Page 36 of An Endless Memory

Lily didn’t need me for any of that. She only needed me for me, even if she didn’t want me. Though the way she’d looked at me this morning…

She chewed her bottom lip and stared at my hand on hers. She couldn’t eat with me holding it down.

I pulled away. “What about the winter?”

She cocked her head. “What about it?”

“Do you have snow removal figured out?”

“I think Grandma hired a service. I’ll find their contact information.”

“There’s a snowblower attachment for the lawn mower. Maybe when I’m back, I can take a look.”

“You don’t have to,” she said and shoved her food in her mouth. I was focused on how her lips wrapped around the fork. “My dad made sure I can change oil and run yard equipment.”

“Three of the tires are flat.”

She lifted a shoulder and sawed another hunk off her roll. “He taught me how to change those too.”

Another strand of patience frayed. “Lily, I know I’m supposed to be nothing but a name on the marriage license and a few shirts in your closet, but I can’t just ignore you for a year.”

She blinked at me with those big eyes. “You can, though. My dad, of all people, should understand commuting for work. He has hundreds of oil well employees who do the same. I have no idea how much Aunt Linda will visit.”

“But she lives in Coal Haven?”

She nodded.

My commuting excuse would only go so far. “I’ll let you know by the end of the week when I can return. If you see Linda before then, tell her that there was a ranch emergency.” And hopefully, there wouldn’t be a real one.

“Okay.” She stuffed an especially gooey portion of the roll into her mouth before digging in her purse. She withdrew a key and pushed it over. “So you can get in without knocking.”

The amount of trust she was putting in me was staggering. I didn’t take it for granted, nor did I take lightly the way she likely evaluated my family’s reactions to me. If they had thought I was a bad idea, Lily would’ve noticed. This whole marriage was a group effort. I wouldn’t let any of them down.

“Okay.” Good. She was starting to realize I was serious. She acted like she was a burden. I always did what had to be done, and I’d continue to do so. I wouldn’t let my wife stand in the way of me caring for her.

Eight

Lily

I’d never been so ready for the weekend. The short reprieve I’d gotten while Eliot was staying with me over the weekend had vanished. Kellan had his worst nights of sleep yet.

“Thanks, Wanda.” I led Cali out of the house. “Have a good weekend.”

“You, too. Glad you don’t have to work.”

So was I. I had to catch up on everything in the house. Now that the place was mine, mostly, I could tackle some smaller, less time-consuming projects, like emptying out Grandma’s closet so Eliot had somewhere to put his clothing.

The same nerves fluttered in my belly that always did when I thought of him. Why did I have to have a crush on my husband?

Ansen and his brother dropped off several packages of meat at the vet clinic. A “wedding gift” from Eliot. Grocery bags full of Barron beef.

“What’s for dinner?” Cali asked after she was buckled in.

As much as I looked forward to a real meal that wasn’t “heat and serve,” tonight wasn’t the night. I was tired and had a task list a mile long. I started for home. “I say we celebrate Friday night with cereal for dinner.”

“Yay!”

I might’ve gotten married on Monday, but the rest of the week had been normal. Well, my new normal. Eliot said he’d let me know soon when he could return, and that meant I should tackle the subject with Cali.

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