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“I guess I came back at just the right time,” she finally said, but for her, their celebratory mood was lost.
“I can’t say that I’m disappointed to be taking a bath with the girl I’ve always thought was the most perfect person in the world. I thought your mom messed up when she named you. You should have been Angela, because you’re angelic, and Angela could be Shelby.”
“I’m anything but angelic, so you can just put that thought right back where you found it.” She shook her head. “Are you and Jeff going to work on the house tomorrow? Or are you going to help unpack?”
“It sounds like you have a whole crew to unpack, so we’ll work on the house. I want to get new windows in before winter. I have a feeling these will just let the cold in.”
She nodded. “All right. Are we allowed to put dishes in cabinets?” She had no idea how soon he’d be starting work on the kitchen, and she didn’t want to do anything to slow him down.
“I won’t get to the kitchen for a few months yet. There’s too much that needs to be done to get the house ready for winter, and all that needs to come first.”
“Then we will stuff those cabinets.”
He smiled. “I appreciate you going with the flow about where we live. I know it has to seem like I’m obsessed, but so much needs to be done.”
“You’re allowed to have hobbies that take you from me at times. If I got a call right now that one of my patients was in labor or in the ER, I’d leave without looking back.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “I haven’t contributed anything to the household budget and have instead saved all the money I’ve made for a downpayment on a new car. Do you need me to contribute, or are you good if I get that new car soon?”
He grinned a lopsided grin. She loved his grins. “Go for it. I’ve seen what you drive, and I swear, it’s held together with paperclips and duct tape.”
“Masking tape,” she corrected. “Duct tape was too expensive.”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid that I believe you.”
“You should. Okay, car shopping. I’ll go after work on Monday.”
“I’ll pick you up from work, and we’ll go together. I don’t want you coming home with anything that remotely resembles that car you’ve been driving.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t have purchased that car if I hadn’t needed something inexpensive. Now that I can afford something better, I’ll get it. Maybe a small-size SUV or something.”
“I’ll be with you,” he said. “It’ll be better that way. I promise.”
“All right. I’m never going to turn down spending time with you.”
At her words, he frowned, thinking of the time he’d offered to go to her school for a weekend just so they could see each other, and she’d never even returned his call. She’d been odd about using her cell phone for only emergencies unless she was on wifi, so he’d stopped calling her on it. What had happened there?
“Well, that’s settled then,” he said. He knew they were going to need to talk about what happened all those years ago soon, but tonight was not the night. They were both too tired to think about anything like that, and he didn’t think they should talk about it when the conversation wasn’t going to go well.
Soon, they were in bed, and they were snuggling together. “I need a massage,” she told him.
“You should get one!” he replied.
“You wouldn’t mind?”
He shook his head. “Our finances are fine. Maybe next Saturday.”
“I could probably do Saturday,” she said.
“Good. I think it’ll be good for you.”
“You know, I’ve never had a massage? Until Dr. Lachele made me get one. I’ve checked prices a million times, but it never seemed to be a smart way to use my money.”
He yawned. “Won’t hurt us. I mean, I don’t think you should get them daily but a couple times a month would be fine.”
She snuggled closer to him. “You’re the best husband ever.”
When she woke the following morning, Nate wasn’t anywhere to be found, which surprised her. She knew he was planning on working all day while she and the other ladies unpacked.
She went downstairs to find him, but he wasn’t there either. Finally, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and called him. “You okay?”
