Page 84 of Why Not Forever?

“Help me figure out what to get for Vic,” I plead. “You’ve been married forever.”

Wyatt snorts. “It hasn’t been forever. What about jewellery? Women love jewellery.”

I shake my head. “She never wears any. Except her wedding rings and maybe some earrings once in a while.”

“New earrings then?”

“Jewellery doesn’t feel right.”

He drinks some of his coffee, looking thoughtful. “What other things does she like?”

“Reading and going to the Aquarium.”

“Good. What parts of the Aquarium does she like?”

“The seals and the jellyfish. And there’s this one turtle. It’s a pig-nosed turtle.” I smile, thinking about it. “Every time we pass it, she waves to him like they’re old friends.”

“Huh. She doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who would wave at a turtle.”

“She is exactly the kind of person who would wave at a turtle. She just doesn’t show that side of herself to many people.”

My phone buzzes and I pick it up, seeing that Richard has sent me a text message. I groan as I set my phone back down without reading it.

“Bad news?” Wyatt asks.

I take off my glasses to rub my nose. “It’s Richard. He wants something again. This fucking job is taking over my life.”

“And yet, you want to own it.”

“I never said that.”

He quirks an eyebrow at me. “You married the man’s daughter so you could own the company.”

“Not because I wanted it for myself. I wanted it soshecould have it.” I put my glasses back on and slide a hand down my beard. As I told Vic at Halloween, it only took a couple weeks to grow it back to how I usually wear it. Richard remarked that I should continue shaving, but I ignored him.

“When are you going to tell her already?” Wyatt asks.

I take a sip of my coffee, playing dumb. “Tell who what?”

He leans forward and lowers his voice, though no one we know is in the mall. “Tell your wife that you’re in love with her.”

I shake my head. “It’s too soon. Richard is going to sign the company over in January. Sometime after that, I’ll tell her.”

Wyatt leans back, rolling his eyes in a way that reminds me of Vic. “You’re an idiot. Let’s go. We still need something for Jaxon.”

We finish shopping, arguing about who got who for Secret Santa. I’m curious about who got Vic’s name, but if it’s Wyatt, he’s not telling.

I’m still thinking of our conversation when I get home a few hours later with almost all my Christmas shopping done. I’m wrapping the last couple presents when I run out of paper and Vic gets home from a yoga class with Adalie.

“Do you have any wrapping paper?” I ask her.

“What’s wrong with that?” she asks, sitting on the couch and pointing to a roll of paper set off to the side.

“I can’t use that.”

“Is it too small?”

“No, that’s special wrapping paper.”

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