Page 96 of Fragile Lives

“They are not.” They are, but I still level him with a stare, causing a small smile on his lips. “I like them.”

“Then we’re taking them.” He leaves the cart and goes to pick up all the plates from the shelf.

“We don’t need that many.”

“We do,” he replies and places them into the already overflowing cart.

“We need a matching set then,” I chime in hopefully.

“Lead the way.” He starts pushing the cart with the determined look of a man on a mission.

We grabnotmatching mugs and bowls, check out, and load groceries into the car. Then he says he needs coffee, and right around the corner they sell his favorite blend in a small, local coffee shop.

We walk there, holding hands like a cute couple from a Hallmark movie. I’ve never thought that would be me, but here I am, perfectly content with the simple pleasures in life.

Then the moment happens. You know the one you might see in a movie when the sun shines, and something reflects in the light, and it’s so bright and yada yada yada? Well, that moment just happens to me. In one of the windows of a small store, a piece of jewelry winks at me. The sun reflects from the surface of the cutest emerald ring on the plant and blinds me. I freezefor a second and watch the ring in stupor. It’s never happened to me before. I’m not vain. I don’t buy expensive jewelry or clothes. I wear what everyone around me does. Besides the lingerie—that’s where half of my paycheck goes. But that ring cried out my name. A ring? A little too meaningful in my opinion, and a little too early. God, I hope Stephan didn’t notice.

Giving the ring a side-eye, I pull Stephan’s hand away from the shop as fast as possible.

“What just happened?” he asks, a hidden smile in his voice.

“Nothing. I just slipped on the ice. Let’s go,” I mumble, embarrassed, hoping he’ll let it slide.

He sends a doubtful look my way but switches the topic, and I’m forever grateful for it.

We get two orders of his favorite coffee and walk back to the car. Once he starts the engine, he starts patting his pockets.

“Shit, I forgot my wallet in the coffee shop.”

“Okay, let’s go.” I reach for the door handle to open it, but he places his hand on my elbow, stopping me.

“Nah, wait here. I’ll be right back.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” he waves me off, “I’ll be right back.”

He gives me a quick peck on the lips and leaves. I answer a couple of emails by the time he comes back. He gets inside the car with a force, bringing the cold air and the warmth of his presence with him.

“Did you find it?”

“Yeah, it was there,” he says, pulls me in for another quick kiss, and switches the gear on the car.

We drive home, where we put everything away together like a decent couple, and I start prepping dinner. Stephan starts the coffee machine, and once it’s done, he pours me a cup with the perfect amount of sugar and cream and props his fit butt on a tall stool at the island.

I put music on my phone and start shaking my ass to the rhythm when I notice a hot stare on me. Totally assuming Stephan’s thinking about sex, I give him a sultry smile.

That he doesn’t return.

“Is something wrong?” I ask as I carefully put the spatula on the table.

He shakes his head.

“Then what just happened?” I’m searching his face for any cues. To be completely honest, I’m still a little on edge, not knowing what to expect from him. I think he doesn’t know what to expect of himself either, since this guilt-free life is completely new for him.

“I think I like this house now,” he says quietly, and that wasn’t even in the top fifty things I expected him to say.

“Alright?” I ask carefully.