Page 82 of Axe-identally Married
Humming, I rolled onto my side so we were eye to eye, our faces only inches apart, though we weren’t touching.
“I was thinking about what a treat it is to watch a person when they’re at their absolute best. Doing the thing they’re exceptional at. Like hearing Mozart play the piano, or Serena Williams play tennis.”
My breath caught at the sincerity in his tone while confusion swirled inside me. This was not what I expected at all.
“I know today was a lot for you, and I respect that. But watching you in action made it clear to me that this is exactly what you were born to do.”
Huffing, I buried my face in my pillow. “I am not the Serena Williams of doctors.”
“Of course not. But Serena is probably the Willa Savard of tennis. Ever think about that?”
I rolled onto my back with a giggle.
“You were even singing a song,” he said.
“Oh yeah. ‘Dancing Queen,’ by ABBA. It’s my CPR song.”
“CPR song?”
“It’s important to keep a consistent pace when performing chest compressions. Usually 110-120 beats per minute. Most people sing ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees, for obvious reasons. But my mom is a huge ABBA fan, so I sing ‘Dancing Queen’ in my head.”
“You are literally proving my point right now.” He chuckled. “You’re one of the greats. Now you need your rest. Get in here and snuggle.” He rolled onto his back, pulling me against him with one arm.
I hit his chest and was instantly engulfed in his clean, manly smell. Soap and wood and spice. Total comfort. Not to mention the softness of his shirt beneath my cheek and my palm as I rested a hand on his sternum.
I hadn’t been prepared for what it would be like to snuggle such a big, strong man. Lord, was it incredible. He tucked me in closer and kissed the top of my head again. Delight rushed through me. I shouldn’t, but I secretly loved when he did that. It was as if the gesture was more for him than for me. Like he couldn’t hold back. And that made my heart rate speed up even faster than the sensation of his muscular chest under my hand did.
“Close your eyes,” he said, his low tone soothing me in a way that was like magic. “You’ll be back at full strength in the morning. let yourself recharge.”
The weight of the day pressed on me, and the warmth of his body, the kindness of his words, embraced me. Without my permission, my eyes welled. All the feelings were rushing to the surface, and I had no hope of containing them.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I sniffled.
“Sure.”
“I don’t think hockey is your thing.” Every day, whether he knew it or not, Cole revealed more of his complexity. The more I saw, the more I realized that he had not yet scraped the surface of his abilities.
“No, it was.”
“You were good at hockey, but in you, Cole, I see greatness.” I tapped his chest, my eyelids heavy. “You just haven’t realized it yet. And when you do, look out world.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Cole
Idid not want to be here. I would have much preferred to be at home, sitting on the comfy couch with my wife while she inched closer to me as we watchedJeopardy. Then, after we’d brushed our teeth, we’d head to bed, where I’d hold her all night.
We’d never discussed it, but we’d slept that way every night for the last week. I’d been sleeping better than I ever had. Making it through my days more easily too, since no matter what the day threw at me, at the end of it, I got to wrap my arms around Willa.
Even if nothing more ever happened between us, I would be content. She really was my best friend. The person I depended on. The person I couldn’t wait to share my funny stories with. And the person I missed the most after a long day.
Our time as husband and wife was limited, so I’d take every second I could get, even if it was while I was asleep.
But I wasn’t at home with my wife tonight. Nope, I was at the Moose.
I’d avoided this place, like just about every public place in town, for months. But Jude’s band was playing. He’d been sucha support to me when I needed him, so it seemed like the least I could do. He was not only keeping my secret but rooting for me to get the girl. So I’d come out to show my support, even if it meant losing a cozy night with Willa.
The Moose was a semi-decent restaurant pretending to be a dive bar. One side was filled with pool tables and dart boards, and the other, vinyl booths filled with families eating burgers the size of their heads.
