Page 146 of My Wife
She’s quiet for a long beat and then in a small voice, she says, “I was never good enough to love.”
That hits me in the heart. Yeah. I have one.
I’m afraid to ask her about now, worried that I might not like the answer. She’s a flight risk.
Hooking my finger and planting it under her chin, I bring her gaze to mine. I want to do something nice for her. Something extraordinary. But I don’t think a fancy car or jewelry is her love language. Cake can only go so far.
I say, “Jessica, I want to keep you.”
She blinks a few times.
I nod.
Then she dives into my arms and I hold her for a long, long time. I want it to be forever.
Just before I leave for the arena to prep for the game, Jessica meets me by the door.
“Will you do something for me, please?” Her expression ripples with uncertainty, hesitancy. I worry it’s going to be something that I can’t do. Is she going to ask me to smile? I mean, I would for her. I told the guys to do so at the game not long ago and we won. If the woman wants a smile, I’ll deliver.
I say, “Anything.”
She points to the top shelf in the closet. “Could you grab that basket from up there? I’m sorting through KJ’s seasonal gear and can’t find a mitten.”
“I thought it was going to be more like beat up your ex.”
“He has his mother to deal with.”
“Was that it?” I edge toward the door.
“Yes. No. While you’re on the ice, will you wave to KJ if you have a chance? It would mean a lot that you see him from out there.”
“Yeah. Of course.”
She bites her lip as if there’s more.
The clock is ticking. I never used to be less than two hours early for prep. Sometimes I just sat in the empty arena, playing through the game in my head. “Is there something else?”
“Actually, one more thing. Remember how we talked about forgiveness?”
She draws the line at the socks. This one, I don’t step over. “Not now, Jessica.”
“Maybe later? I think it’ll give you an edge on the ice.”
I incline my head, wondering what the heck she knows about hockey.
“Carrying around baggage like that from the past can weigh you down, hold you back.”
I nod, understanding what she means but now is not the time to think about what happened in high school to Franklin and Marci. Right now, my mind can’t be on anything other than winning for my team … and my son.
Jessica too.
Cupping her cheeks I kiss her square on the lips and swish out the door.
39
LIAM
The pressof Jessica’s peachy lips to mine tries to interrupt the thoughts I’ve had during the ride to the Ice Palace, skating between how I had no intention of ever settling down. Not because I saw marriage as a set of shackles. More like I refused to be put in a situation where I might hurt someone. Again.
