Marriage For One

“He grew on me.” Rose looked at me while she spoke. “He was so different than what I thought he would be. I didn’t know how to act around him.”

“And?” Samantha prompted. “That’s it?”

I turned to Samantha. “If you think I’m going to tell you what happened every day after that—”

“There’s the Jack we know and love.” Samantha shook her head. “God, you got married! I still can’t wrap my mind around it.”

“Be ready to tell this story from the very beginning to Evelyn, too. I’m not going to ruin it for her. You have to finish your sentences as you look into each other’s eyes, too, just like you did now. She lives for this stuff, and she’ll be very pleased to hear that you’re happy, Jack.”

After that, the table slid back into easy conversation as Rose and I mostly stayed silent. Once she had finished her plate, I leaned down to ask if it had been okay just so everyone would think we were having our own private conversation apart from them, like a newly married couple who were very much in love would do, but that was only once. Toward the end of the dinner, after dessert was served and the evening was finally winding down, Samantha spoke up.

“Rose, I’m sorry we ignored you all night. So, tell us more about yourself. Are you working?”

I sent Samantha a warning look, which she completely ignored.

“I’m getting ready to open my own coffee shop,” Rose answered.

“Oh, really? A coffee shop—how cute. Where is it?”

“Madison Avenue.”

“When is the opening?”

“Monday, hopefully. Everything is mostly done, thanks to Jack, of course.”

Surprised, I glanced at Rose, and she gave me a small smile.

“Jack?” Samantha marveled. “What did he do?”

“Apart from handling all the official stuff, he’d been dropping by after work and helping with the things I couldn’t do by myself.”

Giving me a curious look, Samantha propped her head on her hand and leaned forward. “What has he done so far?”

As I turned the whiskey glass on the table, Rose’s eyes slid to me and then back to Samantha. “He painted the walls and helped me move some heavy things around.”

“Wow. Jack painted?”

“Samantha,” I said flatly, giving her a second warning.

“What?” she returned. “I’m making conversation. You can’t have her all to yourself. So, Rose, why didn’t you hire professionals to deal with that stuff?”

“I have a budget, so I’m taking on the things I can do on my own.”

“Jack, why are you not helping your wife with the money rather than offering her actual labor?”

I got as far as opening my mouth to cover for Rose, but she beat me to it. “Because his wife wants to do this on her own. Jack is respecting that, and him offering his help with the manual labor stuff means more to me than if he would have just thrown money at it to get things done. I’m a little old-fashioned like that, I think. It also means we get to spend more time together while working.”

I hid my brief smile by taking a sip of my drink. So she wasn’t afraid to show her claws when she was pushed. That was one of the things I liked about her. Only one of the things. I’d provoked her too many times and had been on the receiving end of her fierceness.

“Jack Hawthorne, the brilliant lawyer painting a coffee shop.” Samantha laughed. “I wish I could’ve seen that. I’m afraid marriage is already not agreeing with you, Jack.”

Surprising me for the second time, Rose looped her arm around mine and rested her chin on my shoulder. This time it was my turn to stiffen, but Rose ignored it and kept her eyes on Samantha. I downed my whiskey.

“You really think so? Please don’t take this the wrong way, Samantha. I’m sure you two had a great time while you were together—I mean, how could you not? Just look at him—but I’m very glad you actually don’t know Jack the way I do. I know he is a private person—that wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, I don’t think—but boy am I relieved he is only like this with me. You’re gorgeous, but I guess I’m the lucky one who got the big prize.”

I started coughing and reached for some water.

George cleared his throat across the table.

“Rose, I hope you’ll join us again another night, when Evelyn will be there, too,” Fred interrupted, trying to cut the tension.

Rose turned to him, her face softening. “I’d love to. I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

While she fell into an easy conversation with Fred, I took the opportunity to focus on Samantha. I didn’t care who could hear us. “Ease off.”

With a smile on her face, she leaned closer. “What are you talking about? I’m just getting to know your wife.”