Page 98 of The Mystery of the Bones
I smiled and rolled my eyes playfully. “Yeah, I know. Your heart is too pure.” I stared at the humble number of wrapped packages under the tree. “Well, when in Rome.” I grabbed one and offered it.
“Second Christmas in a row we didn’t do so well on the gift-giving front.”
“Third time’s the charm.” I watched Calvin take the small box with a knowing expression on his face. “That’s from me,” I added.
“I’d certainly hope it’s from you.”
“There were nurses fighting over who got to take your temperature at the hospital,” I stated as Calvin tore the Emporium gift wrap from the jewelry box.
“Stop,” he said with a chuckle.
“I had to sleep with one eye open at your side. I thought for sure they were going to take me out in order to be your future plus-one.”
Calvin snapped open the box and stared at the contents.
I glanced between him and the ring. “Is something wrong with it?”
“What?” He looked at me, distracted.
“I told the jeweler you wanted matte like mine.” I held my hand up against the box. “I warned him I couldn’t see color.”
“No,” Calvin quickly answered. “This is perfect.” His Adam’s apple jumped a little as he tugged the wedding band free and put it on.
I shifted sideways to stare head-on at Calvin. “We have to be at the City Clerk’s Office tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.”
“I didn’t want to say anything negative about the wedding,” Calvin replied, looking at me with the sweetest, most easygoing smile I’d seen all month. “Because you were trying so hard. But I’m really glad we’re skipping the ceremony.”
“You and me both. I think our sort of romance runs in a different vein,” I replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? How’s that?”
I leaned back on my hands. “Crimes, clues, my hunky husband telling me to stop, but secretly, he kind of enjoys my sleuthing…. It’s romantic.”
Calvin snorted and laughed. “That’snotromantic, baby.”
“No?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong.”
Calvin reached out, tugged my sweater to pull me back in, and kissed my mouth. “Thisis romantic,” Calvin whispered. “Us. Here. Merry Christmas, Sebastian.”
“Merry Christmas, Calvin.”
