Page 27 of Forever Fallen

“What are we having? I don’t like onions, so whatever it is – leave those out. How about you make a nice meatloaf? Do you know how to bake from scratch?”

“How about I don’t run you over the second you are in front of my car?”

*rap, rap, rap!*

“Seriously, dude… class?” Armadillo hollered again, looking down in the passenger side window of her car and frowning at the two of them.

Sophie held up a finger to indicate to give them one minute, and the ostentatious cowboy actually tapped the face of his watch at her.

Ryan ignored him blatantly, not turning around once.

“Look, if you aren’t going to do your wifely duties and share my bed? You could at least cook dinner. I don’t think that’s a lot to ask,” Ryan said flatly, his mouth set in a mulish line.

“That’s it…” she snapped, leaning over him bodily and reaching for the passenger side handle, opening the door, only to keep from bashing him in the head or gouging out an eyeball.

She angrily grabbed Ryan by the face, pinching his cheeks to pucker his mouth, and gave him a quick peck before he could jerk back or say anything.

Smiling sweetly at Armadillo, she waved.

“My man is all yours for the day!” she called out in a falsetto, sing-song voice that sounded fake – even to her. “Have a good day,Snookems…”

“Ohhhh boy,” Armadillo blurted out, laughing. “C’mon,Snookems…”

“Five tonight… meat, potatoes, and some hot rolls,” Ryan whispered loudly, as he got out of the car in a quick motion.

“Six… and you might get cereal!”

“That bad of a cook? I’m serious,wife. Whip up a roast or something appropriate for the man of the house… and hot rolls. I’m a bread-guy. I’d like rolls at every meal,” Ryan announced, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her arrogantly.

Armadillo was cracking up laughing and shut the car door pointedly to keep Ryan from saying anything else. The cowboy was trying to save his friend from butchering the relationship… that wasn’t one, according to Ryan.

Armadillo waved politely, before giving Ryan a shove towards the building.

Ryan’s eyes followed her as well as his tight, controlled expression. He looked pissed off, like he was stewing over her lack of culinary skills. What an annoying, stubborn…pig!she railed silently.

Irate, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the funeral home… boiling angry and tempted to divorce him prior to Friday at this point.

As she got to the stop light, it hit her.

He’d done it again.

Ryan was deliberately provoking her in order for her to get her mind off of what was coming today… and it might have worked if he hadn’t done this trick on her already.

Gosh, he sure could play the part of sexist and annoying male awfully well, infuriating her. But why would he do that? Was it because he was worried about her?

As she pulled up in front of the funeral home, she clung to those confusing swirling emotions as an anchor in the oncoming storm.

* * *

Two hours later,Sophie had to excuse herself to go to the bathroom, sobbing pathetically. There was the casket, the satin colors, the flowers, the music, photos… and it was all too much mentally to deal with.

She felt so fragile right now.

“Mrs. Merrick?” the funeral home director knocked on the door. “I am so sorry to bother you, but you have an urgent call. They said it was an emergency.”

“What?” Sophie choked out in disbelief, wondering what else could be trashed in her life.

It took her a moment to realize thatshewas Mrs. Merrick…

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