Page 79 of Hidden Echoes

Me:You’re just mad I didn’t invite you to the wedding.

Charlie:You’re gonna see me really pissed if you don’t get your ass back to Texas. You have two days.

Grumpy.Someone clearly didn’t have breakfast.

I glance at Mia beside me, fast asleep, her hair sprawled across the pillow. She’s curled up under the covers, breathing softly, and I catch myself staring too long.

I put her next to my bed, because I was honestly afraid she would wake up in the middle of the night and she would run away again, if only she tried to do that I could follow her.

Shit.

I look away and sigh. She’s going to wake up hungover and hungry, which means I need to make sure she doesn’t kill me before noon. I slip out of bed quietly and head to the kitchen.

I make waffles because I know she likes them. The sweet scent fills the apartment, and as the coffee brews, I set an aspirin next to the cup. Because I’m a responsible husband.

...Husband.

I shake the thought off and head back to the bedroom. Mia is already awake, sitting up, looking like she wants to kill someone. In other words, progress.

“Good morning, wife.”

Ops I said the word again.

She blinks, processing my words, then frowns.

“I’m not your wife anymore.”

I sigh dramatically, crossing my arms. “The fuck you aren’t.”

She huffs, dragging a hand down her face like I’m the biggest headache of her morning.

“Zane, let’s just cancel this.”

“How about I give you waffles, and you stay my wife?”

“Waffles aren’t going to fix this.”

“Maybe not, but they’re waffles. You really gonna say no to them?”

Mia gives me a look of pure judgment. “You think you can bribe me with food?”

“Yes,” I reply instantly.

She narrows her eyes. “You know me too well. It’s annoying.”

I smirk and hand her the plate. She takes a waffle, still eyeing me suspiciously.

“That doesn’t mean I forgot about the annulment,” she mutters before taking a bite.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Mia, why are you punishing me for things I didn’t even say?”

Her expression flickers, but she quickly folds her arms. “So, you’re saying the thought of an annulment never crossed your mind?”

I hesitate for half a second. “It did.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“For about an hour,” I admit. “But then I realized this matters to you. And I don’t want to let you down.”

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