Page 121 of Mr. Broody

“No complaints if you want to do it again. Just give me a few minutes.” His joking smile shines through.

I could pinch myself over this little happy bubble I find myself in with him.

I rise off my knees and grab my shirt while he pulls up his pants. Once we’re both dressed, I snuggle into his side on the couch, admiring the view.

We sit in silence for a few minutes, and maybe we’re both remembering our path here and how we didn’t know if we’d ever get back here, but look at us now.

“You never showed me that picture Bodhi took.”

I sit up. “Oh, I’ll be right back.”

“I didn’t mean right now,” he says, but I’m already on my way up the stairs.

I grab my camera and bring it back down. Sitting back down at his side, I cross my legs and scan through the pictures on my memory card until I find the series Bodhi took.

Henry scans them and turns the camera my way. “Will you send this to me?”

It’s of us on the picnic blanket. Me laughing and him smiling at me after he must have said something funny, but it’s the way he’s looking at me. As if I’m his entire world.

“Okay.” My cheeks heat for some reason.

Then he aims the camera my way and clicks a picture.

I swipe it out of his grasp. “Hey, I take the pictures.”

Turning the screen my way, I look at the picture, and I have to admit I like myself in it. The flush along my cheeks, my eyes and my entire face… I look… I look happy.

Henry peeks his head into my space. “That one too.” He kisses my cheek. “Now I need to eat. You exhaust me, woman.”

He stands and goes to the book the owners left us with all the menus for the places nearby. Originally, he told me he wanted to take me out to eat, but we both agreed that we don’t want anyone else in our bubble tonight, so take out it is.

Fifty-Three

Jade

It’s been six weeks, and Christmas has come and gone. When Henry said his schedule is packed this time of year, he wasn’t joking. There’re three to four games every week with barely any breaks in between.

We try to squeeze in dates, but Bodhi comes first, so he gets our time together, and sometimes I tap out to give them time together without me. It’s been a balancing act.

Mrs. McConnell returned to work at eight weeks, saying she didn’t need any more leave, which put me out of a job, but that’s okay because I’ve rediscovered my love for photography. Seeing Bodhi’s enthusiasm for it and teaching him about it lit up something inside me. I’ll always love my sunsets, but now there are skyscrapers in them, which I’m okay with.

Next on my list is to find somewhere to live since Mom is back to work, and no one in the family home really needs me there.

I’m waiting outside The Nest for Henry to return from picking up Bodhi from a birthday party, and I’m a little early. I turn toward Peeper’s Alley. I haven’t been back since we were here after Bodhi’s birthday party.

“Oh, what the hell?” I pull out my phone to text Henry.

I’m at Peeper’s. Text me when you get here.

The three dots appear.

Sorry, I’m stuck here for a bit longer. The mom paid for another half hour without telling the parents. Tell Ruby to be nice to my girl. Actually, I’ll message her.

Don’t you dare. Take your time. I can handle myself.

I tuck my phone away and walk into the bar. What a drastic difference on a weekday evening when there’s no game from the night I was here. Ruby is behind the bar and her regulars are lined up along the barstools. Only a few tables are filled.

Ruby clocks my entrance. “Hey, you,” she says, ever the friendly one.

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