“There’s only one more,” she says after draining half the bottle.
“Really?” I ask. “But we were just about to get married. That was over ten years ago.”
She sets down the bottle and picks up the diary. “I stopped writing in it after we got married.”
I cock my head. “You weren’t inspired to write anymore?” Then I smirk. “Or were we busy having so much sex, you were just too exhausted?”
She rolls her eyes.
“Okay, fine.” I motion to the book then start another foot massage. “Read.”
“Dear Diary,” she reads. “This will be my last entry. You’ve been my trusted friend and most reliable confidant since I was thirteen, and for that, I thank you. But I got married yesterday. To my love, my life, my soulmate. And all these big feelings that I’ve been writing about for years, I’m now entrusting to him. They are for his ears. His heart.
“Because Trevor’s heart is so big. I knew it the day we met, long before he took my virginity and I called Regan to tell her every single detail. She was crying. I was crying. I hope he never reads this. He’d probably be mad that I shared such an intimate experience with my best friend. But honestly, it deserved to be shared. Keeping something like that to myself is like finding the cure for cancer and not telling anyone.
“And yesterday, when I walked down the aisle toward him, I could swear his heart actually left his body, reached out for me, wrapped me up like a thick, warm blanket, and pulled me toward him.
“I didn’t have a father to walk me down the aisle. I didn’t even have a mother sitting in the front pew. And none of that mattered. Because he had become my family all those years ago in geometry class. And then his family became my family.
“Everyone always watches the bride at weddings. But, Diary, I really hope there were people who watched the groomyesterday. If they did, they’d know why I married him. All his hopes, dreams, fantasies, desires, and wishes were all right there in his eyes. They say some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. If that’s true, Trevor’s was on his sleeve, his tie, his lapel, his belt, his pants,andhis shoes. And every bit of that heart was directed at me: the simple, shy girl who was still growing into her nose at the age of thirteen.
“Somehow, he saw past the nose. The shyness. The fact that I really wasn’t any different from any other girl at school. There was nothing special about me. Until him. He’s what made me special. Every time I’m with him, he makes me feel important. Do you know what a rare quality that is?
“I gave him my first kiss. My virginity. My heart. And now I’m giving him my life as I pledged to forever be by his side, even when we’re not physically together. I’m also going to give him all these big feelings that I’ve given you over the years. He deserves that. He deserves that and so much more.
“So, goodbye, dear Diary. Thank you for being here when I’ve needed you. Someday I’m sure I’ll read the entire thing and either laugh at my overly emotional entries, or cry at our amazing love story. Maybe it’ll be a little of both. Either way, it’s nice to know I have a record of things so I’m sure to never forget.
“Signing off now and forever, Mrs. Ava Criss.”
She closes the diary, quietly sets it on the table, and looks at me. She always looks at me the same way after she’s read it to me—like she’s not sure how I’m going to react.
Right now, I’m just processing. All of her entries are full of emotion, but this one… Jesus. I’m not sure I can even fathom how one person can love another as much as she claimed to love him.Me.
I gently lift her feet off my lap and slide off the couch then hover over her as she reclines back. I sweep a finger from thecenter of her brow down to the tip of her nose, then I kiss it. “I really like this nose.”
The dimple appears, and I bask in silent victory. Damn, I love her smile.
I take it one step further. “I’d really like to take you and your nose to bed, Mrs. Criss.”
Her chest heaves. Yeah, she likes it when I call her that.
And maybe, just maybe, I’m getting to the point where I like it too.
Chapter Thirty
Ava
My heart is thundering when I check my messages after the morning rush and see an email from Dr. Russo’s office telling me some test results are in and I should log onto the portal.
“Jason, I’m taking a short break.”
“Got it covered,” he says.
I don’t go into the office. Trevor is there. He’s been spending all his time on the computer either doing his paramedic stuff, or trying to learn more about our business. I’m proud that he’s taking initiative, but sometimes I worry he’s taking on too much.
I don’t even bother with a coat. It’s still pretty chilly around here in early March, but the sun is shining and there’s been no snow for days.
Heading out the front door, I turn right, go past Regan’s old boutique that her brother Ryder is re-opening as a cannabis shop, past the hardware store, and sit on the bench just outside Maddie’s flower shop.
