49. He Kissed His Wife
He Kissed His Wife
Toby
My phone buzzed in my back pocket.
There couldn’t be a worse time to get a call—except in the middle of a whiz or something. My hands were full. Not with… that . Shopping.
Noah faced the world head-on, riding high in his baby carrier and charming all the ladies with his four-chomper smile.
He had everyone in Paper Depot falling all over themselves to help us.
Still, even with my little Casanova occupied, I struggled to balance the freshly printed clinic books, a bunch of flowers, and bags of surprises.
My phone kept buzzing. I glanced behind me at the never-ending waiting line for the cashier. Crap . But what if Gwen was calling?
I was already fishing my phone out of my pocket when I dumped my bags at my feet and scooted them to the side with the toe of my dress shoe. I mouthed a quick apology to the cashier and stepped out of the way so she could serve the next customer.
I glanced at my phone. All the warm fuzzies burst to life in my chest. My lady. And a video call!
I hit accept and spun around. Nothing got past Gwen. She’d dissect all the background noise to figure out I was in a store, but with a blank wall behind me, at least her eagle eyes wouldn’t be able to spoil all my surprises.
I fought to keep the grin off my face, but it was impossible. I waved hello. “My fair lady.” I bowed with a flourish.
Gwen smiled, but it seemed like an effort. “Hey.”
“Is everything alright—” Noah’s chubby mitts snatched at my phone. He was a menace. “Whoops.” I laughed, lowering the phone so Gwen could see his little face scrunched up with determination. He wanted in on the action. “Can’t forget my wingman. Say ‘hi’ to Mama!”
The baby babbles were endless.
“Hey, little man!” Gwen’s face brightened, but only for a second. Her brows pinched together. “Where are you guys?”
Yup. Called it. Eagle eyes. I bent down closer to Noah. “Don’t breathe a word,” I whispered loudly to him. “Mama can’t find out we’re on secret shopping business.” I winked at my phone.
Gwen never gave much away, but I spotted the pop of her eyebrow. “Secret shopping business, huh?”
“Yup. We’ve had a busy morning of scheming.” It was hard to keep the mood light when her eyebrows stayed so wrinkled. Something was on her mind. “How’s work? Busy?”
“Work’s… boring .” She sighed.
“One of your bosses getting you down?”
“Eli’s got his nose stuck in a thousand spreadsheets. His secretary told me he hasn’t moved from his desk since ten o’clock last night. And I haven’t seen the blond one since he breezed past me, whinging about how I was late again on his Tuesday.” She rolled her eyes.
“You were late getting to work?” I tried to focus my attention on Gwen even though Noah babbled up a storm. “Was there an accident on the road…or…?”
“Oh… No. I, uh… I had an appointment.”
“Sounds shady.” It sounded serious , but I covered up my worry with a hundred questions. “You doing some secret shopping business of your own, doll? New outfit? Pedicure?” I grinned. “I like it when you get those sparkly toenails.”
“Nothing like that.”
“You need to keep it a secret?”
“No… I don’t want there to be secrets between us… Other than secret shopping business, of course.” A smirk twitched the corner of her lips.
“You’re still mulling it over? Figuring it out?” Sometimes, it took Gwen time to get comfortable with new ideas. I didn’t want to push her too hard. “Tell me when you’re ready.”
“I will.” She smiled, but it still seemed sad . “I miss you guys.”
“We miss you, too.” I swallowed. Would Gwen ever understand how much I missed her when she wasn’t around? “We’re not far away… If, um…” I shrugged, suddenly too nervous to look at the phone. “Wanna hang out with some cool dudes in the park for lunch?”
“You guys are in the city?”
“Yup. We’re up to mischief. Well, Noah is.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m just here chaperoning while he charms old ladies. I’ve, um…you know…” I shrugged. “I’ve got the picnic blanket in the back of the car. I can grab it and head to Hyde Park… If you’re free…”
“The weather’s nice today. But aren’t you busy?”
“I’m never too busy for you. I’d love to see you.”
Was I imagining that her cheeks flushed a little pinker? “Okay,” she said. “One thirty?”
“Seriously?”
She nodded.
“Yeah!” I pumped my fist. “This is— yeah —awesome! Hyde Park at one thirty! See you then.”
Gwen waved goodbye.
“Alright,” I said to Noah. “We better hit the accelerator. Time to see yo’ mama!”
I managed to Tetris all the bags off the floor, and I shuffled back in the cashier’s line to pay for Gwen’s present—a year’s worth of clinic books, all professionally printed and bound.
The lady who’d helped me use the printer with forty thousand buttons had suggested that a better present would be a pretty piece of jewelry.
I’d grunted a laugh. She didn’t know my wife.
Gwen would go all starry-eyed the second she saw those books.
Poring over accounts looking for clues may not have been anyone else’s idea of fun, but Gwen loved solving mysteries.
I’d stopped by the jeweler just in case, though.
And the florist.
And the bakery.
And the store with pajamas that cost a bomb, but hey, the fluffy set was soft and looked cozy.
Had I gone overboard?
Completely. Absolutely. Yes.
I’d always held back spoiling Gwen too much and battled myself to stop being too intense.
I knew I was a lot. But screw trying to be someone I wasn’t anymore.
That stoic shit was for my parents, and, just quietly, they’d been miserable for years before Dad died. I didn’t want a marriage like theirs.
I’d nearly lost Gwen once. She’d agreed to go all in . It was time to love her how I’d always wanted to—completely, absolutely, yes.
I headed down the elevator to the parking garage. Other than the occasional flick of headlights from other shoppers scouting a space, it was deserted.
The sound of my shoes on the concrete floor bounced in echoes. The scuffle of sneakers followed.
I tossed a look over my shoulder, but there was nothing but blank gray walls in every direction. I stopped, cocking my head, listening.
Nothing. Silence.
Huh .
I must have imagined it.
Once I’d dumped the shopping bags in the trunk, I unstrapped Noah for a quick diaper change and stuffed around grabbing the baby bag, picnic blanket, and the zebra he’d claimed at Zach’s place.
Maree had knitted it for Alfie, but he’d never taken to it.
Noah was obsessed with that thing. His legs kicked, and his excited coos almost drowned out the sound of the shoes.
Almost.
I stood up, my hand braced on the roof of the car, eyebrows furrowed as I peered between the parking spaces.
No one.
But the sound echoed. It was like a mouse scurrying from car to car…but…in sneakers. Uneasiness twitched at my nerves. The parking lot was giving me the heebie-jeebies.
Time to go.
Once Noah was safely strapped against my chest, slobbering on his zebra’s ear, and the blanket was tucked under my arm, I shot a quick text to Gwen on my way back to the elevator.
Toby
Can’t wait to see you.
Love you.
Grinning, I hit send on a few love hearts, too.
My smile faded when a message from an unknown number popped up in my notifications.
Unknown
Do you think you can just forget about me?
Avoid me?
Pretend you didn’t take everything from me?
I didn’t think twice.
I took a screenshot of the messages and sent them straight to the detective with the sunburnt nose.
Yes, Kayleigh Roberts, I absolutely will forget about you.
I’d fanned the picnic blanket out on the grass, the rows of red plaid neatly spread out and covered with enough lunch to feed an army.
Noah had already stuffed himself with blueberries and was showing off his best ninja rolls, desperate to get his little paws on the juices and sandwiches I’d bought.
God help us when that kid learns to crawl.
He was fast and determined—the best of me and his perfect mum.
When I finally spotted Gwen walking up the path, I jumped up, waving. She hit the grass with a grimace. Her heels sank, and she wobbled a bit, left then right, trying to figure out how to cross with a bit of dignity.
I jogged over and crouched beside her. I tapped her foot. Her gaze whipped down, surprised, but I reassured her with a smile.
“Shoes off,” I commanded softly.
Gwen lifted her foot. I slipped off her heel, and then we repeated the dance. She was barefoot on the grass, and maybe I let my fingers trace the soft curve of her ankle a little too long, but I couldn’t help it. Every bit of her was so… lovely.
I cleared my throat. “Finally,” I declared dramatically. “It’s time to fulfill my knightly duties!”
“Your wha—?” Gwen squealed when I surprised her by scooping her in my arms bridal-style and shuttling her across the grass. “Put me down!” She wriggled, but it was no use. She was all mine for now. “People will see!”
Like I cared. “No one’s even here.” I shushed her. “There’s just some inked-up dude in a suit and an old lady with a yappy dog.”
Gwen gave me the stink eye when I carefully dropped her on the blanket. Noah was already demanding cuddles, and he tugged himself up, arms around her neck, burbling laughs when she lifted him to blow a raspberry on his belly.
I dumped her shoes, and after I pointed across the park to distract her, I popped a kiss on her cheek.
Shy, she ducked her head. “Toby…”
“Sorry, not sorry. Be glad we’re still protecting my virtue, my lady, otherwise…” I teased her with a raised eyebrow.
“You’re terrible, you know that?”
“Yes. I am Tobias the Terrible. And I’ll pillage your…”
Er…
Well, I hadn’t thought that through. Nothing clever popped into my mind, so I winked, and Gwen filled in the blank all by herself. She flamed red all over. I loved when she let her guard down like that. Only I got to see that side of her.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be so…” Gwen motioned at the suit—minus the jacket and tie I’d ditched on the front seat of the car hours ago.