Every Wrong Reason(90)

My heart swelled in my chest until I was certain it would burst. Until I knew I would die from happiness.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you for fighting for me.”

He pulled me against his chest again and I rested there. I gave up everything at that moment and just breathed in my husband.

He was right. He was mine. I was his. He owned me and I owned him.

Till death do us part.

We stayed there the rest of the afternoon and evening. We stayed there, on our couch and talked and talked and talked. We made more apologies. We made more promises. We decided to find a couple’s counselor that could help us through the next part of this journey. And we finally made love.

Right there on the couch.

Afterward, wrapped in the throw blankets from our living room, we ate a meal of cheese and crackers and ice cream. Then we walked hand in hand to our bedroom where we made love all over again.

This time when Nick wrapped me in his arms, I didn’t wake in a panic. I fell blissfully asleep in his arms and didn’t stir until morning.

And when we woke, we kissed without brushing our teeth. We held each other closely and made promises all over again.

It wouldn’t always be like this. Seven years of marriage had taught us that every day would be different, that life would throw us curve balls and we wouldn’t always get along. But our eyes were wide open now. We knew what we wanted. And that was each other.

He would drive me crazy and I would inevitably make him furious.

But he would also make me happier than I had ever been. He would also take care of me, adore me, love me. And I would love him in return. I would support him. And I would respect him.

We had a long way to go toward healing, but we were starting in the right place.

We were starting hand-in-hand and together.

And neither one of us would ever let go.





Chapter Twenty-Five


31. He loves me.

32. He will always love me.




“Are you finished?” Kara’s pretty red head poked in my doorway and she took in the room with lightning fast quickness. “You look finished.”

I stood up from a box I had been taping closed and stretched my back. “I think I am. Nick is going to pick me up and carry all this.”

She grinned at me, “Perks of having a good man.” I laughed and waggled my eyebrows at her. She stepped into the room completely. “This year went by so fast. I can’t believe it’s over.”

I smiled wryly, “I can. I’m ready for summer.” I sighed. “I’m ready to actually start summer.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Why, Kate? It’s not like you have a job in the fall. What does it matter to you?”

I laughed as my hand landed gently on my slightly swollen belly. “I didn’t take you for the jealous type. I thought you had a purpose here.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “Well, mostly my purpose is to annoy my parents. These hoodlums are a side effect of bad judgment and stubborn rebellion.”

“You’re such a liar. You love the kids here. And you’re only half serious about annoying your parents.”

“I’ll give you the kids. I do love the little monsters. But I’m serious about my parents. My life work is to drive them to their early graves and inherit their estate.”

I just shook my head. There was no arguing with her. “I am coming back,” I told her. “Maybe not right away… but I will be back. I can’t walk away from teaching forever.”

Her gray gaze found mine and glistened with unshed tears. “I know you will. You’re too good at what you do to give it up forever. You’ll just have to turn that endless inspiration on your own little ones now. They get to keep you for a while. As they should.”

Hearing the sorrow in her tone, I had to assure her. “Good thing they have their Auntie Kara to keep it real for them. I’ve been told I’m a little delusional with my optimism at times.”

She let out a bark of laughter, “Who told you that?”

“Mostly my students. The same ones I’m trying to inspire.”

She grinned at me. “You know, this is much better than being spinsters together. I probably would have eventually stabbed you with my crochet hook.”

“We would have made terrible spinsters,” I agreed. “We’re way too hot for cats.”

She snorted. “Because only ugly people have cats?”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I meant.”

She waved me off. “I know what you meant. Your secret hate for people with cats is safe with me.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Well, I am a dog person you know.”

“How could you not be? A dog saved your marriage and knocked you up.”

“The dog did not knock me up.”

She winked at me. “Not what I heard.”

I shook my head and joined her at the door. “I need to check my mailbox.”

She sighed. “I need to go fill out paperwork. Apparently your powers of inspiration worked better than usual. Jay Allen signed up for summer school.”

“Why?” I gasped. “His grade in my class was excellent. What classes does he have to retake?”

She leaned in as if she were telling a secret. “He’s not retaking anything, Kate. He’s taking as many AP classes as I’m going to let him. Apparently, he wants to get into a good school.”