I slide my arms around his shoulders and pull him back down to me, fitting into his warmth like I never left.
I squeeze him tighter, and for the first time in a long time, everything feels exactly the way it’s supposed to.
Chapter Thirty-Six
West
Blue’s hand slips into mine after she places her coffee in the cupholder. It’s hard to keep my eyes on the road with my wife riding shotgun, but I do my best.
Two weeks ago, I wasn’t even certain my marriage would survive the month, and now here we are. Spending a lazy Saturday together, back in sync with one another, like we never broke.
I slow at the stoplight and lift her hand to my lips, kissing the back of it. She smiles, and I love this. These quiet moments where I’m reminded what a lucky guy I am.
My phone chimes, and I check it since we’re still stopped. It’s a text from Dr. Lee’s office, asking me to confirm my appointment for this Tuesday. It’ll be my last session before surgery next week, but I’m committed to getting back to it as soon as I’m cleared.
Never thought I’d say this, but I feel it working. I’m less agitated, not so tightly wound, and I’m figuring out how to talk through the shit that used to seem too hard to deal with. Skipping over the hard stuff didn’t end so well for me, so I’m choosing to stay the course that’s, so far, brought me peace.
“Look!”
I follow Blue’s gaze as we take off, but I frown when I see where she’s pointing. It’s just a shopping plaza we passby sometimes, but I’m not sure what’s got her excited all of a sudden.
“What am I missing?”
She rolls her eyes like I should already understand. “We haven’t bought anything new for the house in a while.”
“Okay?”
“And now that we’re starting a fresh chapter, I think it would be good luck. Kind of… symbolic.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her. “You’re so fucking weird sometimes.”
“It’s not weird!” she shoots back with a smile. “It doesn’t have to be anything big. Just like… a candle. Or new dishes.”
I glance at her as we near the entrance of the shopping center, and even though her logic is shit, I turn in. Because there’s not much I’d deny this woman.
“Thanks,” she beams, already undoing her seatbelt and we haven’t even parked yet.
I ease into a spot and tuck my phone inside my pocket before stepping out and getting Blue’s door. Her hand slips right back into mine, and we walk slowly because there’s no reason to rush. We have all day, an entire lifetime.
“Know what I think we should buy?”
Her eyes fill with suspicion, and she’s already smiling when she peers up at me. “Oh, gosh. What?”
I hold in my laugh. “A classic arcade game for the man cave. I’m thinking about starting a collection.”
She rolls her eyes. “So, we’re going to celebrateourfresh start with a gift foryou?”
I shrug as we approach the crosswalk. “That all depends on how you look at it. A gift that makes me happy could be a gift for you, too.”
“Let’s start with the candle and see where we land.”
“Suit yourself,” I say with a sigh, “But when you wake up in the middle of the night, wanting to get your ass kicked in Mortal Kombat, don’t say I didn’t try.”
“I think I’ll live, but thanks for your concern.”
She clings to me as we cross. I spot a cool chair through the shop window, but as I reach for the door handle, Blue tugs my arm.
I glance over at her. “What?”
