“Please don’t speak.” Garner held up his hand to shush him, then lowered it into his lap. Swaying slightly in his chair, he stared at the wall behind them, his eyes unfocused. “I need to meditate now,” he said in a calm tone, like Mr. Rogers.
“We actually stopped by because we wanted you to draw up a will,” said Cole.
Garner closed his eyes and made a humming noise through his nose.
“Oh, and we want to do away with that prenuptial agreement, too.”
The humming noise got louder, pausing only when he stopped to take a breath.
“Maybe we should go,” Brooke whispered. “I think Nicole is getting hungry.”
Cole helped her stand up, the baby still safely nestled in the wrap. “Should we do anything about him? You think he’s okay?”
Brooke shrugged and circled her finger at her temple, making the crazy sign. “He seems really stressed.”
“Maybe he needs counseling.” Cole wagged his eyebrows. “You should leave him one of your new cards.”
(Ten months later)
“MAY I HAVE this dance, Mrs. Miller?” Cole bowed, gallantly holding out his hand.
“Why yes, Mr. Miller, I’d love to dance.” Brooke relaxed in Cole’s confident arms as he led her around the dance floor in a two-step. He looked amazing, as he always did in his tuxedo, custom cut to allow for his broad shoulders and narrow hips. When the music slowed, he pulled her close, and she let her left hand rest on the hard planes of his chest.
“I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half since we got married in Vegas,” he said, bending to nuzzle her neck, an act which never failed to send chills down her spine.
“Mmmm… You’d better stop that or I’m not going to want to stay until they leave in the limo.”
“Great idea! They’ll never miss us.” Cole nibbled on her ear. “Jarrett hasn’t taken his eyes off his bride since he got here.”
She gave him a playful slap on his arm. “Everyone else will miss us. We can’t go upstairs early.”
“We only have one night away from Nicole. We need to take advantage of every minute.”
She pushed her lip out. “Don’t you miss your daughter?”
“You know I do.” He squeezed her with his arms and bent his back to lift her off the floor and twirl in a circle, leaving her laughing and breathless. “I’m the one who watched the video your mom sent, three times during dinner. She’s walking so well, she’ll probably be running by the time we get home.”
“Do you ever regret staying married to me?”
It was a game, and Cole knew the rules.
“Not usually. Most of the time, you’re a pretty incredible wife.”
“Most of the time?” She feigned anger. “What about the rest of the time?”
“When you’re not incredible, you’re perfect, and that’s a problem.”
“You don’t think you’re lucky, having a perfect wife?”
“There’s such a thing as being too perfect,” he said. “It’s intimidating. A guy like me needs a woman who worships at his feet.”
“But I do. Who could resist worshiping those boots? They’re almost older than I am.”
“Well, then… I suppose I don’t regret staying married to you, after all. Though I have to say, I wouldn’t want to repeat those first five months. Like the night I slept next to you and couldn’t touch you. That was about the worst torture I’ve ever endured. Worse than when I tripped and landed butt-first on that cactus.”
She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed together. Everything felt right with the world.
“Cole, you know how we talked about how many kids you want to have? And you said four, and I said two at the most?”
“Yes.” He kissed her cheek. “But I was only teasing. I’ll be happy with however many you want.”
“Well, I’ve decided three is a good compromise.”
“I already offered to let you drag me off to our room early.” He grinned, his delicious dimples winking at her. “Did you want to start that second one tonight?”
“Actually, that second one started about six weeks ago.”
He froze, mouth dropping open. “Are you serious?”
She nodded. “It’s early, so don’t—”
He swallowed her objections with a kiss that curled her toes. Laughing like a wild man, he lifted her again to spin in a circle. Then, he froze and let her slide to the floor.
“Did that hurt you? Or the baby?” he whispered, his brows bunched in a knot.
“No. I love it.” She giggled. “I love you.”
