Chapter 11
chapter
eleven
Henry
The minute we get home from the anniversary party, I have two choices. I can either seduce my wife or take a cold shower to take the edge off. Since I’m not quite sure she’s ready for option one, I find myself standing under freezing cold water, watching my release circle the drain.
It won’t last long, I already know that. There’s nothing that’s going to satisfy my craving until I can sink myself inside of my sweet Gracie Lynn. My Firefly.
I go to leave my bathroom, towel wrapped around my waist, only to hear sniffles and Gracie’s voice in my bedroom. I freeze, not wanting to interrupt whomever she’s talking to.
“Kinda sucks not having a person anymore. I suppose I should get used to it. I’m going to have to leave Saddle Creek and either start working for gangsters or witness a terrible crime so I can be put in the Witness Protection system. It’s the only way I’ll be able to break ties with this town.
But once the truth comes out. Once everyone knows that this whole lie was my fault, they’ll naturally take Henry’s side. I mean, I would. He’s such a good guy. The very best guy.
That’s the problem, you know? If he weren’t who he is, if he weren’t so damn lovable, this whole thing would be easier. But when these six months are done and we have to get divorced, inevitably, the truth will come out. My heart will be damaged beyond repair.”
I hear the telltale thump, thump of Bayou’s tale against the floor, and now that Gracie must be scratching my pup under her chin.
“You’re helpful to talk to, sweet girl. I’ve just always needed a sounding board, ya know?
Normally, that’s Caroline and Kelsie, but for obvious reasons, I can’t talk to them.
I tried talking to my sourdough starter, but then the whole batch didn’t turn out right.
I’m kind of afraid I bored it to death.”
And that’s my cue. I step out of the bathroom to find my wife on my bed, my dog at her feet, her big silly head propped on Gracie’s knee.
“If you’re worried you bored your sourdough starter to death, maybe stop talking to my dog. I’m rather fond of her.”
Gracie looks up and frowns. Then she grabs a pillow and flings it at me. I catch it, but in my effort, somehow dislodge my towel, which falls to the floor at my feet.
“How long were you listening?” she asks.
“A while,” is all I say.
“Why were you in the shower so long? Shaving your legs?” she quips.
I drop the pillow and walk towards my dresser. “Well, I was taking care of this,” I point to my hardening dick. “But it seems my efforts were ineffectual.”
“Henry! You are naked.”
“I’m well aware. Also, it works better to hide the view if you don’t peek through your fingers.” I grin to myself as I pull out a pair of boxers and step into them.
“I was not peeking,” she insists.
“You keep telling yourself that, Firefly, but you and I both know the truth.”
Her arms cross over her chest.
“Did you need something? That why you’re in my bedroom?
I’m not complaining, I’d rather you be in here, but you’ve spent all of the nights since Oliver moved out in that room.
” I shake my head before she can answer me.
“Nope, scratch that. You and I have some things we need to discuss before we can move forward.”
“Okay,” she says, elongating the word.
I climb up on the bed and sit across from her so I can see her face. “Gracie, I lied to you.”
She frowns. “About what?” Her hand goes to her chest. “Oh, God, are we not really married?”
“No, we’re really married. This lie was a long time ago. That night you came to me and offered me your sweet heart on a platter.”
“I don’t really want to talk about that night. I remember it all very clearly, thank you very much.”
“Maybe you do, but you don’t have all the facts.
When you asked me if I loved you too, I lied to you.
” I scrub my hand down my face. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I knew you wanted to go to college, and if I told you then how I truly felt, you would’ve stayed here.
You would have sacrificed everything for me, and I couldn’t let you do that. ”
“What are you even talking about? I was going to college regardless, you ass,” she snaps.
That makes me smile. “Let’s try to remember that we were just kids back then.”
“You were twenty!”
“I was a few weeks away from being twenty.” I wave my hand.
“You’re getting lost in the weeds. I lied to you that night because I thought I was protecting you.
Maybe I was just a damned fool. I should have told you everything and just let you make your own choices.
For that, I’m truly sorry. And fuck, I’m so damned sorry I broke your heart.
I broke mine too, you know. I wanted nothing more than to pull you into my arms and kiss you senseless.
Instead, I made that choice, which eventually led you down the path with Andrew, the asshat. ”
She snorts. “Wow, does that mean I can blame all of this mess on you?”
“If it’ll make you feel better,” I tell her. “I know I probably don’t deserve a second chance, but I’m asking for one anyway. Will you ask me again?”
Her eyes well with unshed tears and she shakes her head. “I don’t think I can say it.”
“If I recall, it went like this: ‘Henry, we’ve known each other forever and I’m pretty sure you’re my favorite person. I’m about to go off to college and I just thought maybe I’d ask before I go, if you would, maybe wait for me. Because I’m in love with you and I think we belong together.’”
She nods.
“That pretty close to what you said?”
“Yes,” she says.
“Okay, this is my real response. Gracie Lynn, you are, in fact, my very favorite person. You’re the first person I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last person I think of at night before I fall asleep.
I’m addicted to the sound of your laugh and think you’re just the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.
Of course, I’ll wait for you because you have my heart.
Once you give someone your heart, you don’t get it back.
I am definitely in love with you, and I know we belong together. ”
“Henry,” she says, her voice wobbly with emotion.
“Yeah, Firefly?”
“You love me?”
“More than anything. Maybe this marriage started as a clerical error, but as far as I’m convinced, you and I were inevitable.
Me kissing you and claiming you in the bakery that day,” I shake my head and reach for her hand.
“I’ve wanted to do that every day for the last several years.
I thought you’d changed your mind about me or that I’d broken everything.
So I used this marriage charade as a way to hopefully remind you how good we are together. ”
Her mouth meets mine and the kiss isn't gentle.
It's not the careful, for-show brush of lips we've been trading in front of other people.
This is the real thing—hot and messy and desperate, our tongues sliding together in a fight neither of us is willing to lose.
She tastes like minty toothpaste, and something sweeter underneath, something that's just her.