“Tell me already!” I shout just before he steps into the coffee shop. He only winks at me and pulls open the door.
Josh has been way too mysterious today, and it’s getting on my nerves. He still won’t say where we’re going, and even though I slept until noon trying to recover from yesterday’s shift, I’m still exhausted. And very impatient. Not that he isn’t used to it by now.
He looks ridiculously good as he orders us both lattes. I glance at the ring on my left hand. In one month, we’re getting married. It’s crazy to think how much I once hated this man and how much I love him now.
From time to time, he still jokes that I should find a man my own age, especially when I try to get him to do something reckless like bungee jumping. But he never means it. I know there’s no way this man will ever let me go. So I make it my mission to get under his skin the way he got under mine for so long. He’s not as easy to rattle as I am, but that’s just an excuse to kick things up a notch.
He hands me my latte, and the sweet cinnamon aroma hits me. A real drink, so much better than the coffee at the hospital.
“Good, huh?” Josh grins.
I must have moaned after my first sip.
I nod, drinking again. When I have a rough week, it’s easy to forget there’s life outside the hospital. The sun keeps shining, even if I don’t see it while I work through the night and sleep through the day. People keep smiling, even as others suffer. It’s good for me to step outside. Josh knows that better than anyone.
He’s the one who holds me when the tears spill over the second I walk through our door. The one who listens while he hugs me close. And this has been a rough week.
“We’re almost there,” he says after we’ve been walking for a while.
We’re nearing the bookstore, and I smirk knowingly. Retail therapy. Much needed.
Sure enough, we step inside, but it’s packed. There are rows of chairs set up, people chattering excitedly. The usual quiet bookstore vibe is gone.
I turn to Josh, waiting for an explanation.
He pulls something from his backpack. I recognize it instantly. My special edition of a horror novel. One of my favorites.
“I believe you want this signed by its author.”
“What?”
I look around, suddenly noticing all the signs I missed. Two tables stacked with their books. A banner with the author’s name.
I can’t believe it.
“Really?” I gasp, practically vibrating with excitement. “How did you know?”
“I saw it announced at Happy Place the other day. That’s why I made sure you had today off.”
“I can’t believe I almost missed this.” I kiss him on the cheek, so ridiculously grateful that he knows me this well.
“You’ve been doing too much lately,” he says. “You’re making me look like less of a workaholic.”
“No way!” I bump my shoulder against him. “You will always be the workaholic.”
His smile fades just a little. “It’s been hard seeing you like this. I really wish you’d rest.”
“I know,” I murmur. “But I love you for thinking of this.”
Josh exhales, then wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me in close. I let myself lean into him, my body melting against his warmth, my latte still cradled in one hand.
“You know,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple, “if you don’t start taking better care of yourself, I’ll just have to keep finding ways to spoil you.”
I laugh softly, tucking my head against his shoulder. “Good. I’d hate to make things easy for you.”
His low chuckle rumbles against me. “Yeah, I figured.”
And just like that, the exhaustion from the week fades a little, replaced by something lighter. Warmer. Him.