When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark 2)

She shakes her head. “Do you play football?”

My shoulders tighten. “Yes,” I admit reluctantly.

She smiles widely. “I knew it. You’re new to the Broncos this year.”

I nod once and grit my teeth. I don’t want to say anything but I have to. I look out the doors and then to her. “If you don’t mind, could you keep that information to yourself. Thea—my wife … She doesn’t know yet.”

“Doesn’t know?” She looks perplexed as another receipt prints out and she hands this one over for me to keep.

“It’s complicated,” I grind out.

“Yes, well, I won’t say anything,” she promises.

“Thanks.” I nod. “You guys have my phone number and you’ll call if anything happens to Prue, right?”

“Of course.” I start to walk toward the doors when she calls me back. “Sir?”

“Yes?” I stop and turn around, crumbling the receipt in my fist.

“I know it’s none of my business, but you should tell her. That’s the kind of secret that you don’t keep from your spouse.”

I flinch. She’s right. “Thanks,” I mumble, and then I’m gone.

I slide into the driver’s seat of my truck and glance at Thea. She’s pulled her hair back in a sloppy ponytail and her face is free of makeup, but like always, she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

“You hungry?” I ask.

She nods. “Starving.”

I don’t even ask her where she wants to go: I already know. That’s the beauty of knowing someone better than you know yourself.

We arrive at the local restaurant a few minutes later. It’s a favorite of all of ours and under normal circumstances, I would’ve called the whole gang to join us, Jace and Nova included, but I selfishly want Thea all to myself.

I park and we head inside, and when she smiles over her shoulder at me as we’re guided to our table I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I have my dream job and my dream girl, life can’t get any better. Except for the fact that I’m keeping said dream job from my dream girl. I don’t know how she’ll react when I tell her, but I know now that it’s not something I can keep a secret from her for much longer. She deserves to know more than anyone else. Not because she’s my wife, but because she’s always been there cheering me on, my biggest support system. I don’t think she ever missed a game that we played. She was always there in the stands, rain or shine, screaming her lungs out.

We take our seats and both immediately slide our menus to the edge of the table.

Thea reaches up and pulls her hair from the ponytail, shaking out the longer strands.

“I need a nap,” she declares, rolling her neck.

“Me too,” I agree.

“But first we should pick up some things for Prue.”

I nod in agreement. “Yeah, we’re going to need a lot of stuff.”

She props her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. Her eyes are tired but they shine with something I’d like to think is happiness—because selfishly I want to think that she’s happy because she’s with me, that I make her happy.

“What all do you think we’ll need?” she asks, wrinkling her nose. “I know nothing about having a dog.”

I laugh and tap my finger against the table. “Well, for starters, we’ll need a collar and name tag. A leash. Toys. Food. Bowls.”

She holds up a hand. “I get the idea.”

I grin as the waitress comes by to take our order. Once she leaves, I clasp my hands together and look across the table at Thea. “You’re beautiful.” I don’t know what makes me say it—in fact, the words seem to fall out of my mouth without me even thinking about them, but they’re still true.

Thea looks at me in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? With my dirty hair and clothes I slept in I’m sure I’m the furthest thing from beautiful at the moment.”