23. Wyatt

Chapter Twenty-Three

Wyatt

A week later, I was reminded of Griffin's observation. Rosie's brother still hadn't told her. I fucking hated that I was waiting.

It wasn't my secret to tell, but I also didn't want to keep anything from her. Things with us were good. Really good. We'd spent every night together since we decided to stop sneaking around even though she was still wearing her wedding ring tucked under her shirt.

One night, I let my fingertips trail down the soft skin of her neck and along the slender chain of her necklace. I caught the ring in my fingers. It was cheap and thin. I wished I could remember actually picking it out. All I had were little snapshots of that night. I recalled her holding her hand up as we laughed together.

"Everyone knows we're married now," I pointed out.

She rolled her head to the side, smiling at me. "I know. I thought maybe we'd wait until we were sure."

"When will we know that? Because I know. I'm sure."

I literally felt the vulnerability that flickered in her eyes in my own heart. She took a quick breath. I rolled over to face her more fully, smoothing a loose lock of hair off her cheek to tuck behind her ear. "Tell me what you're worried about."

She let out a disbelieving laugh. "Um, I mean, everything?"

"Sweetheart, I don't think you worry about everything. I've seen you at the hospital. You are super-efficient, unruffled, and totally in control of one crisis after another."

Her lips curled in a soft smile. She lifted her hand to trace over the fairly fresh scar from the fish hook in my shoulder.

"You've seen me at the hospital once."

"I've seen you more than that," I pointed out. "I haven't personally been injured that often, but I've stopped by here and there. You know what I mean." My voice was low.

Her chest rose and fell with the slow breath she took. "My dad was devastated when my mom died. And honestly, that's something I worry about. What if the same thing happens to me? Or just anything? Lots of things can go wrong in life. I don't understand how it's so easy for you."

"What's so easy for me?"

She circled her hand in the air. "Being so confident about being in love. Thinking it'll be okay. What if it's not?"

"It's not that I don't worry, sweetheart. I do. Obviously, I'd be devastated if something happened to you. We're different, but we both have our reasons to understand life isn't always easy. It's just… I love you. I'm willing to do the hard part to have this with you."

"Do you want to—" Her words cut off.

"Have it all?" I finished, not sure that's what she meant to say, but it's what I felt.

She blinked. There was a sheen of tears in her eyes as she studied me. "I guess it's already gone too far."

"Because we're married?"

She rolled her eyes a little, letting out a tiny snort. "No, because I fell in love with you."

"Ah, so we're already in the danger zone?"

Her fingers walked their way down from my shoulder onto my chest where she began to fiddle with the ring I was also wearing on a chain.

"I think so." She reached up and unhooked the necklace from around her neck, slipping the ring off before she slid it onto her finger. I followed suit.

A smile curled my lips when I woke the next morning and felt the ring on my finger. After a quick shower and a cup of coffee, I left because I needed to get to the brewery. Her brother was getting in his car nearby, and I resisted the urge to flag him down and demand he let me know when he planned to tell her. I didn't like the weight of carrying his secret.