Page 42 of Moonlight & Matrimony
I deposit my hard hat and tool belt on the desk, then check my phone for any messages. A knot forms in my stomach when I realize Ivy still hasn’t checked in. As I walk out to the parking lot, Miles is there waiting. He tosses his keys in the air and catches them. “I’ll drive.”
I grit my teeth, bracing myself for the inevitable interrogation as I climb into Miles' truck. But it never comes. Something feels off with my friend, and I can't quite figure out why. "You okay, man?" I ask.
“What?” he asks, his voice sharp before he clears his throat and turns his attention back to the road. “Yep. All good.” His tone tells me everything is far from good, but it's not my place to ask.
The now familiar bell chimes when we enter the diner, just as Rosie pushes through the swinging doors to the kitchen,greeting us with an enthusiastic wave. Miles leads me to what he describes as the “usual booth” but before we can get there, my favorite girl runs over, wrapping herself around my legs. “Luca!”
“Hey Bug, how are you?”
“Good. Mommy got me a milkshake!”
“Yum! Did you pick chocolate? That’s my favorite.”
“Uh huh,” she nods her head vigorously, tossing her curls haphazardly around her face.
“She’s on a sugar high,” a familiar voice cuts in, and I glance up to find myself face to face with the star of all of my wet dreams. She looks beautiful in a tight green dress, showcasing her curves in the most delicious way, half of her hair casually clipped up at the back while the rest cascades around her shoulders.
Miles elbows me, letting me know I’ve been staring for an awkwardly long time. “Hey sweetheart, how’s your day going?” I ask, shaking myself out of my thoughts.
“Better now that I ran into you.” There’s a hint of something vulnerable in her expression, but it’s gone before I have the chance to decipher it.
“Is that so?”
She bites her bottom lip, something I’ve noticed she does when she’s nervous, and I have to stop myself from reaching out to tug it free.
“I’ll just head over to our table,” Miles says, excusing himself from whatever is happening between me and my wife in the middle of what I’ve been told is gossip central. Not wanting to cause a stir, I reach down to pluck Rylin off my legs, pulling her up into my arms. We need to act like a happy family if we’re going to pull off a miracle in court next month. At least that's what I’m telling myself every time I have the urge to do something reckless, like kiss my wife in public.
Ivy’s face softens at the gesture. “She missed you.”
“I missed her, too,” I admit. It’s almost jarring how much this little girl has come to mean to me over the last few weeks. I suspect that’s not uncommon for anyone who meets her. She’s a sweet kid, if a little wild at times.
“Join us for lunch?” I ask.
“Oh, we already ate. But I guess we can hang out for a little bit. When do you have to get back?”
“You can ask the boss, he’s already at the booth.”She laughs and follows me over to our spot. Once she’s seated near the window, I place Rylin down in the middle, sandwiching her between her mom and me.
Rosie appears at our side, and I’m not sure how I missed her approach. “What can I get started for y’all?”
I place my order, making sure to get extra fries to share with my girls. Ivy would never admit to it, but I already know she’s going to be reaching around her daughter to snag a few, despite having just eaten. I’ve learned to anticipate that particular little quirk.
“Are you sure you’re not hungry?”
“Nope. I’m good.” I raise an eyebrow, which she quickly dismisses with the shake of her head.
“If you say so. What do you have planned for this afternoon?”
“I have the adoption event at Chapters and Brews in an hour,” she replies.
“Kitties!” Rylin exclaims. I wish I could bottle some of her energy for myself. I can’t remember the last time I was excited about something as simple as a kitten adoption event.Except last night when you were balls deep in a different pussy.
Miles and Ivy get to talking about the event and before long, our meals are deposited on the table. Just as I predicted, my extra side of fries is put to good use. Giving my wife a knowing smirk, I slide the whole plate in front of Rylin, whose cheeks are puffed out like a chipmunk. Ivy rolls her eyes, dismissing me asshe shovels several more fries into her mouth. The chatter dies down and I devour my BLT in just a few bites, only now realizing I completely bypassed breakfast in my frenzy to get to work.
I glance down as Rylin leans her head on my arm. “Are you tired, Ry?” I ask.
“Nuh uh,” she says, but her sleepy eyes betray her.
“She didn’t sleep well last night. Evelyn said she had a nightmare,” Ivy explains, a somber edge to her voice. “I asked her what it was about, but she didn’t want to talk about it.”
