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“How so?” Merritt asked.
“When we were in college, he would stand outside my dorm trying to sell his homemade truffles to all the girls.”
Dad chuckled to himself, and Mom smiled at him like they were sharing a little secret.
“I couldn’t stand the man.”
Merritt’s lips parted. “Really?”
“Not at first. But he eventually wore me down, and I agreed to go out with him. He was very convincing.”
“Oh my gosh.” Merritt looked at Gus again. “You are exactly like your dad.”
If only Dad would realize that.
“Are you asleep?” Gus whispered into the darkness.
“No. Are you?”
He chuckled. “What are you thinking about?”
“Your family.”
“They’re a lot, I know.”
“No, they’re not. They’re wonderful. I can feel the love you all have for each other. It’s so different from my family.”
Gus rolled from his back to his side, facing Merritt. The faint light of the moon through the windows illuminated her face. “Every family is different.”
“I know. But you were there with my parents. That intensity my dad has about work and money and the future. That’s how it’s always been. We never sat around like we all did here tonight, just talking and laughing and enjoying ourselves. In my house, if there was a spare moment, you filled it with chores. You earned your keep. And when the day was done, we each went to our own parts of the house. We didn’t spend time together just for the sake of being together. You worked, you ate, you slept, then you did it all again the next day.”
He could hear the sadness in her voice. “Hey, your parents love you. I could tell in the way your dad talked about you. And that work ethic has made you the success you are today.”
She lay still and quiet as several minutes passed them by. Her breathing evened out as if she’d fallen asleep.
“Are you asleep?” he asked again.
“I never will be if you keep asking me that.”
He didn’t reply.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked.
“How amazing you are.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious. You agreed to my crazy plan. You’re rocking your business expansion. You’ve already done so much to help with my family. Every day, I think how lucky I am to have met you on that canyon road.”
“Gus.” Her voice was whisper soft.
“Notice that I didn’t mention a thing about you hitting me with your car.”
She giggled in the most adorable way.
“You are the best wife ever.”
“Fake wife.”