There’s a hint of playfulness in his tone, like he’s got something up his sleeve.
“You checked?” I tease.
He chuckles against my neck. “Uh huh, I know how much my girl hates to miss them.”
Emmett still loves to mess with me any chance he gets.
And I can’t deny it’s a look I love to see him wear.
Especially after days like today.
Our visit with Monica this morning was short, like they often are now. It started out as one of the good ones.
She knew Emmett on sight and smiled when we walked in, which feels like a win alone.
In true Monica fashion she gave Emmett a hard time about shaving and asked me if he’s always so stubborn. When I said yes, she laughed so hard that she got the hiccups.
There are pieces of Monica that are harder to find these days. But for thirty minutes, there was more laughter than confusion.
Until there wasn’t.
His arms tighten around me. I swear this man can read my mind—always could.
“Today was still a good day,” he says.
Tears sting the back of my eyes because the Emmett I first met wouldn’t have believed that. Hell, the Emmett that pushed me away the day see fell wouldn’t have either.
“It was,” I agree.
His thumb traces along my hip. “Her laugh is really something.”
These days, Emmett isn’t as easily trapped by shitty circumstances.
Loving someone with dementia never stops hurting, but he doesn’t spend the good moments waiting for the bad ones anymore.
It’s an outlook he works hard for every single day.
Seeing Harvey every other week, even when he swears he’s fine, is a big part of that. Although, to be fair, these days, when Emmett Slate says he’s fine, I believe him.
“I never told you; she asked about you last week.”
“Duh, I’m her favorite,” I tease.
He hums, knowing as well as I do that it’s true.
“I can’t even blame her for it.”
I turn in his arms, sensing from the slight tremble in his voice that there’s more to this than just a casual mention.
“She was looking at the picture of us from Founder’s Day earlier this summer.”
I know exactly which one he’s talking about.
“I love that one.”
He huffs out a resigned grunt, probably remembering the stunt the girls and I pulled, tricking the guys into wearing matching outfits.
No one’s reaction was better than Emmett’s. But the best part of the night was when we got home and he edged me within an inch of my life as payback.
