“When did you plan it?” she asked, voice full of awe.
“Right after epic marital bonding session two, while you were asleep, regaining strength.”
She snickered. “Where are we going?”
“Cozumel. Tulum. Playa del Carmen.”
“The beach?” she groaned as if she might die of happiness. She popped up to look down at me. “When are we?—”
“Jules—why have you been crying?”
Her smile faded. “I haven’t. This is just what I look like without eye makeup on.”
No. I’d seen her without eye makeup at the Narrows. This was different—her face was swollen and red, like she’d been crying hard.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” I said. “You’ve been crying.”
“They were just happy tears.” She buried her face in my neck. “Everything’s absolutely perfect. Of course, it is. I’m here with you.” Her hand found mine and our fingers twined together. “And we’re going on a cruise.” But she couldn’t keep her voice steady, and her throat sounded thick, like she might start bawling any second.
My wife was crying the morning after our honeymoon night. Just awesome.
My chest felt like it was caving in. Of course. What did I expect? That I could marry a supermodel and she’d be satisfied with basic, old, inexperienced me?
I let go of her hand. “Last night was that bad, huh? Just… be honest. I’ll work on it… whatever it is.”
Her hand found mine again and she squeezed. “Griffin, no.” She laughed and pushed back up to look at me. Her eyes were swimming. “Last night was…” A tear escaped. I wiped it away with my palm. “Incredible. Really. The best night of my life.” She smiled through a hiccup. “Please don’t think that. I’m just emotional. Getting married this fast… It’s a lot.”
Oh. She was overwhelmed. Or she was covering, and my doubts were spot on.Either way,forget yourself and focus on her.
“Okay,” I whispered, my thumb stroking her cheek. “Are you regretting it?”
“No.” She shook her head emphatically. “I’m so happy.”Her tears told a different story. “You’re more than I ever could’ve hoped for.”
“Me too.” I trailed a finger along her hairline. “Did you change your mind about moving to Phoenix with me?” The plan was for her to commute to Vegas for photo shoots. “We can figure something else out if that’s not going to work.” My contract required me to live within fifty miles of Phoenix. There was no wiggle room. But I’d get a different job for her, no question.
“No. Definitely not. I’m so ready to go. Get me out of here, please.” Her excitement was dialed up too high. Like she’d twisted the volume and snapped off the knob. “Kinda wish you lived further away, actually.”
I stared at her, a sick feeling in my stomach that something wasn’t right. But I said nothing.
“I’m fine. I promise.” She pecked me on the mouth. “You’ll never guess who I met at Starbucks. I’ll give you a hint… it was a boy, probably around ten.”
“Roger?” I asked, playing along just to make her happy. “No. Roscoe. Roscoe Bertram Chatsworth III. ‘Bertie’ to his inner circle—which is just his golden retriever and a kid named Oliver who wears loafers. He’s been to boarding school… voluntarily.”
She laughed. “No. His name was Weston. And he had red hair. Can you believe that? What’re the chances?” Her eyes widened playfully, but it felt forced. Every laugh, every expression, every word. “I think it’s a sign.”
“A sign?” I said, forcing myself to breathe. “What kind of sign?”
“A sign that we’re going to be ridiculously…” She kissed me again quickly. “Obnoxiously…” Another kiss. “Perfectly happy. Like, people are going to be disgusted when they see how in love we are.”
“Yeah.” The word came outflat.
Her fingers slid into my hair as she smashed her mouth to mine.
I kept mine closed, but she seemed to want in, her tongue tracing along my lips, asking for more. She was just trying to make me feel better. But the last thing I wanted was for her to do things she didn’t want to do just to make me happy.
I turned my head away, but caught her hand. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”
“Griffin,” she said, her voice tightening. She pressed her palm to my face, turning it toward her. “I’m so excited to go on this cruise. There isnothingI want more than to be with you, every day, for the rest of my life, exactly as you are right now andexactlywho you were last night.” For the first time that day, it felt like she was telling the truth.
