“She’ll be right out,” Lindsey tells Nikki as she closes the door and I know I’m about to get grilled.
“It’s a man three times my age who has a fascination with clocks,” I rush to explain so I can speed up the impending interrogation.
“Wait, what?”
I laugh because it’s almost impossible to surprise her. If the twins were here, they would be going on about sugar daddies at this point.
“He buys vintage watches.” I walk over to my purse and grab the bag I keep it in. “I’m selling my grandpa’s watch.”
“You didn't tell Darian you’re doing this, did you?”
I shake my head, and she gives me a look.
“I know it’s going to be a fight, but it’s going to be a fight after I do what needs to be done,” I say firmly. I’m not backing down from this. Darian is always handling things for us, and I want to do the same.
Lindsey opens the door and motions for me to go ahead.
The deal is already set, so when I go out to meet him, it’s only a quick inspection before we make our exchange. He gives me his card in case I come across any more watches, and I take it to be nice, because this is the only one I have.
After I say my goodbyes to the diner, I make the short walk home. Dread begins to build in my stomach right away because I know there’s going to be a fight. I love my husband more than anything in the world, but there are a few demons he wrestles with. One being that he thinks he has to prove that he can take care of me. He already does, and I’ve never been happier in my life than I am right now.
When I get home I toss my keys onto the small dining room table that Darian and I spent last weekend refinishing. We watched reruns of The Office and ate Chinese food on the floor as we laughed and sanded. It was wonderful.
I hop in the shower and wash the smell of the diner off of me. When I’m fresh out of the shower, my phone chimes, and it’s a text from Darian telling me he missed the train and he's going to be fifteen minutes later than normal. Another text comes through and he tells me he’s bringing home pizza, and I smile.
It’s a little while later that I’m sitting on the sofa with the money from the watch on the coffee table in front of me. When I hear the key in the door I walk over, the ball of nerves tightening in my stomach. He smiles when he sees me as he sets the pizza on the table and comes over to pull me into his arms. He takes his time, his hands moving over every curve as he kisses me until we’re both breathless.
“Missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.
“I missed you too.” I give him one more kiss and he releases me. “Beer?” I ask.
“No, I think…” His words trail off when he sees the money on the coffee table, then his whole body goes stiff.
“I sold my grandpa’s watch,” I blurt out before he can ask.
“You what?!” It’s extremely rare for Darian to raise his voice, so the impact is not lost on me. “The grandpa that you loved and adored?”
I swallow and nod my head because I did love him fiercely. If he was still on this earth, he would have disowned my parents for the way they've treated Darian. I think a little of why I fell in love with Darian so fast, and it’s because he reminds me of my grandpa in some ways. I’ve never once doubted my grandpa would’ve welcomed him with open arms if he’d been alive, and Darian knows that.
“If he were here he would tell me I should’ve done it forever ago.” That’s the truth. My grandpa made himself a very rich man. It was later in life he realized what was really important, and he made sure he taught me those things. Too bad he couldn't undo what had been done with my father.
“We’re getting it back.” He grabs the money off the table, and I can tell from the look in his eyes he’s on a mission already. It's the same look he gets when a brilliant idea hits him.
“Darian.” I put my hand on his chest. “Hear me out, and then if you want to get the watch back, I’ll give you the card in my purse to do that.” He relaxes under my touch only a fraction.
“Okay,” he agrees, letting out a deep breath.
“Our time together is the most valuable thing to me, and I know it’s yours too.” I didn't grow up in the system like he did, but I do know what it can feel like to be all alone. “You’re having to spend two extra hours a day getting back and forth to work because the car needs fixed. I hate it and it’s a waste. Just like the watch is a waste sitting in a box under our bed doing nothing.”