Page 49 of Sugarplum Dreams
“I wanted you to have them. Not just for you, but because when people look at you, I want them to know that you belong to me.” He held up his hand, letting go of hers, as he flashed his ring at her. “And I belong to you.”
That was really the way it was supposed to be. She knew that some people bristled at the idea of belonging. Like they were a possession, but that was really what marriage was, forsaking all others and belonging solely to the one to whom you pledged your life. You had a person who was totally and completely devoted to you.
Unless they cheated. Which hurt more than words can say. Maybe that was why she had such a hard time believing Wilson. Because Clancy had said the same vows, and he was supposed to belong to her, except he shared himself, without her knowledge, with others. In fact, he ditched her and told her he didn’t want her anymore. Treated her like yesterday’s news. Sadly.
“All right. I don’t want to keep you any longer. I know it’s been a big day, but I wanted to celebrate our anniversary. It’s the first of many, I hope, and I just wanted you to have that, the rings, and I’ll let you go.”
“All right. Thank you. I…don’t have anything for you.” She remembered that wasn’t the first gift he’d given. If he was the Secret Saint, there had been a gift for her under the tree as well.
He had started to move away, going down the steps, but she needed to thank him for that.
“Wilson?”
“Yeah?” he asked, his hand on the banister, stopping abruptly as soon as she spoke his name.
“Thank you for the candle you gave me for Christmas. I didn’t know it was you.”
He smiled a bit. “I didn’t usually pick out things myself, but I did get that. With a little help from my mom and my sisters who have children and know what it’s like, and they said that that would be something that you might appreciate.”
“It is. Thank you. I just realized that these rings aren’t the first gift you’ve given me.”
“I enjoy giving you gifts. I hope it’s okay.”
“I don’t know what to get for you. It seems like you have everything.”
“Now that I have you, I do,” he said softly, and then, pausing for just a moment, he turned and went the rest of the way down the stairs.
His words hung in the air as she turned back to his room. They were sweet, and she believed he truly meant them. The problem was she wanted to give him something physical, something tangible, but she couldn’t think of anything, and even if she could, she had to use his money to purchase it, which kind of defeated the purpose. Maybe, now that they were moved in and settled, they could work on getting her baking business up and running. There was a small shed with electricity near the house, which he had said she could use to make her baked goods in. She had to get to work on that.
Chapter Twenty-One
February 25
“How does it look?” Wilson asked as Charity grabbed his hand and led him out to the shed that she’d been working on every chance she got. Which was mostly when he was able to get inside and watch the kids so that she could go out. And during naptime too.
“I think it’s ready.”
“I think someone’s a little excited,” he said, grabbing a hold of the baby monitor that usually sat on the counter, so he could take it with him in case Evans got up before they got back in.
Evans had been crawling out of his crib lately, which was fine as long as someone was in the house, but he didn’t want Evans running around the house without any adult supervision. He wasn’t quite old enough to know not to put things in the electrical sockets, and he also had never gone down the stairs by himself without someone standing with him to make sure he didn’t fall.
“I know this isn’t going to be so exciting for you, but it’s all ready, and I even called the grocery store, the one that Ray Zigler manages, and he put in a huge order for next week. So I already have a business!”
He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Charity quite that excited. She was practically levitating as they went out and walked across the yard, all but dragging him to the door to her shed.
There weren’t any windows in it, other than one which overlooked the yard. She’d be able to watch the kids from that window anyway.
But as he stepped in, he looked around and whistled.
“You have scrubbed this thing from top to bottom.” And then his eyes landed on the stove. “I didn’t even know what color that old thing was.”
“I didn’t either. And lo and behold, it’s white!” she said, laughing as she let go of his hand enough to clap, putting her hands underneath her chin and looking at him. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s going to pass inspection.”
“I was hoping you would say that. They’re supposed to come tomorrow. That’s why I’ve been working so hard to get it done. But I have everything scrubbed as good as I can get it, and if they’re going to find fault with anything, it’s not going to be something that I could have done myself.”
He smiled at the excitement in her eyes and the anticipation that she showed. It was obvious she was looking forward to it. He was a little bit jealous that she didn’t show that kind of excitement about him. That kind of…desire, he supposed that was the word he wanted. Maybe attraction. But she definitely was excited about her baking and not excited about her husband. Although he was the one she wanted to show it to. So there was that. But he would rather she worked on their relationship thanput all of her energy into this baking business that she had had before and wanted again.
