Page 42 of Keeping My Wife
“You already did.” She turned in my arms, wiggling her fingers.
“That’s just part one.”
“Don’t be too long.” My mom patted my cheek. “You can have your wedding night later.”
I flushed and Maxie laughed, before hiding her face in my chest.
“Okay, let’s let these lovebirds be.” My dad clapped me on my shoulder, then kissed Maxie’s cheek. “Welcome to the family, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Joe.”
We waved as everyone got in their cars.
She started to go up the stairs.
“Nope. This way.”
“I’m freezing.”
Just a few more minutes. I promise.”
She rubbed her hands together. “Okay, okay. Lead the way.”
When we rounded the house, she gave me a quizzical look. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
“I want to know.”
“Patience, wife.”
She shivered. “You’ve been calling me that off and on for weeks now, why does it feel so different now?”
“Because you finally believe it.” I drew her down the winding path to the little cottage.
“Cam? What are we...” She covered her mouth and her eyes shone.
“So, my family and I did a little thing.” I urged her forward and opened the door.
“Cameron Murdock!”
I wrapped my arm around her and turned her into me, then up into my arms. She gasped and gripped my shoulder.
“Gotta carry you over the threshold, right?”
She laughed and hugged me.
“Now, we can change anything you don’t li?—”
“Don’t you dare. It’s perfect.”
I set her down. “Don’t look too closely. It still needs a lot of work.”
She drew her fingers over the ruby colored couch in the small living room. A quilt from my mother was folded over the arm. Then she wandered over to the reading nook. Her gaze bouncing around the room as she tried to take it all in. She touched the books I moved over last night. “How did you do this without me knowing?”
“It wasn’t easy. But luckily, you’ve been pretty distracted with all the plans for the bed and breakfast.”
She rushed over and threw herself in my arms. “No one has ever done anything like this for me.”
