Page 116 of Wild Ever After
“Dinner tonight?” I ask. “I’ll pick up something and then we should probably talk about a few things.”
Her smile dims. “Right.”
I reach across the table and take her hand. We spent yesterday naked and making each other feel good, and as much as I’d love to live like that forever, there are things we need to figure out to truly move forward.
“Can we talk earlier in the day? Lunch?”
I do a quick mental run through of my schedule and then nod. “Yeah. I have a break around noon.”
“That’s perfect.” She beams.
I drop off Jade at the curb outside of her work. “If you’re foot starts bothering you at all, call me or have Scarlett run you to the house. If I don’t answer, call the arena and tell them it’s a family emergency.”
“I am fine.”
“You’re not fine. You have a broken foot.”
She leans over and cups my cheek as she brushes her lips over mine in a quick kiss. “In a few hours, you can whisk me home where I promise to rest.”
“I’m gonna make sure of it.” I nip at her bottom lip before she pulls away.
When I get to the arena, I find Leo and Ash in the weight room.
“He’s alive!” Ash calls when he sees me. “How’s Jade?”
“Stubborn. I’m considering tying her to the bed to keep her from overdoing it.”
“I’d go with a couple spreader bar restraints,” he deadpans. “Just as effective, but more fun.”
“Oh geez,” Leo mutters with a laugh. “Not a visual I needed this morning.”
I shake my head at him, but it feels good to be laughing with them.
“Things are good, though?” Leo asks.
“Yeah, things are good. We tore up the divorce papers yesterday.”
“I’m happy for you.” Ash lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “But if you need to borrow the spreader bars, just say the word.”
42
MOM JEANS
JADE
Melody staresat me from her pink, plush chair, hands crossed at her waist.
“You know I can’t print this.” Her gaze briefly flicks to the computer screen in front of her.
“Why not?” My voice quivers just slightly. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to convince her to make a last-minute switch on my article, but it’s my favorite thing I’ve ever written. I took bits from all the interviews I’ve done with other couples and from my own experience these past six months with Declan and compiled them into a sort of lessons in love piece.
“Our readers are expecting an up-close and personal detailing of your marriage to a pro-hockey player. This is the kind of crap a million other magazines are publishing every day. It’s played out.”
Her words sting, but I keep my head held high. Maybe it is played out, but there’s a reason that people love reading about romance. It gives us hope. Relationships aren’t always easy or pretty. In fact, the one thing every couple I talked to had in common were the trials and tribulations along the way. Love is coming to a crossroads and deciding that the other person is worth the fight.
“My personal life isn’t up for grabs. Not anymore.”
She leans forward. “Your personal life is what keeps you in a job.”
