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Each.

It didn’t sound like much, calculated that way. Not when you heard about more expensive drugs on the news, some cost thousands, but when you rolled it into the monthly total? Eight hundred dollars seemed like a lot. That waswithmy insurance. Which also cost me another five hundred dollars a month. For little to no actual benefit. I scowled. At least I could cancel that expense now I was going on Jimmy’s plan. My co-pay for a month’s supply was about the cost of a cup of coffee on his insurance. The disparity in what was considered ‘insurance’ made my head hurt. Someone was still paying the tab. In this case, the city paid most of his bills. Jimmy put his life on the line for the citizens of Tacoma, it was only fair they’d take care of him in return.

I was sipping on my coffee when I got his text.

Jimmy: How are you feeling? Do you want to come over here today? I’ll cook dinner tonight.

Melena: I’m good, and YES. What time?

Jimmy: As soon as you’re around. I was hoping we could look at listings today if you’re up for it.

It was sweet that he wanted to spend the day together, but I bet it had everything to do with my dizzy episode last night. Remembering his almost-striptease made my heart beat faster.Stop it.I rubbed my misbehaving heart. Jimmy was going to have to become less of a heartthrob if I was going to survive our marriage. Maybe continuous exposure would do the trick. If I oversaturated myself in Jimmy, would his kisses still have the same effect? Somewhere out there, Lisa was cackling at my bullshit.

Jimmy’s kisses had drawn me into a marriage I wouldn’t have touched four years ago. Then, I wouldn’t have wanted to give an ounce of control. Dylan dumping me still stung. I would have drowned in debt rather than give up my pride. Four years of lonely reality had blunted some of those rough edges and marrying Jimmy didn’t feel like the compromise of my principles I thought it would be. He was too pure. The man needed to screw up a bit so I remembered he was human. Right now, he was the perfect package: sexy, sweet, and someone I could love. I pushed aside the whisper that he was also someone who could hurt me badly.

I debated what to wear to Jimmy’s. What did one wear to see one’s husband for the second time? I felt like a Victorian miss; even showing my ankles was out, because the temperature had dropped near freezing. Yesterday’s nice weather was gone, and a windy, misty South Sound Sunday had taken its place.

Jimmy smiled as he opened the door to me. He moved in for a kiss, then seemed to think better of it and bussed my cheek instead. Stupid heart. It still beat faster at the contact. However, the rest of me was disappointed at the muted welcome. Mr. Perfect only held the title if he wanted me as much as I wanted him. Maybe I was the only one lusting after a more perfect union.

“Hey. Thanks for coming here. I’m making us a pot roast beef stroganoff, and it has to spend most of the day in the oven if we want it to be tender.”

My mouth watered thinking about it as we wandered into the kitchen. It already smelled heavenly. Hints of rosemary and garlic hung in the air. “Is this one of your grandmother’s recipes? The meal you made the other night was amazing, and stroganoff sounds complicated.”

His smile turned sad. “My Gran was a great cook, but also tough. She didn’t believe in a free ride. I started out with dishes before graduating to cooking my own recipes. This was one of the first things I mastered on my own.”

“Well, all that time paid off. You said ‘was,’ when did she pass away?”

“About five years ago.”

I reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks. She was our rock. My folks were deployed for most of our high school years; we were glad to have Gran to watch us.”

“That must have been tough. Did you get to talk with your parents much while they were gone?”

He shrugged. “When they found the time.”

I didn’t know how to react to his statement. “Have you told your parents about our marriage?”

He shook his head. “No. We don’t speak often. They’re in Korea now, but I expect to talk to them in a few weeks. I’ll tell them then.” He seemed to realize there was subtext to my question. “What about you?”

I cleared my throat and mustered a smile. “Funny story. I got a call from my mom this morning. She was upset to learn via social media that I was married.”

He winced. “Ah. Chase or Andi?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. She was too busy berating me to share her source; I just know there were wedding photos tagging me.”

“Sorry. I didn’t think to say anything to them.”

“Me neither. But now we’ll have a lot to say to my parents. Mostly me groveling. I told them we’d call tonight,” I admitted.

He nodded and my shoulders relaxed at his easygoing response. I should have known Jimmy wouldn’t be into I-told-you-so’s. “Sure. We’re going to call; we’re not going to visit?”

“They live on the east side of Washington. This time of year, the pass is dicey, even if we did want to make the drive. However, prepare yourself for an intense phone call.”

His gaze searched my face. “What do you want to tell them?”

I sighed. “A slimmed down version of the truth; we’ve been dating and decided to marry suddenly. That we’re searching for a house together.”