“You ladies can sit anywhere,” Heath says. “I’m Heath.” He shakes hands with April first, then gives Naimah his attention. “I run the office.”
“I thought that was Mom’s job,” April says.
Heath ignores her and smiles at Naimah.
“I like your cardigan,” Naimah says.
Heath stands tall and runs his hands down the cardigan. “Thanks,” he says. “It’s from the wool of sheep from the Yucatan. I had it specially made.”
April rolls her eyes, but Naimah says, “Wow. You’ve been there?”
“To the Yucatan?” Heath asks, and Naimah nods. “Heck, no. I like to wear the sheep, not hang out with them.”
Naimah giggles, and Heath inches closer to her. Ernestine stands there, stone-faced and confused, as she watches the exchange.
“Let me help you with that.” Heath takes Naimah’s plate and gestures for her to follow him. She walks ahead of him. He looks down and checks out her ass.
“Colin, isn’t Heath—”
“He’s not,” he says, anticipating my question.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Please, God, let him be,” Ernestine says as she looks on in horror.
Heath lets out a loud laugh and Naimah blushes. I watch in shock as he removes his cardigan and puts it around her shoulders. She spins for him, and he claps.
“No,” Ernestine says. She shakes her head with such force that her hair bounces. “Absolutely not. This can’t happen.”
“He’s totally her type, Mom,” April says. “She likes weird guys like that.”
“He’s not weird,” Colin says.
“Weird would be an improvement,” Ernestine whispers.
I let out a laugh, but Colin purses his lips. He’s still protective when it comes to his nephew. I take my husband’s hands and pull him to a secluded corner.
“Do you remember what we were doing this time last year?” I ask.
“We were planning our wedding. It’s hard to believe that you’ve only been in my life less than two years,” he says.
“Two years ago, we were planning separate vacations.”
“And fate threw us together only to rip us apart,” he says.
“But we found our way again. I’m your wife. You’re my husband. We’re making our traditions and memories.”
“I love being your husband.”
“I love being your wife, and I love this tradition. I love having our friends here,” I whisper. “And I can’t wait to do this in our new house.”
He pulls me into his body and wraps his arms around me.
“I can’t wait until I have you all to myself later,” he says above my lips.
THE END
