I feel a pull of sadness that I dropped off Jack. I miss him already.
I shouldn’t be getting attached. This is a nanny and kid situation, but my heart is fully invested in this sweet baby as it starts to cling onto his father, too.
And that will only spell certain danger. There’s nothing I can do to spare myself the possibility of getting hurt, yet he’s taking me on a date tonight. We’re married. We’re living together. How am I supposed tonotlet feelings get involved?
It’s easy to push them away—easy to remind myself who he is, not just Ivy’s older brother, but one of the bad boys of pro football. He sleeps around, and he takes risks, and that’s not somebody I want to get involved with. Or…moreinvolved with, I guess, considering we’re married.
And tonight we’re debuting our relationship for the media. He’s going to tell the press that I’m his wife.
They’ll check the Nevada marriage license site and determine he’s telling the truth, and then who knows what’ll happen next?
I get a sort of ominous feeling about tonight. Debuting me as his wifeandgetting me drunk in the same night feels like a recipe for disaster, but he has assured me it’s perfectly safe and we’ll be able to avoid the press.
“Stop living in your head.”
“Start having some fun.”
“As my wife, you have no choice but to have some fun.”
The last one made me laughandwarm at the same time.
When I pull the Challenger back into Dex’s parking spot at his complex after dropping the baby off for the night, I’m shocked to find Dex in the space beside mine, and I’m even more shocked when I see what he’s doing.
“Are you installing a car seat into that SUV?” I ask.
“That I am,” he says. “Motherfucking little rat fucker,” he curses at the seat, and I can’t help but laugh at his colorful language now that it’s just between us.
“Whose car is that?” I ask.
“Yours.”
I think I choke on something. Maybe I heard him incorrectly since he’s talking into the backseat. “Excuse me?”
He straightens and turns to look at me. “I’m sorry, but I don’t let just anyone drive the Challenger, and while I allowed it once, I figured you should have your own car to get around town. So—” He cuts himself off to motion to the car, and this isn’t real, is it?
“You bought me a car to use while I’m in town?”
“Well, you can keep it if you decide to leave town, too.” He shrugs. “The title’s in your name, so you’re free to do whatever you want with it.”
I glance at the back and spot the logo.
“You bought me a Mercedes?”
He closes the back door, apparently happy with his work on car seat installation. He lifts a shoulder. “This is supposed to be one of the safest SUVs on the road.” He wipes his palms on the front of his shorts, and I can’t help but rush over to tackle him with a hug.
He lets out a littleoofas I crash into him.
“Thank you so much, Dex. This is the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
He slings his arm around my waist, and he pulls me into him a little. His voice is low and raspy near my ear. “My wife deserves a car of her own.”
I force myself out of his arms. If I stay there another minute, I’ll try to kiss him, and he won’t kiss back, and things will just get awkward.
“I should go get ready for tonight,” I mumble. “Thanks for the car.”
It sounds ridiculous coming out of my mouth. Itisridiculous. Nobody has ever bought me a car before, including my parents. I worked for years running concession stands at middle school and high school events to save up enough for volleyball camp and a shitty used car, and my parents didn’t have enough to help me out.
So this? This is a real, true gift. A treat. Something I never saw coming.
