Page 100 of Marriage (Red, White &) Blues

“I love that I get to share this with you. Water is my happy place.”

He reached over to take my hand, but he didn’t say anything more. I wished he’d talk to me. I knew all this stuff with Lorelei and Raymond Hill bothered him more than he let on. Who better to unload on than your wife? Wives made for great companions and stress soothers when utilized in the capacity for which we were intended. I mean, I supposed some wives weren’t so good at stress relief, but I remained steadfast in my belief at my ability to be all the wife Blake Parker ever needed.

“Everything okay, Blake?” I asked.

He glanced down at our intertwined fingers and then back at the road before answering, “I just feel like I’m missing something?” Then he dropped my hand to point at the water. “Is that them?”

Pen waved frantically, smiling huge for us, while Sierra in herI’m too cool to wave like a maniacera stood with her arms folded over her chest. And Pete—he stoodveryclose to her with his hands resting on her hips.

Blake pulled into a spot next to Ant’s Jag and didn’t even get my Outback turned off before Pen threw open my door trying to drag me from the car. Blake pressed the buckle on the seatbelt for me, and once free from the car, Pen began dancing in a circle singing, “We’re going to the island… We’re going to the island…”

It was the same dance, the same song we used to sing as teenagers and I had to join in, dancing in a circle with her, shaking my booty. “We’re going to the island…” I singsonged. Then, Sierra, obviously over her too-cool attitude, jumped in to dance and sing with us while the men watched and laughed.

Ask me if I cared. Me and my girls, just like old times.

Finally, Ant asked, “Would you like to continue your dance party on the boat?”

“Does a bear shit in the woods? Sierra asked.

And in case you’re unaware, the answer was a resoundingyes.

But seriously, boat? Not even. Ant owned a small yacht. Or—Ant andPenowned a small yacht. I laced my fingers with Blake’s pulling him next to me. His smile melted my heart.

The men got theirmanshakes on, those manly handshake, arm pat thing.

Ant boarded first, helping Pen onto the deck. Then he held out his hand for me. Blake climbed on after me without assistance. Ant then gave Sierra’s hand a tug to help her onboard, and he gave Pete a hand up too. Pete was more comfortable on a horse than on a boat.

Consider me shocked to find out my husband had experience on boats. The two of them maneuvered us out of the marina into open water toward what had affectionately been christenedPant Island, after all the papers were signed. Who named an island Pant? Well, as it turned out, Stanton McCain for his fair Penelope. Get it? Pant—as in Pen and Ant Island. Romantically ridiculous.

While Pen and Sierra decided to take the party inside, I stayed on deck because being anywhere else seemed inherently wrong. I loved feeling the wind on my face. My hair didn’t agree with my assessment of the situation and my hairbrush and I were about to go ten rounds in the main ring tonight. I only hoped tomorrow found me still a redhead and not a bald woman.

Two hands squeezed my waist from behind as my husband pressed his body against my back. “This reminds me of the boat ride to Træna,” he whispered in my ear. “You stood out on the deck then, too. But I didn’t have the right to hold you then.”

“You had the right… even back then,” I admitted.

He pressed his forehead to the back of my head and let out a long breath as he squeezed my waist again. “I love you so damn much, Glory.”

I reached my hand up to run my fingers through his hair. A good fifteen minutes of fresh water and wind. The rest of the world fell away, leaving just the two of us and the view.

Our moment ended when Ant called out, “Blake, we’re coming to dock,” and my husband let my waist go to help lead the boat into dock. Once we’d tied off and anchored, Blake grabbed our bags, dropping them onto the wooden planks before he lifted me off rather than help me walk down the ladder. Having a tall, strong husband had its perks.

“You know,” I said, “thinking about Træna, I thought that I wanted to spend the rest of my life traveling with you, never imagining back then that we’d end up married.”

“We should’ve kept traveling. Instead, I bring you back to deal with all my family drama. I hate that a safari turned into such a mess for you.”

“Are you kidding me? If he had an address, I’d send Mingati athank youcard.”

“I’m a shit husband because I would accidentally marry you a hundred times over, despite everything.”

“Your family is whatever. I’d have run to you without the marriage. If you haven’t gotten this yet, I’m fairly certain I met the love of my life while on a picnic in Paris.”

“Fairlycertain?” Blake asked, laughing as he grabs ahold of my blouse, burying his face against my neck to hold me.

“The newlyweds get the bedroom farthest from us,” Ant said as he passed out rooms.

Sierra walks by him, patting his chest as she passed. “You really want to go there, Loverboy?”

“Touché,” he replied but abruptly changed the subject. “Blake and Pete want to help unload the groceries?”

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