Page 9 of Under the Island Moon
“Uh-huh. When was the last time you went out, just the two of you?”
Miles had to admit it had been a while. “Probably a month? The school thing keeps us hopping.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait,” Boone said with a big smile.
Miles shook his head. Boone and Nina’s baby was still years away from kindergarten. The man had no idea what he was in for. “You say that now.”
“I’m an uncle,” Boone defended. “I even helped with Bryce before you came along. I’m not as removed from school schedules as you think.”
On the defensive, Miles asked, “Are you currently packing lunches? Running pick up or drop off? Dealing with homework, new friends, or extracurriculars?”
“Admittedly, none of the above.” Boone stared him down. “What’s really going on? You don’t freak out over nothing.”
Miles sighed. “What if she’s unhappy? Having second thoughts?” He shoved at his hair. “She’s quiet when she used to chatter. She’s falling asleep when she’s usually full of energy. She’s distant,” he finished, realizing that was the gut-punch. Molly hadn’t been distant like this since before they started dating. Back when she wasn’t sure she could trust him.
“You just shouted out a whole list of day-to-day tasks that would wear out the Energizer Bunny.”
“So you’d understand why I haven’t taken her on a date,” Miles explained. “I understand romance matters, but I’m at a loss here.”
“Hey. We’re both married to florists, so we don’t get to use a bouquet of flowers as a casual gift. You and I have to be creative when it comes to reminding our women how much we care. How much they matter.”
“I made dinner last night. And I packed lunch for Bryce and Molly this morning so she could sleep a little longer.”
“Did she sleep?”
“No,” Miles grumbled. “She thanked me and then raced off. Said she had to get to the shop early.”
Boone scowled. “That’s weird.”
That was his whole point. “Why? Don’t leave me hanging.”
“Usually when they have big orders Nina talks about it at home,” Boone replied. “I’m wondering what came in that she didn’t mention.”
“It’s probably for the Haunted Tea. That is the one thing Molly is excited about. The work and attending the event. I assume Nina is going?”
“Yeah. Her mom got tickets for them on day one,” Boone replied. “Rhett says all of Trina’s friends are confirmed, with moms or aunts in tow.”
That news didn’t fully explain his wife’s exhaustion, but he knew her. Molly would be giving her all to make the floral contributions perfect. “Thanks for the reminder and the intel. I’ll figure out how to be more romantic,” Miles declared. He could find a creative solution that would pamper her and give her a refresh rather than take more energy. There were obviously the little things like making lunches. Though she seemed to enjoy those tasks. “Some days I’m convinced I’ll never figure out marriage.”
“Thatis the key to staying happily married,” Boone said. “According to Nina’s dad.”
“Confusion is the key?”
“No.” Boone rolled his eyes. “Putting in the focus and the effort to keep things fresh. You know Nico. He’s all about growing, whether it’s plants or people.”
Miles did know Nico. Nina’s dad was an icon on the island, devoted to his family and dedicated to the town. Adding this haunted maze and keeping it kid-friendly had been his suggestion, looking toward the future for his grandchildren.
Miles suddenly had an idea to make the maze even less scary. “What if we don’t try to block everything from the ceiling down?”
“You’re changing the subject,” Boone said.
“Damn right I am. We need to get this done. And if we ask Nico to help, maybe he can give me some marital advice too.”
Boone howled with laughter. “You really are the smart one in the room.”
“I try.” Miles made no attempt to be humble.
“Walk me through it,” Boone prompted.
