Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
NANCY
My husband has a good laugh. It’s rich, deep, and above all, real.
I could listen to his laugh all day long.
I could also watch him stand up to my mother every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it.
Although, I can think of about a thousand better things we could be doing with our time.
He’s laughing at a story Matt is telling involving a bull and an entire line of fresh laundry. Apparently they were finding articles of clothing for over a month.
“Came down one morning at the beginning of October to find Michael standing there with Mom’s best bra hanging from his right horn. Just munching away on hay with lingerie dangling down his face,” Karl says, his hand flapping beside his face as he does his best cow impression.
“I’ll never recover.” Matt pouts.
“From seeing your mom’s bra?” I ask, setting my fork down.
“Who wants to see their mom’s bra?” he hisses, horror-stricken.
I glance over at Karl in time to see him roll his eyes. “It’s no different than seeing her pants. Are you bothered by her pants, Matty?” Karl teases.
“No. And it’s not the same.” He turns as red as the ketchup on Karl’s plate as he avoids looking at me.
“Speaking of Mom, what do you think she’ll say when we get back?” Karl grins over at me.
Matt looks up at him like he thinks Karl’s lost his mind, then lifts his hands and starts counting off on each finger.
“First, she’s going to stare at you for about five minutes without speaking.
Then, she’s going to ask if you’re serious.
Next, she’ll have a mild freak-out, followed by hugging you both, and it’ll end with her making a big last-minute celebratory meal while asking Nancy a million questions.
And when she’s asking those questions, I’d recommend being present because I’m guessing you’ll learn a thing or two about your wife. ”
Karl laughs, nodding. “Yeah, that’s how I expect it to go.”
“A bit different than my mother,” I say, balling up my napkin and adding it to the stack of empty paper plates in the center of the table. “What’s it like to not be a constant disappointment to the woman who apparently gave birth to you?”
Karl and Matt exchange looks of pity, and he takes my hand. “You’ll see, but it’s pretty great.”
A fresh burst of nerves bubbles up in my stomach, but the longer Karl holds my gaze, the more I feel them begin to settle.
It seems so odd to me that I’ve known him for only a few days, and yet I could draw those eyes from memory.
I could tell you that there are three crow's feet coming off his left eye and five off his right. I can close my eyes and see where his stubble doesn’t quite grow all the way in on a spot on the left side of his jaw.
I barely register Matt saying that he’s going to get dumplings. For the first time in my life, I don’t even want one. I just want to look at Karl. I want to be able to know everything about him right now.
“Are you nervous?” he murmurs, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear.
I should be nervous. I should be absolutely terrified that tomorrow I’m going to be meeting my in-laws for the first time.
Should be worried about what it means if things don’t go as well as Matt and Karl seem to think they will.
What if there’s a big fight about me? I can imagine being called ridiculous and silly and accused of being childish.
But those are echoes of my mother. Years of being made to feel like I wasn’t good enough because I didn’t live up to standards I never agreed to.
Finally, I swallow and take a steadying breath. “No, and I’m not sure what that means.” I drop my hand to my stomach, feeling the absence of a disconcerting tug. “But you know what? I’m not going to question it,” I confess, letting myself embrace this sudden wave of confidence.
Karl’s hand curls into my hair, and he pulls me to him, his lips meeting mine halfway.
Every last bubble of nervous energy evaporates as his tongue slides alongside mine.
He breaks away far too soon, dropping his forehead gently to mine.
“They’re going to love you,” he breathes, and I silently wonder how that’s possible when I don’t even understand how he could possibly love me yet.
I married a guy I don’t love. No, I married a guy I don’t love yet, but I don’t doubt that I could love this man.
I could definitely fall in love with Karl Hore.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I come bearing hot dumplings,” Matt announces, sitting and sliding two steaming pastries across the table for us.
We break apart and thank him as we dig in, blowing on the first few bites so as to not give ourselves third-degree burns.
At one point, I look up from my half-eaten, still piping hot dumpling to see Karl’s eyes on me, a serene look on his face, mine heating under his gaze.
Matt clears his throat, and we both glance over at him to see that he’s blushing too. “They’ll see it.”
“What?” I ask, looking between the two brothers.
He uses his fork to point at us. “Whatever this is, they’ll see it. If I can see it, they will.” Before I have a chance to ask what exactly it is he sees, he’s rising from the table. “I’ll see you back at the trailer.” Then he’s striding away.
“What was that about?” I mumble.
Karl’s hand wraps around my inner thigh, and he gives it a little squeeze. “No idea.”
Gentle kisses brush my eyelids, easing me awake. I open my eyes to Karl, smiling down at me, fully dressed.
“What time is it?” I ask, wiping sleep from my eyes.
“Time to head out,” he replies quietly, as if he doesn’t want me to wake up anymore. But I jolt upright despite his calming presence. “Relax.” He sits beside me, laying his hand gently on my shoulder. “Take your time. Matt’s already gone with the girls.”
“Karl, what time is it?”
“After eleven.” He chuckles, no doubt because of how shocked I look.
“No way,” I whisper in disbelief.
“When’s the last time you slept in until eleven?” he asks.
I think for a minute, shaking my head when I realize I’ve never slept in until eleven. “Not once in my memory have I slept until eleven.” I laugh. “I’m guessing it’s not likely to happen again after today.”
Karl pulls me in for a kiss. “You can sleep however you’d like.
I chose this career. I don’t expect you to keep my sleep schedule.
” His minty breath washes over my lips, and I pull back and cover my mouth in horror.
“Nah, don’t be like that,” he whispers, bringing my mouth back to his. “Your morning breath is delightful.”
“You’re a liar, Karl Hore.” I scoff, shoving him gently so I can get myself out of bed, but the minute I’m on my feet, he pulls me back onto his lap.
“The fact you have morning breath proves you’re real, and I happen to like that very much.”
I take his face between my hands and smile down at him. “You’re quite the romantic. Has anyone ever told you that?”
He shakes his head. “Not once, but then again, I only just met the woman I have ever wanted to be romantic with.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” he says against my throat, his lips working their way up to my jaw, chills fanning out across my skin, reaching places they have no business reaching right now.
“I’m going to hold you to that, husband.” I sigh, slipping my hand into his hair.
“You fucking better, wife,” he growls.