Page 35 of If You Love Me

“Well, heismy husband.”

“And he’s coming over here.”

Tyrion smiled as he placed Summer on her feet. She ran off with the other kids, and he made his way over. I took a deep breath as he came closer.

“I’ll give you a minute,” Nina said.

“Wait, no!”

I tried to grab her, but she slipped from my grasp. I groaned as she disappeared into the crowd, leaving me behind. Tyrion came to a stop in front of me and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Hey, love.”

“Please stop calling me that.”

“That’s what I always call you.”

“It doesn’t hit like you think it does.”

He sighed. “Can we not do this right now?” he pleaded. “I just want to celebrate you being here. We shouldn’t be fighting two days into you being back.”

I crossed my arms. “We aren’t fighting at all.”

“You’re mad at me.”

“With reason.”

He raised his hands in surrender. “You’re right.”

“I know I am.”

He stood there for a moment. The music changed to “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder. I closed my eyes. This was my song. I played this song on repeat for my baby when she was first born. There were many nights I played it while I danced with her, to get her back to sleep. She would always look me in the face while I sang and bounced around the entire duration of the song.

She didn’t know what the hell I was saying, but she was tuned in. From the time she was born until I disappeared, that was a regular routine. When she got to the point of smiling and cooing, I got a kick out of what I said were her adorable attempts to sing along.

“Daddy, it’s our song!” Summer Rose yelled, running over to us.

I glanced up at him, and he smiled.

“It’s still our favorite song,” he said to me as he reached for her hand. “Why don’t you ask Mommy to dance with us, princess?”

“Please, Mommy? Daddy said you used to sing this to me all the time.”

I glared at him for using our child to get on my good side right now.

“I did,” I said, looking down at her. “I’d love to dance with you, baby.”

She grabbed my hand, and he grabbed the other. Together, we danced with Summer Rose, doing a little two step and taking turns spinning her out and pulling her back in. Her giggles made my heart smile. I had no doubt that we would have had a lifetime of dances like this if things had been different. Music was a staple in both of our homes growing up, and it was something we carried into our own.

When Tyrion and I had finally finished renovating our home, we celebrated by popping open a bottle of wine and dancing in every room of the house. It had been one of the happiest moments of our lives. We’d put so much hard work into making an older house into our forever home.

Who knew forever would end so soon though?

11

Tyrion

Isat at a picnic table with Jaime, watching my wife with her family. He’d gotten back from his business trip early and pulled up to the party. I was glad he was here because I needed somebody to ease the awkwardness I was feeling.

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