Page 33 of My Only

But I loved it.

“Good to see you finally made it down here, Mrs. Franklin.” Hassani turned off the stove, moving the final pancake to a plate. “I thought you were gonna oversleep today.”

“Well, if someone didn’t keep me up last night, I would’ve reported for duty on my day to make breakfast.” I poured my coffee and leaned back against the counter. “I could barely get out of bed this morning.”

His grin was smug as he plated the food. “Oh, so now it’s my fault?”

“You wouldn’t let me sleep.” I took a slow sip of coffee. “You know my bedtime is ten.”

“We were in bed by ten.”

“Yeah, and making love on and off like rabbits until two in the morning.”

He feigned confusion. “Was it until two?”

“Yes, Energizer Bunny.”

He snorted a laugh before closing the space between us, stopping just long enough to press a kiss to my lips. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” I murmured against his lips before pecking him twice more.

When I opened my eyes, his hazel-greens were locked on mine.

He winked.

I smiled.

“Come on.” Hassani nodded toward the kitchen table. “Let’s eat.”

This had been our routine for the past four years.

Breakfast together before heading to work—me at my school with my preschoolers, him at his private office a short walk away. Lunch together in his office. A drive home in the evening. Cooking dinner together. Rinse and repeat.

We alternated breakfast duties, but that morning, my husband had worn me out, so he took one for the team.

Our lives were predictable, and I had come to love that predictability. I had my own car, could have lunch with the teachers at school who felt like my extended family, but nothing beat my routine with Hassani.

It was comfort. The kind I had always wanted.

“What are you getting into after school today?” he asked, forking some eggs into his mouth.

I sliced into my pancake. “I want to start planning next year’s end-of-summer trip. Get a head start this year so I have more time to find a nice hotel.”

Every year, right before the school year started, Hassani and I took a trip somewhere new.

He knew traveling was something I had always dreamed about as a kid. And he knew how much I admired Aunt Laurie for her solo adventures across the world.

I had tried traveling alone once I was old enough, but it always felt like something was missing.

Then I started traveling with Hassani.

And I realized what was missing was him.

It had become a part of our life together, something I treasured just as much as the home we built.

“How about you?” I asked. “What are you getting into when we get back home?”

He tapped his sketchbook with his pencil, smiling. “Got something I’m working on for the basement?—”

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