Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“Definitely, yes.”
I jog around the car to help her out, and we head inside. Mildred’s excitement is infectious as we enter the music hall and the attendant scans our tickets.
“Follow the signs to pick up your backstage passes.” He points to the arrows above our heads.
“Backstage passes?” My wife clings to my arm, eyes wide. “This is unreal.”
I press my lips to her temple. “I’m glad it makes you happy.”
“You make me happy.”
“When I’m not being awful, anyway.”
She kisses my cheek. “Your feelings were on fire, and I didn’t let you get away with it.”
“I’m glad you didn’t, and I’ve learned my lesson.” I slide yet another bracelet on her wrist, smiling at the collection of memories we’ve made tonight.
We pick up our backstage passes and head to our front-row seats. Mildred spends the next two hours belting out lyrics and kissing my jaw, neck, and cheek. Her joy is everything I needed today, and I vow all over again to do everything in my power to keep her happy, and to treat her with the love and respect she deserves, even when everything in me is hurting and raw and angry.
After the concert, we’re ushered to the private room with all the other backstage pass holders.
“Connor Grace!” the lead singer shouts as the rest of the band follows him into the room. “I thought they were bullshitting when they said you had backstage passes!”
He comes over to us, taking my hand in his. “You’re having a killer season.”
“It’s been a good one,” I agree.
“Can I get a photo?” he asks.
“Absolutely, as long as my wife can get a picture with you and the band.”
Mildred is practically glowing.
“Shit, yeah, of course.” He turns to Mildred and extends his hand. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Her smile lights up the entire room.
The lead singer looks around, like he’s finally cluing in that we’re not the only people in the room. “Hey, all!” He waves, then points to me. “This is Connor Grace, hockey legend.”
“The original villain,” Mildred says cheekily.
We take photos with the band, and a few of the other backstage pass holders request photos with me. Mildred is absolutely beaming as the band makes their rounds, giving everyone some attention.
“I have something special for them to sign.” I pull a small hardbound book from my pocket and pass it to her.
“What is this?” She runs her hand over the cover and flips it open. Her mouth drops open. “A book of their lyrics? Where did you get this?”
I want to bottle the wonder in her eyes and carry it with me always.
“I had it bound for you. It’s one of a kind,” I explain. “Fee helped me with it.” She’s a crafty one.
“This is unbelievable.” She throws her arms around my neck. “You’re unbelievable.”
I fold her into my embrace and revel in how good it feels to make her smile.
Mildred is buzzing on the drive home, the signed book of lyrics hugged to her chest. “This is the coolest, most thoughtful date I’ve ever been on.”
“I’m glad.” I needed her to know I pay attention, and not just because her happiness was tied to Meems, but because her joy is my joy.
I pull into the temporary parking spot at the front of her building. I don’t want tonight to end. I don’t want to go home, where she isn’t, and wake up alone.
Mildred slides her fingers between mine and curls them around my hand. “You should park in the underground and come up.”
My lack of honesty is what tore us apart. I won’t let it happen again. “I want you to come home.”
She lifts my hand so my palm rests against her cheek. “I want that, too.”
“So let’s go.”
“Dewey is in my apartment, and I have to work in the morning, so I won’t be able to come back and feed him.”
“Flip could do it, or I could stop by before or after practice and pick him up.”
“Either of those are possibilities.”
I hear the but in her voice. “We can just go up and get him now,” I suggest.
She turns her head and kisses my palm. “If we go up, we’re not leaving until morning.”
“Hmm…” I nod slowly. “You do have a point.”
“And we’re here now. The house is another half-hour drive—twenty minutes if you break laws and run lights.”
“Breaking laws seems like the opposite of ideal,” I muse.
“Mm... Right.” She shakes her head and gently bites the fleshy part of my palm. “However unconventional, this is where we started. I want this night with you in my bed, so I always have that memory.”
CHAPTER 52
DRED
The moment we’re inside my apartment, I try to pull Connor’s mouth to mine.
“We should probably take our shoes off so we don’t track snow and salt through the apartment,” he mumbles around my tongue.