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“No problem at all, my love.” I kissed her head. “Just thinking we’ll have to refill your snack pantry soon.”

“Yes. We’ll head out when the storm breaks. I’m craving beef jerky and pizza.”

I laughed. “Pizza isn’t a snack. “

She leveled a stare at me with her big brown eyes. “Anything can be a snack if you cut it into small pieces.”

Like I said, I had to be careful.

“Okay, whatever you want. As soon as the rain stops, we’ll go out.”

Michelle and I had married six months ago in Iceland. It was a quaint wedding at one of my excursion sites. Family and friends enjoyed their time at the hot springs and mud baths that Iceland offered.

I loved Michelle so much. She was the blessing that made my world worthwhile.When life was dark, she was the Northern Lights that gave me hope and happiness.

“Oh, my God.” Michelle opened her mouth as a lion captured a deer, dragging it away. The lion cubs rushed off somewhere. Tears streamed down her lovely face. “That’s so mean.”

I wanted to remind her it was a survival of the fittest. The lion needed to eat too. But I feared if I said anything right now, she might kick me off the couch. She’d been overly sensitive lately.

I rose from the couch.

“Where are you going?” she asked, tearing her gaze from the TV screen.

“To get a drink. Want anything?”

“No, thanks.” A pause. “Actually, maybe a bowl of ice cream, please?”

“Okay.” I looked at all the snacks on the coffee table. The only thing missing was ice cream.

Thunder boomed again. Michelle leaped off the couch, rushed up to me, and grabbed my hand. What was going on with her today?

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“What do you think, Viking?”

I scooped some Cookies and Cream into a bowl and handed it to her. “I think you’re acting strange.”

She scooped up the ice cream with her spoon. “Open up.”

When I did, she fed me ice cream and smiled. “What makes you think I’m acting strange?” She dragged me back to the couch, placed the bowl of ice cream on the tray, and looked at me. “Tell me. How am I different?”

Her face had a lovely pink hue. Her curious eyes bored into mine.

“You’re snacking like crazy. And you’re overly sensitive and clingy.”

“Do those traits annoy you?” she asked as a curly strand of hair fell across her face.

I tucked it behind her ear. “Is that a trick question?”

“No.” She grinned. “Do you want to know the real reason I can’t stop snacking?”

“Is work stressing you out? Do you have your period?”

“It’s neither, Viking.” She touched my cheek tenderly. “You’ve got mail. It’s been sitting at your desk for a few days.”

“Huh?” I hadn’t been in my office in three days. I’d been busy promoting the WaterFyre Rising game with my friends. The game was a worldwide hit, and the sales had surpassed our expectations. My friends and I had a meeting with a Hollywood producer who wanted to adapt it into a movie.

“Let me go check now.”