Page 134 of One Last Time
He inherited his stupid from his father. The other bad habits are from Noah. I gave him life, brains, and then they ruinedhim.
After a few minutes, Finn’s groupies get their photo and my—I don’t know what to call him anymore—comes over. I loathe calling him my boyfriend. I’m almost fifty, and I feel lame saying it. Not to mention we’ve been together for a long time and when we say almost ten years, people look at us as if we’remental.
We’re married in every way other than on paper. We own our home, own the magazine company, and co-parent with Scott. Noah is as much their father as my ex is. I like Noah. Scott . . . not somuch.
“You good?” I ask as he puts his arm around myshoulders.
“I am now. I wanted a normal day out with you and the kids.” He soundsdejected.
“This is our normal, Noah. Plus, it looks like Finn has found newfriends.”
We both turn back, looking at him and his harem of hoochies. “That’s my boy.” Noah beams withpride.
I’m so on myown.
We walk along through the realistic town that lives in a novel that brought the men I love together. Aubrey is in the shop we’re outside of, probably with Noah’s American Express Black Card . . . the one I keep confiscating and he keeps givingback.
All in all, even with him overindulging her, she’s a great kid and gets straight A’s, is in the honor society, and is a member of the student council. Aubrey and Noah share a love of animals, and she volunteers at the ASPCA on the weekends. I may not love her mood swings, but she’s a good girl with a goodheart.
“Hey.” Noah stopsme.
“What?”
“Next week is our anniversary,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist as he smiles. I’ve been with him for a long time, and he still makes my heartrace.
“It is.” I grin, knowing it is. “Did you get me somethinggood?”
“You’ll have to wait to findout.”
“Aww.” I rub the back of his neck. “You got a refill ofViagra?”
Noah’s mouth falls, and he goes expressionless. “You know I don’t, and will not ever, needthat.”
I giggle at the tone he takes. As if I wasn’t fully aware. “I know, babe. Your wand works justfine.”
“Damn right. I’ll Slytherin to your Hufflepuff tonight if you need me to remindyou.”
I burst out laughing. My arms wrap around my stomach, and I let it go. “Oh my God. Only you!” I continue on. “Only you would make a freaking dirty jokehere.”
Noah laughs along with me, wrapping his body around mine and walking me as I try to stop myhysterics.
He’s ridiculous andirresistible.
We make it over to the side with a lot of stares as Noah guides me and I make a spectacle by being goofy. After we’ve settled down, he kisses me, and we stay in each other’sarms.
I watch his green eyes fill with so much love it becomes hard tobreathe.
I love him so much that sometimes I feel like I could burst. Each day with him, I cherish. Sure, he drives me nuts and I make him crazy, but it only makes me appreciate what we have evenmore.
Most people don’t have the baggage we do, but we carry ittogether.
“When are you finally going to agree to marry me?” Noah asks with his playfulgrin.
I get this every few months, and the answer is always the same. “Do you loveme?”
He smiles. “With my wholeheart.”
“Are you leavingme?”
