Page 92 of The Marriage Narrative
“Don’t do that.” He glared, then laughed. “Ever thought about designing glassware?”
“It’s not on my wish list, no.”
“I’m thinking of doing something special for the grand opening of T3. Maybe a limited-edition cup designed by a remarkably talented local artist who just so happens to be my wife?”
“I’d be open to that, but…” She trailed off and paused. “Grace handles offers and contracts. You’ll have to submit a pitch and proposal just like everyone else.”
“Challenge accepted.” He exited the closet and came straight to her. She instinctively curled around him, using his thighs as a pillow. “Speaking of proposals, let’s talk about yours.”
During their sabbatical, he wanted to complete all the marriage-merger steps they’d skipped. It meant the world to her that he’d even asked. She hummed, relaxed and happy, as his knuckles gently brushed back and forth against her jaw.
“I want to meet your parents now,” he said.
Her eyes widened, gaze shooting up to his face. He looked so hopeful it made her heart squeeze with terror.
“I know we agreed to wait until theZaffre Hourstrailer dropped, but after everything that’s happened, I think…” He trailed off, hope rapidly transitioning into disappointment. “You’re not ready to do that.”
Whydid her face have to be soloudall the time? “No, it’s not that. I just…” She sat up, frantically searching for an excuse to reassure him.
Thinking about Jordan and her parents in the same room made her mind go blank with panic. She giggled nervously, not sure why she was freaking out, but it was happening.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He rubbed her arms. “Forget I asked.”
“No. No, I can explain. It’s not that I don’t want you to…”She exhaled and mentally pushed everything excepthimaway. Focusing on him trying and failing to mask the hurt in his eyes with a tight, understanding smile set her right. “It’s not you. My parents are very…particular. I haven’t figured out how to explain our marriage to them yet.”
“What is there to explain?”
“The truth. Weliedto your parents and turned it into a storyline. I can’t do that with mine.”
“Oh.”He swallowed hard. “Right.”
“We got married because we made a business deal.” Beta Carotene pawed at her. She petted him gently, with both hands, speaking to him instead of Jordan. “Marriage is more than a contract to my parents. It’s the most sacred thing two people in love can do to become one—a joining of souls that lasts forever. I don’t know how to tell them their only child didn’t uphold that tradition. I was bad at school. I stopped going to church. I’m an artist, not a doctor. I couldn’t—” She inhaled sharply. “It’s not you, Jordan. This is somethingIneed to work through, okay? It’snotyou.”
“Sometimes I forget how different we are, because everything feels like it works so well between us,” he said with a sad smile. “You’re right. Let’s stick to the plan and wait for the trailer.”
After a quick goodbye with Grace and Fiona, Zinnia walked Jordan outside. He set the pet crate in the middle of the seat and draped a towel over it, making sure the grates were covered. “It helps him stay calm in the car. Something about being in the dark with classical music playing works for him. He’ll yowl the whole way home otherwise.”
She nodded and handed him his to-go bag, filled with a little bit of everything and topped off with Grace’s cupcakes. They stared at each other under the streetlights for a few heartbeats too long. “You know, I really didn’t expect saying good night to feel this awkward.”
They’d gotten a small taste of living together, but that was without their friends, work, and real-life stressors affecting their relationship, like sharing a bathroom. That could destroy them!
She also thought that Jordan might want some time alone and some distance from her. Just a little breather to get his bearings.
He began winding one of her braids around his fingers. “It’s not too late to come home with us. I’ll even make waffles for breakfast.”
“Please don’t tempt me.” She replaced her braid with her hand.
“Then we’ll walk to the farmer’s market. I’ll buy whatever you want as long as it includes five foods you’ve never cooked with before. On the way home, we’ll search for recipes that have the ingredients we bought and invite Grace and Fiona over for experimental dinner.”
Zinnia blacked out for a hot second.
“Come home with us.”
Logically? She knew she needed to stay home and get settled.
But emotionally speaking? Impulsively? Her suitcases were already packed. They could’ve gone straight to his place from the airport, and she would’ve happily made herself at home.
But her entire business marriage proposal was born from the fact that life wasn’t a fairy tale. She wanted to start the next phase of her life with a foundation of planning and shared values. Driving off into the sunset on a whim was the complete opposite of that.
