“It was after you had Lisa,” he said, his voice filled with surprised understanding, as if something he’d wondered about for years suddenly made sense. “I came home from work one day, and you and Lisa were both crying. You, because the house was a mess, you hadn’t showered in three days, and Lisa had just thrown up all over your only clean pair of clothes. And Lisa because she had colic, and all she did was cry in those days. Remember that?”
She didn’t remember the exact day, but she did recall how miserable those months were, all blended together, like a picture taken with a smudged lens.
He continued. “I threw in a load of laundry and straightened up the kitchen, and took Lisa to my mom’s house so you could get a bath all alone. And when we came back an hour later, I found you still sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel with your hair dripping all over your shoulders, sobbing. I said your name, and you looked up at me, shocked. I think that’s the thing that sticks with me the most—that look on your face. And you said you didn’t think I was coming back.”
Winnie’s breath caught. She recalled always being worried in those early days that he’d wake up one day and realize this life she’d given him was too hard and he wanted out.
“I told you I’d never leave.” Horace took another step closer to her, and reached out for her hand. She looked at their fingers, entwined together, both with wrinkles and purple veins and age spots, developed together over the years of their marriage. Years where they’d grown up and experienced life together, where they’d fallen more deeply in love than she could have fathomed. Years she’d never change for anything.
“And I still mean it,” he said, taking another step closer, bringing their clasped hands to his lips. “I’ll never leave, Winnie. I love you, no matter how many exes show up here because they realize they were idiots for ever letting you go. And who can blame them? You’re the best thing that could ever happen to anyone. Especially me.”
She laughed weakly and tipped her head into his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. That scent, this chest, all of Horace … that was home. “It’s only the one ex. I swear.”
His chest rumbled against her forehead with a chuckle.
“I love you too,” she said.
“As long as we’re apologizing, I need to tell you that I’m sorry for not realizing how much it was hurting you that I was spending so much time with Smitty. I don’t know if you’re aware of this characteristic of mine, but I sometimes get a one-track mind and go a little overboard with things …”
Winnie looked up at him with wide eyes and placed a hand on her chest in mock surprise. “Really? I had no idea.”
He tickled her side in the one spot that always made her squeal.
“I’ll do better,” he said.
“Me too,” she promised. Wasn’t that all any of them could do? Promise to do better and be better?
“I thought you’d like to know that your golf metaphor to Eliana saved the day.”
He puffed out his chest. “Well, I like to think golf solves all problems … except for the ones it causes.” He paused. “So Asher and Eliana?”
“To quote Eliana, they’re madly in love,” she said, and he smiled with satisfaction.
“You and your friends are good at this.”
“We couldn’t have done it without you.” She squeezed his hand.
“Yeah, you could have.” He smiled teasingly. “And in Julia’s case, it would have been easier.”
She couldn’t deny that. But everything was more fun with Horace. And they really did make a spectacular team.
She twisted her hand in his grasp so she held his in a handshake, and she gave him her most serious look. “You know who I’ve been thinking about a lot?”
“Eric?” he asked, a gleam in his eye.
“Exactly. What do you say we combine our forces and help him find the love of his life?”
“Winnie, there’s nothing else I’d rather do. Except maybe eat that chocolate cake.” He waggled his brows and pulled her in even closer, not leaving a breath between them, their handshake completely forgotten.
“That sounds perfect to me.” She reached up on her tiptoes and he met her halfway with a tender kiss, and everything felt right in her world once again.
Chapter 44
“The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.” —Louisa May Alcott
“Ball!”Cameroncalledoutbefore he launched himself into the pool at The Palms in one of his best cannonball showings to date. He’d gotten most of the bystanders completely soaked. That was good. Too good. Eliana narrowed her eyes.
He surfaced and gave Eliana a challenging glare, combined with punching his chest, something he must have seen on television. She fought a smile.
