NATAYA and the other ladies booked the entire resort. If it were any other occasion, I would have tucked my giddiness away, locked it into a bag labeled ‘childish’ and pushed it out of sight.
I’m an adult after all.
Adulting means being ladylike at all times. Walking quietly. Short steps. Long skirts. Voices that never rise too loudly and… oh my gosh, is that Dean Reece?
My eyes widen. My hands flail.
Trembling fingers crush my husband’s as I squeeze and squeal. “Jerrison, are you seeing what I’m seeing?”
“No one told me Dean Reece would be here.” My husband is wearing a thick parka, khakis and the darkest scowl I’ve ever seen. Snow is falling outside and it’s about to get even colder in here.
“Hey.” Dean smiles at me, looking dazzling with his thick black hair and arms rocking gorgeous tattoos.
My brain goes blank.
How do I say ‘hi’ again? My mouth opens.
Snaps shut.
I’ve seen him on TV.
He rubs elbows with other impossibly gorgeous celebrities. And he’s here.
At the couple’s retreat.
“Breathe, Harriet. Breathe.” Pax laughs, wrapping an arm around me in a welcoming hug. “Glad you could make it.”
I dip my chin into the crook of her shoulder, my eyes locked on Dean Reece.
Hazel glides across the room to hug me next. I squeeze her, still making eyes at Dean.
He notices and jokingly pats his perfect jaw. “Is something on my face?”
“I’m so sorry.” I cover my mouth with a hand. “I love all your albums.” Jerrison scoffs. “She dragged me to your concert when we were dating.” “Did you enjoy it?”
He shrugs. “It’s not really my thing.”
I nudge Jerrison in the side don’t be rude.
He scowls I’m not.
Throwing my hair over my shoulder, I offer Dean an apologetic grin. “He’s cranky after the long flight. And I loved your concert. I was sorry when I started working and couldn’t go anymore.”
“Nice to meet a fan.” Dean shakes my hand.
I hold the arm to my chest and give him a starry-eyed look. I’m never washing this.
Jerrison clears his throat. “Nice to meet you.” He grabs Dean’s hand and squeezes it so hard the other man winces. “I’m her husband.”
“‘Husband’ is your last name?” A tall, broad-shouldered man with an impressive sleeve of tattoos walks over.
Jerrison slants him a confused look.
“Forgive him.” A strikingly regal Asian man with black hair and almond-shaped eyes pats Tattoos on the back. “He and his wife just had a kid, so he’s going hard on the dad jokes.” Pointing to his chest, the man introduces himself. “I’m Lee and that joker over there is Stone.”
The men exchange fist bumps.
Lee smirks at Dean. “Don’t worry about the superstar. He’s harmless.”
Dean cocks his head to the side. “You see how all the guys are jumping on me, Harriet? Don’t you think they’re jealous?”
Jerrison scoffs.
Dean’s broad grin gets a tad bigger.
Heart pounding, I play along. “Maybe they are.” “See?” Dean winks at Stone. “Told you.”
Jerrison releases the suitcases and stalks toward me. “Babe, let’s settle this right now.”
Hazel frowns. “You’re not going to punch him, are you?”
Jerrison stops in front of me. The scent of his cologne wafts over my body. He smells amazing. Manly. Like crisp winter and pine trees. His blue eyes lock on mine, slowly winding a spell on me. “If we were drowning, who would you save? Me or Dean Reece?”
“Um…” I break his gaze and glance at the man whose hit songs helped me get through my hardest days. “Do you really want me to answer that question?”
Jerrison backs up a step, wariness in his eyes. “No I don’t.”
Pax howls with laughter. “Girl, my husband tried that same thing with me. And he didn’t like the answer either.”
“Pax,” Jerrison shakes his head, “I thought this was a couples’ weekend.
Not a Dean Reece fan meeting.”
A man with thick hair and alluring eyes huffs out a breath. “Don’t take it personally. Dean has that effect on a lot of women. My wife included.” He offers his hand and a warm smile. “Graham.”
“Harriet’s husband, right?” Jerrison nods.
“Can we all agree that Dean Reece sucks?” Calvin joins the huddle of guys. “That’s the only way I’ll get through this weekend.”
Dean laughs until he bowls over.
“Don’t you dare disrespect that great artist!” Hazel hooks a thumb at her husband. “I’m talking to you, Graham.”
“Dean Reece is amazing!” Pax declares, throwing her hands high and letting out a whoop.
“And don’t you dare forget it!” Nataya approaches from one of the hallways.
I squeal when I see her. “Nataya!”
“Girl!” The dark-skinned beauty charges me and wraps her arms around my waist.
“I want in on this too!” Jaz yells from behind her.
Chloe appears, wearing a short, flower-themed dress. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s a florist or if it’s just a preference, but she has a thing for wearing flowers in her hair and on her clothes.
Hazel and Pax join the group hug until we’re all colliding in a tangle of brown arms, straight and curly hair and wide smiles.
When we finally come up for air, Chloe places a hand on my shoulder. “Harriet, you can find your room and put up your bags. Later, we’ve got a spa date for just us girls.”
“When?” I ask, moving back to Jerrison and grabbing one of my suitcases.
She checks her watch. Tilts her head. “In about an hour. Unless you’d rather join your husband. The guys are going skiing.”
“We’ll have more fun on the slopes.” Stone nods at Chloe. “I can’t believe you came all this way just to stay inside.”
Nataya rolls her eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid out there.”
Dean slings his arm over Stone’s shoulder. “Can’t promise that.” His eyes slide to Jerrison. “What do you say, Bradley? You any good?”
“There’s no sport I can’t handle.” “Big words.” Graham chuckles.
Dean smirks. “Hope you can back them up.”
“Let me get my wife settled in. We can duke this out on the slopes.” Jerrison’s eyes twinkle and, for all his bluster, I can tell that he’s already having a blast.
My heart warms. When our marriage was going through its death spiral, we used to hang around other couples like Patrick and his wife. We used to pretend everything was good even when it was suffocating.
Back then, every wife around the table wore fine jewelry and luxury clothes, but our smiles were so fake that it made our faces dull. No amount of makeup could hide the stress. No expensive perfume could chase the stench of our misery.
As wives, we weren’t treasured or loved. We were trophies put on a shelf. Forgotten relics that only exist to dust the grime from our husband’s facades and present them to the world as innocent angels with demon wives.
It’s refreshing to jump out of such a toxic environment to this one. Where the husbands look at their wives only. Where the wives-the mirrors, as Doc would call us-are each shining like the jewels they are, secure in a love that is true.
I hold Jerrison’s hand on the way to our room. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“I’m glad I came.” He pushes the door. “What will you do while you wait for the other girls?”
“I don’t know. Chill by myself?” I wheel the suitcase inside the luxurious suite. My eyes jump from the giant windows to the canopy bed to the lavish bathroom.
“Do you want me to hang out with you?” My eyes jump back to his.
“You didn’t come all this way to spend an hour on your cell phone. Besides, I want to make sure you’re alright before I head out there and make Dean Reece eat snow.” He slaps his fist into his palm.
My laughter is part amusement and part disbelief. “Does it bother you that much?”
“Nah.” He breaks out into a shy grin. “I’m actually glad to see you so excited.” His hands slide around my waist. “You’re beautiful when you smile.”
My body melts into his. We sway lightly.
My heart is so full I can barely stand it. Is this what being a man’s priority feels like? That he’d make sure I’m good, that I’m taken care of and settled, before rolling out with his new friends?
I cup his jaw. “Don’t even think about sleeping on the floor tonight.
There’s only one bed and I intend on dragging you into it.”
“Are you okay now?” He nuzzles my cheek. “About my past? And seeing… the consequences?”
“I think time is the only thing that can heal that part.” My eyes fall away from his. “But all the other things that I need to heal are right here.” I press a hand over his heart. “You’ve shown me that there’s no competition. I feel secure in that now.” I smile when he guides my chin up so I’m no longer looking at the floor.
His blue eyes pull me in. “I’m humbled by you, Harriet Bradley.” He leans down but, just before kissing me, he pulls back to ask, “Who would you save between me and Dean Reece?”
“I’m not going to ruin my chances of getting lucky tonight by answering that.” I rise on the tips of my toes and kiss his cheek. “I’ll unpack. Go have fun with your friends.”
Jerrison yanks me back and kisses me properly on the mouth. I hold on to him, my smile throwing off our rhythm until he shakes his head and settles for hugging me instead.
I snuggle into his chest, feeling totally protected. Not just my body, but my heart and my emotions as well.