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Jared
Four years earlier…
“It’s coming down heavily,” Robyn says, peering through the windshield.
She’s not wrong. The rain is hammering on the glass, leaving tear trails in its wake. I can barely see a foot in front of the car. I’ve slowed to a crawl, but I’m considering pulling over. I have the two most important people in the world with me—my wife, and my newborn son, Cooper. I would never do anything to put them at risk.
“I can’t see a damned thing,” I complain, squinting to make out anything through the deluge.
It’s getting dangerous and I have precious cargo in my vehicle. I’m not willing to chance someone hitting us because they can’t see.
Decision made, I manage to find the curb through the pouring rain and stop near it. I leave the engine running, and flick my hazard lights on to make sure other vehicles can see us.
“I’ve never seen rain like it,” Robyn murmurs, squinting through the darkness to the wash of fuzzy colors beyond.
Everything looks like a melting portrait. I can’t make out any of the familiar landmarks.
I don’t stare at the rain, though. I stare at my wife, who, as usual, looks beautiful. Her hair is pulled back from her neck, exposing a kissable throat, and her dress is pulled tight over the curve of her stomach, still swollen with the extra weight from carrying our son. He’s a month old and has fast become our everything. We live and breathe for this kid. I didn’t realize how having a child would change my outlook on life so much, but it has.
It’s been three years since I married Robyn. She’s my everything, and now she’s given me a son, I couldn’t be happier.
“Do I have something on my face?” she asks, realizing I’m watching her.
“No. I was just thinking about how lucky I am.”
Pink stains her cheeks, and I love that even after all this time I can make her feel that way.
“Babe, that isn’t going to get you any.”
“I know.”
And I do know. She’s not allowed to have sex for at least another few weeks, and honestly, while I miss her that way, I’m not going to even suggest sexy time. She can tell me when she’s ready.
“Besides, I need to shift some of this baby blub before you see me naked again.”
I wave this off. “Are you crazy? You’re perfect.”
“And you’re a liar.”
I’m really not. I love her post-baby body. She’s all curves. Robyn doesn’t believe me, though.
“Sweetheart, I love you—not how you look.”
She ducks her head, but I see her pleasure at my statement clearly on her face. I love making her happy like this. One smile from her is enough to make my whole damned day.
“We shouldn’t have come out in this,” she murmurs, her attention moving back to the window.
“It wasn’t raining when we left.” It wasn’t. It started about halfway home from my mom’s house and it hasn’t shown any sign of letting up. I feel terrible for dragging my wife and kid out in this, though. I should have told Mom to wait until the weekend for our visit. “Just give it a minute and it’ll stop.”
She snorts at me. “You’re always the optimist.”
“Someone has to be.” I reach over the center console and take her hand in mine, running my thumb over the back of her hand, needing to feel her. I always need to have her close.
Robyn and I met in high school and she was my world from the moment I laid eyes on her. After graduation, I went straight into the Army and she went to nursing school. I don’t know why I waited so long to give her my name, but it didn’t seem right to make her mine when I was on deployments in every backwater nation. I waited until I got home and then I made an honest woman of her. Three years later, our son made his way into the world, completing our little family.
“I’m plenty optimistic.”
She’s not, so I laugh at this statement.
