Chapter 15 Dreaming About Tomorrow #2
Emma looked between Alex and Jamie before noticing the shopping bags.
"You already went shopping together."
"We did."
Emma nodded dramatically.
"And let me guess."
She pointed toward Jamie.
"He remembered the grocery list."
Jamie smiled.
"Yes."
She pointed toward Alex.
"And you remembered absolutely nothing."
Alex looked offended.
"I remembered to bring the reusable bags."
Emma stared at him for a moment.
"Congratulations."
Jamie burst into laughter.
Mrs. Harper patted Emma's arm.
"He's trying."
"He really is."
Emma grinned before turning toward Jamie.
"Honestly, you're basically his wife."
Jamie covered his face with one hand.
"Emma."
"What?"
"I'm right."
Mrs. Harper nodded in agreement.
"He certainly takes wonderful care of him."
Jamie laughed awkwardly.
"I just like cooking."
"And organizing."
Emma counted on her fingers.
"And reminding him about appointments."
"And making sure he sleeps."
"And packing lunches."
"And buying him vitamins because he forgets."
Jamie looked helplessly toward Alex.
"Please save me."
For months, Alex would have denied the teasing immediately.
He would've laughed it off.
Changed the subject.
Pretended the joke made him uncomfortable.
Today, he simply looked at Jamie.
Jamie's cheeks were pink.
His arms were full of grocery bags.
A loose strand of hair had escaped the clip holding it back.
He looked completely adorable trying not to smile.
Alex felt warmth spread quietly through his chest.
Without thinking very much, he stepped closer.
One of the grocery bags slipped gently from Jamie's hand as Alex reached over and took it.
"Our groceries," Alex corrected lightly.
Emma blinked.
"What?"
Alex smiled.
"Our groceries."
He looked at Jamie before continuing in a voice only slightly louder than usual.
"And yes..."
His smile became softer.
"...he takes very good care of me."
Jamie stared at him.
Mrs. Harper exchanged a delighted look with Emma.
Emma folded her arms expectantly.
"That's all you're going to say?"
Alex laughed quietly.
"What else do you want?"
"The answer."
"What answer?"
Mrs. Harper smiled over her knitting.
"The one everyone's been waiting for."
Alex looked from Mrs. Harper to Emma before finally turning toward Jamie again.
Jamie looked almost nervous.
As though he still expected Alex to retreat.
To become embarrassed.
To deny everything.
Instead, Alex smiled with quiet affection.
"You know..."
He reached over and gently brushed Jamie's fingers with his own.
"I've been thinking."
Jamie tilted his head.
"About what?"
Alex's eyes never left his.
"I don't actually mind the nickname anymore."
Emma gasped dramatically.
"I knew it."
Jamie looked adorably confused.
"What nickname?"
Alex leaned closer.
"The one they keep teasing us about."
Jamie's heartbeat instantly quickened.
Alex lowered his voice until only Jamie could hear.
"I think..."
A smile tugged gently at the corner of his mouth.
"...my wife should probably stop buying pastries every single weekend."
For a heartbeat, Jamie simply stared at him.
His entire face slowly turned bright red.
"Alex."
The name escaped as little more than a whisper.
Alex chuckled.
"What?"
"You can't just..."
Jamie looked around nervously.
"...say that."
"I just did."
Emma immediately looked between them.
"What did he say?"
Jamie covered his burning face.
"Nothing."
Alex looked entirely too pleased with himself.
"I don't think it was nothing."
Mrs. Harper laughed warmly.
"I haven't seen Jamie blush like that in months."
Jamie groaned softly.
"Can we please go upstairs now?"
Emma pointed toward Alex.
"You absolutely called him something."
Alex only smiled.
"Maybe."
Jamie gently tugged on Alex's sleeve.
"Please."
Alex finally took pity on him.
"Come on."
Still smiling, he picked up the remaining grocery bags.
They said goodbye before heading upstairs together.
The moment the apartment door closed behind them, Jamie set his bags on the kitchen counter before turning around.
"You planned that."
Alex looked wonderfully innocent.
"Planned what?"
"The nickname."
"I honestly didn't."
Jamie narrowed his eyes.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Alex laughed.
"It just..."
He searched for the right words.
"...felt right."
Jamie looked down shyly.
"You embarrassed me."
"I know."
"You enjoyed it."
"I definitely enjoyed it."
Jamie tried very hard to look annoyed.
He lasted less than five seconds before smiling.
"You really called me that."
"I did."
Jamie walked over until they stood only inches apart.
"I thought hearing that word would always remind me of the day we fought."
Alex gently cupped Jamie's face.
"I'll never let it mean that again."
His thumb brushed lightly across Jamie's cheek.
"When I said it today..."
He smiled softly.
"...I wasn't teasing you."
Jamie's breath caught.
"I know."
"I wasn't trying to label you."
"I know."
"I was thinking about everything that word means to me."
Jamie looked into his eyes.
"And what does it mean?"
Alex didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he rested his forehead against Jamie's.
"It means home."
"It means choosing each other."
"It means partnership."
"It means the person I want to laugh with after difficult days."
"The person I want to celebrate every success with."
"The person I want to grow old beside."
Jamie's eyes filled with tears.
"So when I called you that..."
Alex smiled gently.
"...I wasn't joking."
Jamie wrapped both arms around Alex's waist.
"I don't mind hearing it from you."
Alex kissed his forehead.
"Only from me."
Jamie laughed.
"Very possessive."
"I've earned it."
"I suppose you have."
That evening, after dinner, Jamie carefully returned his grandmother's recipe notebook to its usual place on the bookshelf.
He paused for a long moment, gently resting his fingertips against its worn leather cover.
For months, the word wife had lived inside his heart as an impossible dream.
Then it had become a joke shared by friends.
After that, it had become the source of the deepest hurt he had ever experienced.
Now...
Now it had become something entirely different.
Not because of what the word itself meant.
But because of the love behind the voice that had spoken it.
Alex hadn't used it to define him.
He had used it to promise that Jamie belonged beside him.
Jamie looked toward the living room where Alex was reading through construction plans with his glasses slipping down his nose.
The sight made him smile.
Alex looked up immediately.
"What?"
Jamie walked over without answering.
He leaned down and kissed Alex gently before whispering near his ear.
"Goodnight."
Alex smiled in surprise.
"It's only nine."
"I know."
Jamie laughed softly.
"I just wanted to kiss my very stubborn boyfriend."
Alex caught his hand before he could walk away.
"My wife."
Jamie felt warmth spread through his entire chest.
This time he didn't blush from embarrassment.
He smiled.
Because for the first time, the word no longer sounded like a joke.
It sounded like a promise of every tomorrow they would build together.
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