“I will. You too.”
She waved and winked at me before going to talk to someone in a huge green winter coat. I wondered if he was the owner of the farm—but that wasn’t a question I could ask right now.
I had to focus on my job. My wife was okay. She’d given me permission to leave. I’d throw myself into work to distract myself from missing her and shove down my curiosity about this town. My gut churned like something was off, but Laney told me once it wasn’t worth stressing before something happened, because then you’re stressing twice. While it was true, I couldn’t stop the stress.
Laney and I are good.
I repeated it over and over and chose to believe it. Once the board meeting was over, we’d handle what came next.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
LANEY
Have I told you that you’re pretty?”
I blushed. Connor was speaking to me over FaceTime. He had set his phone up against a lamp at his desk at work and insisted we talk for an hour this morning. It was wonderful.
He called me last night and updated me on what they’d found and their plan. For the first time in years, I felt included. I felt important. It was magnificent. I still couldn’t believe the way his face had crumpled when he told me he had to leave yesterday—that emotion couldn’t be faked.
He’d chosen me. That’s all I wanted. It’s all I wanted the last few years, ever since I became an afterthought.
“Stop, you’re already married to me,” I teased back, rolling over in my childhood bed to see him better. The tree farm event had gone late. My legs were tired, and my arms ached—something I wasn’t prepared for. My head also throbbed. I rubbed the spot between my eyebrows and made a mental note to take some Tylenol. Could I? I had to look up if I was able to anymore. Even thinking about the secret I held weighed me down, and I winced.
I’d tell him soon.
“What’s wrong? Do you have a headache?” Connor frowned. “I can send some stuff to you. Or call your mom.”
“I’m okay.” I sighed, unable to fight a smile. I love having him take care of me. “Just a little headache. I didn’t realize how much I was on my feet yesterday. Wore me out.”
“Baby, you should rest all day then, before the event tonight. Is someone going with you?”
“My mom is stopping by. My dad has a booth, so he’ll be working.” I yawned, stretching my arms over my head. The motion caused my head to spin, and I waited a few seconds for it to settle. That was… weird. The dizziness had stopped last week, but this episode was worse.
“I don’t want you working again alone if you’re not feeling well.” He rubbed his jaw. “I could try to be back by seven—”
“I can handle one night, Connor.” My voice came out strong, and I pointed a finger at him. “You need to focus on saving the company from assholes.”
“Sure, but I also need to focus on making sure my wife is healthy.”
“It’s kinda hot when you saymy wifelike that.”
His eyes lit up, and my giant grump smiled. “I love saying it. Call me possessive or jealous, but yeah, knowing you are my wife gets me through some tough times.”
I smiled. It was weird how nothing, yet everything, had changed since finding out I was pregnant. I wanted to wait to tell him, to ensure he’d choose me. But then yesterday happened, and I saw firsthand the torture it was for him to go to work. He had practiced his presentation with me. I wasn’t an outsider when it came to his business anymore, and that hadbeen the missing piece. I wasn’t going to wait until the New Year to tell him the news.
I’d do it the next time I saw him. Tomorrow. That way it wouldn’t be a distraction and instead be a celebration. Even if the board meeting went to hell, this was a highlight, a future for us. Thinking about his reaction made me giddy. Because despite how the board meeting went, we’d find a way to be okay. Connor had sent me three job openings in the suburbs that he’d apply for if everything went south. They were only an hour outside of my hometown. That was close for me… not ideal, but it was better than where my mind went last week.
He had even shared his backup plan with me. The man was prepared.
“You sleep okay?” I asked. “You ready for tonight?”
“No.” He chuckled. “My personal pillow was gone, and I don’t want to let you down tonight.”
“Connor,” I chided, “you’re standing up for yourself to the board. That’s admirable.”
Even if he got fired, they’d have to give him a severance package, and that would allow insurance for a while. Plenty of time for us to figure stuff out. Once I learned that, the urgency and fears had lessened.
“Regardless of what happens, you won’t let me down.”
