Page 139 of My Wife
Staring at me she says, “Couldn’t you have told me that to begin with?” Then she holds up her hand. “Never mind. I’ll ask a better question next time. Ask good questions. Get good answers.”
She wears a red wrap dress with little white flowers. Her hair cascades over her shoulders silky and shiny. Every time she moves, I get a little drunker on her cinnamon spice scent. Perhaps I shouldn’t drive.
On the ride over, Jessica says, “So we’re going to have to act like a real couple and not a bickering old …”
“Couple?” I finish for her.
“Yes. Can you do that?”
“Can you?”
“Yes, darling,” she says brightly.
I grunt.
After a beat, she asks, “How long have your parents been married?”
“Thirty-five years.”
“Do they have any secrets to a lasting marriage?”
“Actually, my dad did say something about that on our wedding night.”
But before Jessica can ask me what it was, we arrive at the farmhouse Redd and Whit fixed up. I tell Jessica about their dairy cows.
“Wait. You said there’d be pizza, but Whit runs the Milk Mustache cookie truck. Does that mean there will also be cookies?” Apparently having answered the question for herself, she squeals and all but bolts out of the car, sprinting to the backyard where the festivities are underway.
The scent of cooking dough and wood smoke along with Redd greets me. I gather with the guys including our host, Hayden, Mikey, Robo, Pierre, and a few others who’re playing horseshoes. We talk about hockey, naturally.
From across the backyard, I spot Jessica with some of the women. Her eyes sparkle, her lips part with laughter, and she looks anything but shy or like she feels out of place.
Jack elbows me, obviously having caught me staring.
I don’t instantly look away but slowly drag my gaze back to the guys.
In an exaggeratedly wistful voice, he says, “Ah, young love.”
I’m about to argue, and tell him that I’m not young—he and I are roughly the same age—nor am I in love. That’s ridiculous. Probably.
37
JESS
The Knights’wives, girlfriends, and I are bonding around an outdoor table with the heat lamps on, sipping homemade soda Gracie brought and eating personalized pizzas thanks to Redd’s wood fire grill skills. Ted, one of the retired defensemen, is here with his wife Harlow and their family to watch a Finals game. The guys treat him like a celebrity and haven’t stopped yakking it up.
Ella says, “Have any of you tried one of those woodland nature sounds alarms?”
“Like to wake up in the morning?” Cara asks.
“Jack insists on using the app on his phone and then repeatedly hits snooze … for an hour. I die a little each morning.”
I’m about to comment that at least she sleeps, when I realize I have been sleeping with thanks to Liam. Something about him being next to me must destress me or soothe whatever has kept me locked in insomnia.
Delaney looks around and then whispers, “Hayden recently started watching sports highlights at top volume. He was there. At. The. Game. Does he need to feel like the commentators are yelling at him when he’s at home?”
We all laugh.
Gracie says, “Perhaps he wants you to come watch too, so he can show off and tell you how awesome he was at the game.”
