“Adults are supposed to go on dates and do romantic shit so they can like each other,” Gennie continued. “I think it’s important for you and Shay to like each other.”
I sat down between them and pressed a hand to Gennie’s wrist. “We do like each other. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“But I want you to love each other and be happy.” With a nod, she said, “One date night every week. No exceptions. I wrote a letter to Mrs. Castro to tell her I’m very sorry about scaring the shit out of her when I ran away with Bernie Sanders.”
Noah wedged the pint of ice cream between his cast and his chest to wrench open the lid. I raised a brow. “I could’ve done that for you.”
“I’m not so feeble that I need my wife to open my ice cream. Not yet.” He wagged the spoon at Gennie. “Is there anything on your list about chores or kids not swearing all the time? Because that would be great.”
She read over the page carefully. “Number three, we should have a pirate ship tree house.” She glanced up. “That’s all.”
Noah shoved a large bite of coffee Oreo ice cream in his mouth as he studied Gennie. “I’m going to need some time to review these documents. Can we conference in a few days to negotiate terms?”
After a moment of consideration, she bobbed her head. “I’ll agree to that.”
“Can you also agree that it’s far past your bedtime?”
Gennie shot a wide-eyed glance at the clock. “Maybe.”
“It’s time for me and Noah to go to bed,” I said. “Why don’t you come upstairs with us? Change into some jammies, brush your teeth, maybe hop into bed. What do you think?”
“What about Mr. Bones?” she asked.
“We’re ignoring Mr. Bones right now,” Noah said between bites of ice cream. Apparently, this was the effect painkillers had on him. “And he’ll be out until dawn.”
It took a few minutes and a lot of discussion but I got them both upstairs and into their bedrooms. Noah brought the ice cream along with him and I didn’t protest. Despite her insistence that she wasn’t tired, Gennie fell asleep sitting on her bed with her toothbrush in her mouth. I took care of that situation and tucked her in before making my way to Noah’s room.
Was I supposed to call itourroom? Was thisourhouse? That would take me some time. Some adjustment. Some talking myself down every time I felt the doubt creeping back in.
I found him struggling to get out of his t-shirt. “It’s a good thing I made you change out of all those wet, muddy clothes before going to the ER,” I said as I freed his arm from the sleeve. I passed a hand over the scrapes and bruises dotting his torso. He needed a long, hot shower but it could wait until morning. “This would’ve been much worse with dried mud in the mix.”
“You’re sleeping in here now,” he said, his arm around my shoulders.
I dropped my hands to his waist. “Is that a question?”
“I hope not.” His gaze moved between my lips and my eyes. “But we can go as slow as you want. Just as long as we’re going. That’s all I need.”
I unlatched his belt and drew down his zipper. His jeans hit the floor. “I think that all I need,” I said, the words strange and unsteady as I formed them, “is you.” I dragged my gaze up to meet his. “But you were in a rollover accident tonight and have multiple injuries. The only thing we’re doing in this bed is sleeping.”
He scowled with his whole face. “Can I lick your tits and tell you I love you when I wake up tomorrow?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“And the next day? Will you be here then?”
I grinned up at him, my chest feeling full and light at the same time. “The next day. The day after that. And the one after that too. Feel free to pencil me in through the new year.”
That scowl broke when he laughed and I had no choice but to laugh along with him. “How do you feel about eating ice cream in bed and watching some reruns?” He dragged a finger along the neck of my sweater. “It’s not nearly as interesting as what I’d like to do to you tonight, wife, but I have a feeling I’m going to crash pretty soon.”
“Sounds great.” I arched up on my toes and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “I guess that makes us an old married couple.”
“There’s nothing I’d rather be.”
epilogue
Noah
Students will be able to make the right choices for the right reasons.
