Page 9 of Unruly

“Mmm, something like that.” Dante plucked a small white-wrapped package off the end-table. He passed it over with a shrug. Cross eyed the foot-long and eight-inch wide gift in his hand, wondering what was inside. “Your anniversary is tomorrow.”

“Five years,” Cross said.

His heart rate picked up at the thought.

Married five years.

It was hard to believe sometimes.

“I couldn’t figure out what to get you … both of you. It’s hard when it seems like we have it all.”

“You didn’t have to get us anything,” Cross said.

“I know, but I wanted to give you this.”

“Me.”

“You, not Catty,” his wife’s father said. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it, too, in a roundabout way, but it’ll be special for you.”

Cross tore the side of the wrapping paper, and pulled the item out. A gold-flaked picture frame rested in his hand. The photograph it held made his heart stop altogether.

Or, that’s how it felt.

For their wedding five years earlier, Catherine had given Cross the best gift by allowing him to have a private dress reveal with her. At the top of a large staircase, he had turned to find the most beautiful dress on the most gorgeous woman. The love of his fucking life. His future had been standing there waiting for him to simply look at her.

It was an overwhelming moment for him. One he had not wanted to share with the watching world.

The only person who witnessed the moment between him and Catherine had been her father. It seemed, somehow, Dante had taken a picture from down below where he had been standing.

The photograph was of him and Catherine standing at the top of the stairs, her hands were on his face, and he was only looking at her. Cross knew exactly why she had been touching his face—to wipe away what little tears had escaped through his calm composure.

“Damn,” Cross murmured. “That’s amazing.”

Dante let out a laugh. “I thought you might like it.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Good thing no other made man saw that little moment of yours. They wouldn’t have let you live the tears down, Cross.”

He smirked. “Yeah, probably not.”

Dante’s expression softened. “I’m glad I saw it, though.”

“Oh?”

“My final confirmation,” Dante said cryptically. “So, you’re all set, then.”

“I am.”

“We’ll be right along, too.”

“I appreciate it. Everything is busy as hell. We never stop. This is the only way I could get this done for Catherine.”

Dante nodded. “I know. It’ll settle, Cross. This busy life—it will settle.”

Jesus.

He hoped so.