forty-one

MIRA

Despite yesterday being the most fun I’ve had in ages—not to mention some of the best sex I’ve ever had—it does nothing to calm my current nerves. Because today is my first big pitch to an organization that could change the course of my business.

“Hey.” Griffin grabs my hand as he drives to the university. “You’re going to kill it, sunshine. You have no reason to be nervous.”

I know he believes that, which is the sweetest thing ever, but I’m not so convinced. “It’s a big deal. What if I mess it up?”

My husband rolls his eyes. “Baby, you won’t mess it up. You’re smart, talented, and insanely creative. These guys will be lucky to bring you on for this project. Just remember that. Plus, I’ll be there for moral support. Not that you need me.”

He’s wrong, though. I do need him. More and more each day.

And knowing he’ll be there, sitting beside me as strong, silent support, is everything.

I just wish his own meeting wasn’t before mine.

He offered to bring me with him, but I’ve decided to have him drop me off on the campus.

I’ll grab a coffee and walk around for an hour or so.

I want to get a better feel for the vibes and culture of the place so I can make last-minute tweaks to my proposal if necessary.

“I wish I didn’t have to leave you for my meeting.”

That makes me smile because I know he means it. Griffin has been almost more excited about this opportunity than I have been. He’s so supportive and sweet. I’m not sure how I got this lucky. He really is everything I could want or need in a partner. And he’s mine.

“I know, but this deal is important for you too. I’ll be fine on my own for a bit, and you’ll be back in time for my meeting.”

“Of course I will. I wouldn’t miss it.” Eyes still on the road, Griffin lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. “I’m so fucking proud of you, sunshine.”

His praise makes me light up. I’m practically glowing from within. “I’m proud of you too. And thanks for believing in me.”

“I’ll always believe in you. I’m your biggest fan. I hope you know that by now.” Griffin gifts me a radiant smile that I want to lose myself in. And I probably would, if not for the buzzing of his phone in the center console of the car we’ve rented. “Can you see who that is and what they want?”

I tap on the text that popped up on the screen and see that it’s from my brother. “It’s Maddy. He wants to do a guys’ night when we get back. And he wants to know if you’ll plan his bachelor party.”

Griffin chuckles. The sound rolls through my body and lights me up. “Tell him to name the time and place for guys’ night and I’ll be there, and of course I’m gonna plan his bachelor party. Who the hell does he think I am?”

Sniggering, I type out a response to my brother and hit send. As I do, Griffin’s phone flashes a warning that it only has twenty percent battery life left.

“I think you’re a guy who didn’t charge his phone last night.”

With a wince, Griffin glances at his phone in my hand. “Ah, shit. I got distracted by your pretty cunt and forgot to plug it in.”

“At least you have a good excuse. I guess we’ll have to refrain from texting each other all morning so you don’t end up with a dead phone.”

“Probably shouldn’t be texting while I’m in that meeting, anyway. Though, for my wife, I’d leave any meeting to respond to a text.”

The sincerity in Griffin’s tone makes my heart skip a beat or two, and I have to restrain myself from grabbing him in a hug. Probably not the best idea when he’s driving. So I do something better.

“I love you,” I tell him softly.

“I love you, too, baby girl. I love you more than anything.”

“Anything?” Though my tone is teasing, there’s a scared little girl, deep inside me, who was abandoned by the man who was supposed to love her more than anything once before, and she needs to hear this. I wish she didn’t, but she does.

Griffin is serious when he grabs my hand and strokes his thumb along mine. He alternates between watching me and the road.

“I love you more than sunrises or dreary fall days. I love you more than my favorite ice cream during a heat wave, that moment a couple gets together in romance novels, or the quiet pleasure of taping up a new stick. I love you more than stepping out onto fresh ice or winning with a full arena at home. More than hockey. More than anything . You’re it for me, Mira, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that to you. ”

I can’t seem to swallow past the lump in my throat as my eyes well up with tears. He sounds so earnest.

“And today, I’m going to show you just how much I love you by showing up for your pitch, sitting beside you for moral support, and cheering you on.

” His thumb circles my hand slowly, gently, causing goose bumps to rise on my flesh.

“Then I’m going to keep showing up, keep cheering you on, keep being there for you. Every single day.”

“Griffin…” A single tear falls from my lashes, and I quickly wipe it away. I don’t want to have to redo my makeup.

My sweet, no-longer-accidental husband lifts my hand and kisses it, his eyes serious and filled with understanding. “We’re here, love. Should I drop you off at my favorite coffee shop?”

I nod, words failing me.

“Wish I could come with you,” he says quietly.

“You’ll be back with me soon.”

“I will,” Griffin says. “I promise.”

My sappy mood doesn’t leave me as I wander the campus my husband and brother met on. Griffin gave me a list of his favorite places, and I’ve visited almost all of them. It’s a busy campus. Students walk around, laughing and mingling, even in the cold winter temperatures.

When it gets closer to the meeting time, I grab coffees for Griffin and me and begin my walk to the Yost Ice Arena. Griffin set everything up so that the coach and administrators I’ll be meeting with will give me a tour of the facility before he arrives and meets us in one of the office areas.

When I push through the doors of the arena, I’m greeted by a large, jovial looking man with brown hair peppered with strands of gray. He notes the laptop bag slung over my shoulders, the coffees in my hand, and the nervous look on my face, and smiles brightly.

“Mira?”

I nod, returning his smile. “Hi, yes. I’m Mira.”

The man extends a hand to shake but chuckles when he realizes mine are full. “I’m Troy Roberts, the head coach for the Wolverines. Why don’t we put your stuff in the office, and I’ll give you a tour?”

“That sounds great.”

Troy smiles again and motions for me to follow him.

He leads me to a small conference room where I leave my things on the table, then we walk through the arena.

While telling me about the history of the building—how it started out as a field house and has been renovated several times—he points out areas of interest. He’s a fantastic tour guide, and his kind demeanor puts me at ease.

“Griffin said that you’re Maddox Graves’s sister?”

I nod.

Troy smiles. “He was always such a serious kid. Has that changed?”

“He’s engaged to the sweetest woman ever,” I reply. “So he’s still serious, but he’s less of a grump.”

That has the coach chuckling. “Yeah, I suppose he could be a little grumpy. And Griffin said you and he are…”

I try not to laugh at the way Troy is assessing me out of the corner of his eye. Not sure what Griffin told him, but since we’re coming clean to everyone we love next week, what’s the harm in telling the truth now? “We’re married. It’s kind of a secret.”

Troy’s eyes widen, as does the smile on his face. “You’re married? I knew that boy was being cagey with me. Hell, that’s fantastic news. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“If I’d have known, I would have insisted my wife and I take the two of you out for a celebratory dinner.”

I’m blushing now. I can feel the heat creeping up my cheeks. “Oh, that isn’t necessary, but thank you so much. We’re only here for such a short time, we wouldn’t want to put you out.”

Troy shakes his head as we make our way back up to the conference room. “It wouldn’t have been any trouble. Next time you’re here, we’ll schedule something. I have a good feeling about this meeting and suspect we’ll be working with each other moving forward.”

His easy confidence soothes some of my nerves, but not for long. They ramp up again as we walk into the conference room to see two other large men and an elegant woman already seated around the table.

No Griffin, yet. But the meeting doesn’t officially start for another ten minutes. He’ll be here. He promised.

“Thank you so much for your time,” I say to Troy, trying to keep my lower lip from trembling.

“We’re looking forward to working with you.” The older man gives me a friendly, encouraging pat on the shoulder. As he walks away, I look at my phone for the hundredth time and wince when the coach looks back at me and catches me doing it.

Griffin never showed.

I won’t say I bombed the pitch, because I didn’t, but it could have gone better.

I must have checked my phone and the clock every thirty seconds as it got closer and closer to the official start of the meeting, and I hated the sympathetic looks Troy kept shooting my way.

I texted Griffin several times, only to have them go unread.

I was so distracted by wondering where he was, so out of sorts because he’d promised he’d be there, that I fumbled my words for the first five minutes and nearly knocked my laptop on the floor with an ill-timed swing of my arm.

And now, here I am, hurrying out of the arena, trying not to cry like a little baby because my husband missed the meeting he promised he’d show up for. I don’t know if I’m more worried, upset with him, or angry at myself.

What if Griffin is dead in a ditch somewhere? He’d never stand me up for something this important. And if, god forbid, he is, what kind of person does that make me that I’m upset about a missed meeting and angry at him for not calling?

You can’t make phone calls if you’re bleeding out on the side of the road.