Page 91 of The Marriage Narrative
Backyards were a hot commodity on the rental market and had a stifling amount of rules, like no clotheslines and kiddie pools only. Their townhouse came with a deck big enough for a table and a few chairs. The steps led down to a decent-sized patch of clover lawn bordered by shrubbery and a nice wooden fence.
“That cat sheds like he’s going bald. I had to clean your sheets twice a week.” Grace returned to her workstation and washed her hands. “Fi wants a cat now. I spared you from all the daily animal shelter links.”
Zinnia would’ve rather gotten them. She leaned against the counter and asked, “Chocolate crème cupcakes?”
“It’s your Hostess Knockoff Special recipe.”
“Interesting choice.”
Because they were presumably for Jordan. He loved chocolate, not Zinnia.
When he came back inside, she took him upstairs to her room—the biggest one in the townhouse, but that wasn’t saying much. She used the walk-in closet to store Find Your Zin’s inventory, adding multiple floor-to-ceiling shelves and clear plastic storage containers to hold everything. Her design and packing station ran along the wall right next to it. Laptop, tablet, printers, and mailing supplies were all neatly slotted together like Tetris blocks on her small desk, which itself was connected to a bookshelf filled with front stock.
There was barely enough space left for her hanging wardrobe rack, small dresser that doubled as her nightstand, and full-size bed—that she immediately starfish belly flopped on.
Beta Carotene silently joined her and stretched out in a sphinx pose. She still couldn’t get over the fact that fully standing upright, he was taller than a toddler.
“He really did get comfortable here.” Jordan was inspecting her collection of orange-themed souvenirs and ceramic tchotchkes.
She suggestively tapped the empty space next to them.
“If I lie down, I’m not getting back up.”
“Failing to see the problem with that.”
He pointed to the closet. “Shop in there?”
“Light switch is on the left side.” She slumped onto the bed with a pout. All that affection she’d gotten used to better not stop with no cameras around—she’d likely wither and die without it. Not to mention that they kept having thesemomentswhere it seemed like they were going to kiss again. Shesawthe intention in his eyes,feltit in his body and hers, and then…it didn’t happen.
Jordan gasped. “There’s so much! I don’t know where to lookfirst.” He comically spun in an overstimulated circle inside the closet.
“You’ve seen my art before.”
“Yeah, but I’ve never beensurroundedby it,my god—this is the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” He stared at her in wonder, holding up a Halloween-themed sticker pack of costumed anglerfish.
“Jordan,please.” She slammed her burning face into a pillow to hide it. Better for him to think she was annoyed, because smiling would only encourage him.
Sometimes she liked to work with animals that existed outside of the cute index. Standard pets, bears, penguins, farm animals were all well and good and expected, but making a shoebill stork adorable without destroying its menacing edge took skill.
Beta Carotene nudged her shoulder.
“Yes?” Her gaze shifted to Jordan, now holding a tray of sticky tabs and matching pen sets while using his phone. “What are you doing?”
“Placing an order.”
“Why?” She propped herself up on one arm. Literally nothing in there matched hisI’m a serious businessmanstyle. “You can just take whatever you want.”
“I will not.” He frowned at her. “It’s for wholesale. Tantivy has a sizeable teenage customer base and partners with high school seniors for community literacy tutoring every other Saturday. Theylovestuff like this. Do you make planners?”
“Back right corner.”
He shouted again. “Andsticky notes?! Incredible. You’re a design wizard—a genius.”
“Actually, most designers are working from the same basic template. The art is what makes them original.”
“And you’ve got that in the bag. You’re truly exceptionally talented, Zin.”
“I’m a normal amount of talented, thank you.”
