Page 141 of My Wife
“Weak argument,” Robo says.
I snort a laugh.
Liam adds, “Also, I never said I was complaining. Maybe I like seeing the half-empty glasses on the table, counter, bookshelf, everywhere.”
I poke him in the chest. “They’re half full, Mr. Meanie.”
His lips ripple. Our gazes slide together and spark. Something crackles between us. I almost don’t realize I’m doing it until it’s happening, but Liam laces his fingers through mine. I squeeze his hand and cast him a smile. His eyes brighten as if to say that he didn’t realize what was missing from his life until now.
The space between us shrinks as I gaze at his lips and his heavy eyes drop to mine. As my pulse disappears and my senses heighten, I lose my sense of time and place.
From somewhere nearby, one of the guys says, “Ahh. Married life.”
Liam and I seem to snap out of whatever haze we were in.
Robo says, “Figured you two would still be in the honeymoon period. Sounds like you’ve sped past that.”
“Watch out for the seven-year itch,” Ted says.
Panic rushes toward me. “Is that like a rash?”
Everyone laughs.
This is going to be harder than I thought. My gaze drifts back to Liam’s, afraid of what I’m going to see there. But the corners of his lips curl ever so slightly upward. Maybe he’s amused, making fun of me and how I shed and can’t keep track of my water glass. Or perhaps these grievances are grave and he’s considering kicking me out, exposing our lie.
We have skillet cookies with ice cream for dessert, hang out some more, and then say goodnight with Gracie offering to host the next gathering.
On the ride home, Liam says, “About how you unload the groceries?—”
I pout. “Oh, right. You forgot to mention that to everyone.”
“No, I wanted to tell you that I realized why you do it that way.”
“Oh,” I say, not sure where he’s going with this.
“Having plenty means more to you than say, someone like me who might take it for granted. You really do look at life with the glass half full. It’s a good thing, Jessica. Really good.”
This time, I don’t argue. I never thought of it quite that way, but he’s right.
The streetlights alternately brighten him and then cast him into shadow as he says, “It’s going to take us some time to get to know each other and get used to each other.”
“I don’t mind all that stuff I said.”
“I know. In fact, you said you loved it.” Liam’s lips press together as if he’s holding back a smile.
“Ha ha,” I say dryly.
Then something else I said that first sleepy night in Brookking Sound slides into my mind. My heart somehow gets in an extra beat.
As we pull into the parking garage, I say, “I’m no longer your employee. I’m your spouse. We have to work together. But I’ll clean up my stray hairs.”
“And I’ll squeeze out the sponge.”
“You’re a team captain. We can figure out how to work together. I’ll still do the regular things, but I draw the line at the socks. They stink. Also, I don’t want the puppy chewing them, he’ll get bad breath.”
He rumbles a laugh. “He already has bad breath.”
“He has puppy breath.”
