“So it’s hard for you to relax?To just…be?”
He rocked Griffin, nodding.“Yeah.I have too many people relying on me.Too much to handle.”
Azlyn gave a small nod, then lifted her hand and made a little swirl in the air.“Okay.Magic wand time.Poof!No responsibilities.You wake up.What time is it?”
He gave her a look.“Uh… I don’t know.Five?I always wake up around five.”
“Me too.Okay, so it’s five in the morning.You’ve gotnothingon your plate.What do you do?”
He frowned, confused.“Maybe… drink some coffee?Read the newspaper?”
“Perfect,” she said.“Then what?”
Zayn shifted his weight and let out a short breath.“Go riding?”He shrugged one shoulder.“I do have responsibilities, Azlyn.”
She refrained from rolling her eyes.“You’re close to getting my point.Stay with me here.”She adjusted her stance, watching him.“So you wake up at five, drink your coffee, saddle up a horse.Great.Then what?”
He rolled his eyes.“Read some more news?”
“Why?”
“Why what?”he grumbled, taking the warm bottle the attendant handed him.Griffin latched on immediately, holding it tightly in both hands.
“Why read the news?What are you planning to do with that information?”
He gave her a look.“To be an informed citizen.Obviously.”
“You’re not allowed to vote.”
That made him stop.“What do you mean I’m not allowed to vote?”
“We’re not talking about me.We’re talking about you.You’re not a citizen of the country you’re staying in.So, no voting.”
He opened his mouth.Closed it.Opened it again.“You would be allowed to vote.I can make you a citizen of Lativa.”
She pointed a finger at him.“What do you do after reading the news?”
He blinked.“You could have—”
“This isn’t about me, Zayn.We’re still on you.”Her voice was quieter now.She could see it was starting to click.“What would you do with your day?”
He looked down.“I don’t know.”
“You could get your hair cut.”
He snorted.“That’d take ten minutes.”He paused, looked at her, taking in the expression in her eyes, then groaned.“Okay.Fine.I get it.I’d have nothing to do after that.And yeah, I see your point.You’re just as invested in your work as I am in mine.”
“Exactly.”She stepped closer, her hands twitching with the urge to reach out and touch him again.To feel the strength that had once comforted her.But she held back.“I could’ve lasted maybe three days in Lativa before I went completely stir-crazy.”
He tilted his head.“Is that really how you picture being married to me?Endless nothing?”
Azlyn didn’t answer right away.Instead, she reached out and tickled Griffin’s foot.He jerked it back, a tiny scowl crossing his features but he didn’t stop sucking on the bottle.She smiled at him.“I don’t think I have much of a choice at this point.”Finally, she looked directly at him.“I’ll marry you.Because it’s best for Griffin.I know how particular your country is about—”
“We’re not,” he cut in.Then glanced down at their son.“Not officially.The people care more about appearances.But both of my uncles brought children back before marrying the mothers.My cousins were accepted.Laith and Rafi were about Griffin’s age when they came home.Angela was accepted too.My aunt’s daughter came to us when she was five.”
“So Griffin will be right at home,” she said, with the faintest hint of amusement.
“He absolutely will.”He looked at her, expression serious.“Will being my wife really be that unbearable?”
