“They are so happy to see you.” Her mom beamed at her, the two of them sharing a smile.
It made my chest ache. Laney had seemed happier here with her parents than she had at our home. At least, the last few years. Was it the house or me? I made a note to ask her, to try to figure out how I could create a world where she was this happy all the time. There had to be a solution somewhere.
Her mom blasted some Christmas tunes and barked out orders like a sergeant. I had no idea she had it in her.
“Mrs. Whitfield, I didn’t realize you were so assertive.”
“I am around Christmas, good man.”
“We were never able to make it back for the annual cookie night, but when I grew up, this was a town tradition.” Laney swayed her hips to the music, outlining a cookie that looked like a stocking. “It’s like riding a bike! Look, Mom!”
Her mom glanced at the fancy frosting work my wife did.
“Nice job, Laney. Sophia, stop eating the decorations!”
“I can’t control myself!”
It was a little bit of madness for the next two hours. Laney and Sophia danced around the kitchen, taking turns singing into a spatula while others joined in. Two of the people I saw her with at the pizza place showed up with wine and more batter. They patted my back and went to work. It was a seamless operation, and for the first time in a while, I felt awkward.
“Hey!” Laney nudged my hip with hers, her red lips in a perpetual smile. “You should invite Petra over!”
“Oh, Petra? Yes. I’ll invite Matt.” The blond girl wiggled her brows. “He wouldn’t shut up about her after the pizza place.”
Laney’s eyes lit up as she stood on her tiptoes and whispered, “Petra and Matt hit it off. Let’s play matchmaker!”
“Your Matt and my Petra?” I said, immediately regretting it. It was the wrong thing to say. “Wait, not, you know…”
Her lips pinched together as she narrowed her eyes. “Come with me, now.”
My stomach sank. “Laney—”
She shushed me, dragging me by the end of my sweatshirt as we went upstairs. Sophia caught my gaze, winked, and was not helpful. I had no idea how to explain what I had said. Petra was not mine, but thinking about Matt…
“I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
She shoved me onto her childhood bed, the lingering scent of her perfume still in the air.
“I am your wife, and you are my husband.”
I nodded, very confused. Was she not furious with me? Was she smiling?
“Laney, baby, what’s… happening?”
“Reminding you that if you ever again refer to Matt as mine, or Petra as yours, it will be very bad.”
Swallowing, I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good.” She leaned down and kissed me, tasting like sugar cookies and frosting. It was a soft kiss, but she moaned and tightened her grip on my shoulders as she slid her tongue into my mouth.
I could get lost in a kiss like this, but her family was downstairs, and I knew how much this decorating night meant to her. I slowed the kiss and rested my forehead on hers. We both were breathing heavily, and I smiled. “That was one hell of a kiss, Laney.”
“Yeah, well, I had to remind you that I’m your wife.”
“Never once forgot it.” I took her hand and kissed the back of it, her eyes softening as I stared at her. “Let’s go finish decorating. I made a bet with your dad last week that I’d be better at it, and I can’t have him cheat.”
“Did you really?” she asked, her smile widening. “What would you win?”
“Five dollars, but it’s more about pride.”
