“Connor, come on. Be realistic. If one of us moves, we won’t be carpooling, and our days are just going to be different. Plus, I might not be working only Monday to Friday. I may have to work some weekends. We’re not going to know for sure what the schedule will look like until the resort is fully operational.”
“Are you thinking about this because Harlow found you a place?” he asked cautiously.
“She mentioned a place yesterday, but I didn’t really like it.” She shrugged. “But it’s just a matter of time. Right now, you and I are in this little bubble, but even if the move doesn’t change anything, the resort opening is certainly going to. The first three months are going to be a lot of trial and error and an all-hands-on-deck type of situation. We’re not going to be able to guarantee coordinating lunch breaks.”
“What’s going on, Lexi?”
“What do you mean?”
“I feel like you’re trying to prepare me for something, and I’m not sure why, but it feels like you’re trying to break up with me.”
Her eyes went wide. “What? That’s totally not what I’m doing. I swear,” she quickly assured him. “I’m just saying that today is just a precursor to what’s coming, and we need to learn to be okay with it.”
“Oh. Okay. It just felt like…”
“I know,” she said softly, caressing his jaw. “I don’t know when we’re going to get any time alone, to be honest, and I hate it.”
He looked ready to say something and then changed his mind.
“What were you going to say?”
“Nothing,” he said gruffly. “I don’t know when we’re going to get time alone either and, like you, I hate it. I don’t even have any suggestions. Between the wedding, the kids, and work, it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day.”
“Exactly. Maybe one night next week we can ask Ruth to babysit so we can at least have a night out. And it doesn’t have to be a sexy night, just a time where we’re out alone.”
He kissed her. “I like the sound of that. I’ll talk to her about it when she brings the kids home later.”
Now she pulled back. “Home?” she repeated with a small laugh.
“It is for now.”
“True.” She paused and then remembered she had something to ask him. “What happened with dance classes? Last Annabeth mentioned, you had to go shopping for shoes and leotards. When do classes start?”
Taking a step back, he raked a hand through his hair. “Next week, and I still do. I just don’t know when. I don’t want to ask Ruth to do it, but she’d probably know what to look for. I know nothing about this sort of thing.”
“How about I take her shopping tomorrow after work? You know you’re going to be busy with the wedding stuff and I’m not needed for any of it, so I can take her into town and get her everything she needs.”
“You’d do that? Really?”
“Of course I would. I adore Annabeth, and I’m so excited that she’s going to take dance classes. If I can take one thing off your incredibly long to-do list, then I’m happy to help.”
She was back in his arms and being kissed senseless. When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers. “What did I ever do to deserve you? How did I ever get so lucky to have you back in my life?”
“Connor…”
He silenced her with another kiss, but before they could take it any deeper, they heard voices coming their way.
“Time to get back to work,” he murmured. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
She gave him one more quick kiss. “Yes, you will. I’ll bring Annabeth with us.”
The look of pure, humble appreciation was written all over his face. “Thank you.”
Lexi watched him walk away and felt like a little piece of her heart went with him.
I’ve got it bad…
“Hey, Lex!” Slater called out. “You got time to sit with Nora and show her the program we’re using? I need to head down to the docks. The plane is being delivered today, and they’re flying it in! I’m so freaking excited!”
