it all night. Sitting up, he rolled his neck from side to side, trying to stretch out the knots.
Elise hadn’t made a sound yet this morning, but he glanced at the bedroom door and wondered if she was awake. His family had insisted that they spend their first night alone, so Jenson and Sierra took the boys home for a sleepover.
Garrett couldn’t very well tell them that wasn’t necessary, and that they spent the evening talking about how to rearrange the furniture.
The bedroom door cracked open, and Garrett turned to watch Elise come into the room. She was already dressed in shorts and an old T-shirt, but her hair was still curly from the day before. He grinned thinking it felt nice to see her in the morning.
“Hey,” she said, padding over and sitting on the edge of the recliner.
“Morning,” he said. “How did you sleep?”
She held her palm in the air and turned it back and forth. “Okay, I guess. I’ve never been great at sleeping in new places, but I’ll get used to it.”
Garrett nodded and hoped she didn’t ask him how he had slept. He didn’t want her to feel bad, especially after she begged him to be the one who slept on the couch.
“I don’t think this is going to work,” Elise said.
Garrett’s heart ricocheted against his ribs. “What?” he raised his voice. She couldn’t be giving up on this already. They had made a commitment.
She held her index finger up and twirled it in the direction of the bedrooms. “The sleeping arrangements. I don’t think we can make it work like we said.”
Garrett let out a breath. “Okay. What do you mean?”
“I’ve just been thinking about it. The boys and I can’t share a room. They’re old enough to know that married people sleep in the same room. Maybe we could get away with it for a night or two if I said I wanted them to get used to a new house, but they aren’t going to buy that for long. Even if they did, they would be sure to let it slip to someone else.”
Garrett leaned his elbows on his knees and rubbed his chin. “You’re right.” Maybe he had been so eager to help and move quickly he hadn’t thought that through. “What do you suggest?”
Elise bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I’ve just been lying awake thinking about it. I don’t have an answer.”
Garrett thought maybe she did, but she just didn’t want to say it. “Come on, Elise, remember we are actually married. You can tell me what you think.”
She looked at him and sighed. “It’s just a small house and a lot of people. We can’t hide anything from them. And what will we do if someone wants to come see the house?”
