“Okay, Mira.”
I laugh. “I’m serious. It’s the exact opposite experience that I thought I would get. It’s … cool.”
“It’s called the honeymoon phase. It won’t last long.”
“Hey!” I smack my lips together. “Don’t pee on my parade.”
Still, I know he’s right and that the honeymoon phase is very real. Four weeks into this experiment, and I keep waiting for things to get harder, but every curve we come upon, we take it in stride. When he comes in tired and grouchy, he takes a shower and returns ready not to be Rancher Hartley but Husband Hartley. And when I start to feel anxiety bubbling in my stomach, he somehow senses it and cuddles me a little tighter that night.Thoughtful Hartley.
It’s a bit of a mindfuck to feel this cared for—not just by Hartley, but by everyone. I’m still getting used to Cathy making me coffee in the morning and Bobby coming to get me when a new animal’s born because he knows I love seeing all the newlife. The ability to have lunch with Lolly randomly has been such a treat. I’ve spent more time with her this past month than I have over the last ten years. And even my new girlfriends have included me in everything they’ve done since they texted me the morning after our wedding.
It makes me realize just how cold and lonely my life was before. And I really can’t imagine going back.
“I have a meeting in ten,” Miles says. “Will you call me Saturday and confirm the tenants are out?”
“Yes. I will. You’re welcome for me being such an awesome sister.”
“Thank you, Mira.”
“Bye, Miles,” I say, ending the call.
I get to work, answering a handful of emails requesting various texts. None looks too exciting. Then I check the prices on a couple of different dishwasher models. We swapped out the washer and dryer a couple of weeks ago. But if we don’t get a new dishwasher, I fear we’ll be handwashing dishes every damn day.
I take a sip of water and then get to my feet. The sun is shining high in the sky, and it’s calling my name. I’m at the front door when my phone rings again.
“Hey, Markie,” I say, slipping on my shoes.
“Hey. What’s happening over there?” Markie asks.
I step outside and let the door shut behind me. “Miles just called.”
“Let me guess. He needs something.”
“Of course, he wanted something. He asked me to check on his house this weekend and make sure his tenants moved out.”
She groans. “I love our brother. I swear I do. But he pisses me off more than usual lately.”
I laugh, taking the steps to the driveway. “You’re just mad at men.”
“You’re damn right I am. There are exceptions—and you have one of them—but the majority of men are gross.” She pauses. “Fine. I’ll also give Brooks a pass because he walked you down the aisle, and that’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever witnessed. But we shall never mention this conversation to him because his ego needs no boosting.”
“I’m not saying a thing,” I say, laughing. “He’s over here all the time. He’ll break our doorframes if his head gets any bigger.”
“Oh, the things I wonder …” She snorts. “Not really. He’s practically married, and that’s completely and utterly off-limits.Fuck you, Jasper.And I adore Audrey. I’d shank the shit out of someone for that girl.”
All I can do is laugh.
Markie has always been feisty when it comes to the opposite sex. She’s had her fair share of duds for sure. But something changed in her when Jasper cheated on her, and I’m starting to wonder if the old, slightly more tolerant Markie will ever return.
“Think of it this way,” she says. “What do successful men want almost immediately after finding success? They want more women. And what do successful women want when they find success? They don’t want a man.”
“I don’t know if that’s true across the board.”
“It’s true across three-fourths of the board. I promise you that.”
My shoes crunch the gravel as I make my way over to the barn. The side-by-side is sitting out front, meaning that Bobby’s still around here somewhere.
“So I have a lead on my pickleball teammate,” she says. “I swear that I have looked at every man with decent athletic ability in both Sugar and Walnut counties, and I’ve come up with a list of like five guys who might work out.”
