Page 94 of Six Month Wife

“To us,” I counter, clinking my glass lightly against his. “I wouldn’t have gotten here without you.”

He shakes his head, his expression softening. “You were always going to get here, Adair. I happened to know the person you needed to meet to accelerate it.”

I swirl the champagne in my glass, watching the tiny bubbles rise and burst. The wind lifts a strand of my hair, and I tuck it behind my ear before speaking.

“So,” I say, light and offhand. “Rose referred to me as your friend today.”

His brow lifts slightly, caught off guard. “Uh-huh. I mean, yeah. Why?”

I glance out at the water, not answering right away. The waves shimmer gold in the fading light, but there’s a quiet tug in my chest I didn’t expect.

“No reason,” I say. “It stood out, I guess. We’ve been telling everyone else we’re married, and I was curious why you didn’t tell her the same story.”

He leans back on one hand, his gaze on me now instead of the ocean. “To be completely transparent, at the time, it was easier. I knew if I told her I was married, that would hijack the entire conversation, and she would want to know all about you. I had no problem telling her about you, but I wanted the conversation focused on how she could help you.”

I huff a small laugh, but it doesn’t quite reach my chest. What he's saying makes sense, but it still stings a little. “I can understand that.”

He shifts closer, his tone softer now. “But after that? I kept it simple on purpose. I figured once this six-month thing ends, you wouldn’t want your brand tangled up in it. I didn’t want anyone thinking Citrine got ahead because of me, or because of some… scheme. I wanted her to seeyou.”

I blink, surprised by how much that means to me. Once again, I was jumping to conclusions because of my ego. And, once again, Parker was doing something thoughtful.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you with it,” he adds quickly. “I didn’t want to risk someone questioning your legitimacy. You’ve built something real. I thought the cleanest line was the safest.”

My throat tightens, but I nod. “Thank you,” I say softly.

His knee bumps mine gently. “For what it’s worth… when I called you my friend, I wasn't lying. The problem was, it didn’t come close to covering what you are to me.”

I glance over at him, and his eyes are steady on mine. Whoa. What's happening here?

I force a small smile. “Well, so you know, you’re the weirdest friend I’ve ever married.”

He grins. “And you’re the most demanding.”

“Excuse me?”

He lifts the bottle. “You insisted on the fancy champagne.”

“Because we’re celebrating my victory, not yours.”

“As it turns out, I have something to celebrate, too."

"Oh, really. Do tell, don't keep all the good news to yourself."

“You remember Gunner, right?” he asks after a minute.

I chortle. “He’s Bets’ brother. You ask me this every time you bring that man up. Yes, I know who Gunner is.”

He looks sheepish. “Well, we've been talking about Ana opening for me as an assistant surgeon at the hospital. It would mean staying here, settling down.”

My stomach does a weird flip. I’m not sure if it’s the champagne or the fact that this—us—might be shifting again.

“Wow. Parker, that’s big. Are you thinking about taking it?”

He gives a half-shrug, like he’s trying to play it cool, but I catch the edge of nervous energy in the way he taps his glass.

“I don’t know yet. I mean, I wasn’t planning to stay in Palm Beach forever. But, it’s starting to seem like maybe I could.”

“That’s amazing,” I say, and I mean it. But I also hear the unspoken part. He’s not talking about surgery.