Page 165 of The One With the Mountain Man

"Oh, I like that. We don't take enough baths."

Because we always got distracted in the shower. "We can fix that easily enough."

Her stomach growled. "What are we going to do for dinner? We have that cheese Sharon brought us from Wisconsin."

"We are not eating cheese for dinner, my love." My wife still had a bad tendency to eat cheese and crackers as a meal. Several meals if I was out of town overnight. Which was why I usually stocked the fridge with food before leaving. I was gone on a five-day, four-night backpacking trip and came home to an empty fridge and Marley overdosing on cheese and olives. I made that mistake once. Never again.

"I'm too tired to cook and it's getting late and—"

"I have food in the back seat." She was too damn cute when she was this scatterbrained. I thoroughly enjoyed taking care of her until her brain started functioning properly again.

"Oh!" She glanced at the paper bag full of cardboard cartons. "What did I do before I met you, Jackson Finn?"

I pulled her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to her skin. "You functioned. Barely."

When we got home I ordered her into the bath while I unpacked our food and set it up on side tables beside the tub. With the candles lit, the lights down low, and jazz softly playing from our living room, I sank into the tub across from Marley and finally relaxed.

"This is much better than the hot tub," she mumbled around a pimento cheese and hot honey laden cracker.

"And I still got you cheese and crackers." In multiple different forms. There was also a flatbread pizza covered in vegetables and a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with bacon and fig jam.

"You're very good to me, Mr. Finn."

I picked up a slice of pizza and wiggled my toes against her ribs. "You're very good to me, Mrs. Finn."

She hummed and kept eating.

We were very good to each other. And while I usually never wanted to be away from her, sometimes she needed to be alone. So I didn't encroach on her spaces except to make sure she was eating. And she didn't get jealous when I wandered alone into the woods even though I felt her worrying. Otherwise, I made sure she left the house and got the interaction she needed. She made me socialize and enjoy spending time with our friends.

Our sex life was as varied and vibrant as ever. No complaints there.

My parents moved to the next town over for a "fresh start" as Nora called it. I never saw them and I ignored Nora as much as possible. Finn Fam dinner now rotated between Ollie's house, Karis's, and ours. Marley's parents visited once every summer and we went to Calusa Key to visit every winter.

"Are you happy, Jackson?"

"You know I am, wife." With two slices of pizza and half the grilled cheese in me, I didn't need any more food. So I picked up her foot and dug my thumb into her arch. She moaned and closed her eyes, relaxing, which was the only way to talk to Marley. "Why are you asking?"

She shrugged. "I know you're happy. And so am I. I just like to check in sometimes."

I had everything I could possibly hope for and more. I had a good relationship with almost every member of my family, more nieces and nephews than I knew what do with most of the time. I loved being Uncle Huk and watching them grow. I loved helping coach Gus's soccer team and picking Alice and Luke up from playdates when Ollie and Ethan couldn't get out of work on time. I'd just met sweet little Mary but the moment she grabbed my pinkie and wouldn't let go I knew we'd be just fine too.

But the only thing that made me truly happy was Marley and as long as I had her, life was beyond good.

"Consider us checked in." I gave her foot a squeeze. "We have excellent communication skills, Lee. We don't keep secrets and we talk out the hard things. You don't need to worry."

She popped a bubble with her index finger. "I think today just got to me. People ask the most invasive questions without a second thought. Like they don't even hear themselves. Just asking away about our sex life—"

"What?"

"Yeah." She made her voice all breathy. "That scene between Beau and Lorelei was so hot. Did you act it out with your husband first?Things like that. I wanted to ask her what went down in her bedroom last night, but I think it would have gone right over her head."

"Book tour canceled!" I was serious but Marley laughed and shook her head.

"Oh Jackson. They just ask it online instead."

"And this led to you questioningmyhappiness?"

She shrugged again, the gesture raising her breasts just enough to keep the goods hidden beneath the layer of bubbles. "I think I just needed to hear it."

---