Marriage For One

I took pleasure in drying her off with a big towel and helping her get dressed in one of my white button-up shirts. We walked down the stairs hand in hand then she sat on the island as I cooked dinner while she chattered endlessly. I cooked her pasta because it was Monday and we had traditions in our marriage.

Our marriage.

I still couldn’t believe she had forgiven me without making me work for it more.

I kissed her a thousand times as she talked on and on. She wasn’t wearing anything but my shirt, and I wasn’t wearing anything but my black slacks.

“I’m so in love with you, Rose Hawthorne,” I said against her lips as she laughed at something I’d just said. “You’re the best part of my life.”

Her laughter died as she tilted her head and looked into my eyes. She smiled a beautiful smile. “And you are mine, Jack Hawthorne. All mine.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Epilogue

It had been a whole month since I’d moved back home and accepted the fact that I was officially in love with my husband. I couldn’t remember a happier month. As if I had conjured him up, Jack walked into the coffee shop, and just at the sight of him, my heart picked up speed. It was as if the bell rang a little differently when he was the one walking through. It was as if it knew. This is the man you’re in love with, look here, it said. His face set, not a smile in sight, he was talking on his phone, one arm filled with my roses as he continued toward the cash register. He frowned when someone walked in front of him to get to my little bookcase without an apology. He glared at my customer and, shaking his head, continued with his phone call as I watched him with the biggest grin on my face.

After a few seconds, when he was done with whoever was on the other end of the line, he put away his phone and finally, finally looked up. I was still grinning when his searching gaze found me standing in the doorway watching him. He maintained eye contact the entire time as he ignored everyone else around and made his way toward me. I straightened up off the doorframe and, as soon as he was within touching distance, rose up on my tippy toes, grabbed his suit jacket, and threw my arms around his neck.

“I love that frown on your face.”

My little grin turned into a big smile when I felt his lips curve up against my neck then he skillfully pressed a lingering kiss to the exact spot. Jack Hawthorne was the first man to short-circuit my brain with a simple smile against my skin and what looked like an innocent kiss.

The coffee shop was somewhat empty, the morning rush having ended only half an hour earlier, and almost all the customers we had currently were regulars, many of them on their tablets or laptops and a few favorites of mine lost in their reads.

Untangling my arms from his neck, I ran my hand down his shoulder and fixed his tie. Just the simple act of being able to do that hit me almost every single time. I had a husband, and a real one at that.

“Hi,” I whispered.

“Hello, my Rose.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

Closing my eyes, I hummed. “These tactics won’t help you.”

“We’ll see,” he murmured, tucking away a long piece of my bangs behind my ear.

“Hi, Jack!” Sally yelled from just a few steps away, waving with one hand while the other worked the espresso machine.

I heard Owen mutter something from the kitchen as his head poked out from the doorway behind me. “Sally? Did you say something?”

My perky and sweet employee didn’t even look away from the espresso machine. “No.”

“Oh, hey Jack,” Owen said distractedly when he noticed my husband standing next to me. As they greeted each other—Jack had finally started using his name—I rescued the roses from Jack’s grip, gently touching the white and beige petals with my fingertips.

“If you’re going to the back, I’ll stay in front with Sally,” Owen offered.

I glanced at her and watched as she laughed and gave the to-go cup and the little pastry bag to the girl waiting for her order. “It’s pretty slow. I’m good up here on my own.”

I looked back at Owen and saw his mouth tighten. “Then I’ll get to my work.”

Sally welcomed the last customer waiting in line.

“We need more lemon muffins up here,” I said quietly before he could disappear to the back, and before I got a response from Owen, I felt Jack’s hand lace with mine. My toes curled from all the happiness. Owen gave me a quick nod, shot Sally a pointed look, and walked away.