“You happen to be right.”
I kept her close to me as her breathing evened out, even though sleep evaded me.
A few days later, I arrived home particularly late. I’d been convinced I would find Val sleeping, but instead she was on the couch, bent over a stack of paper, writing furiously.
“Why are you up so late, pretty girl?” I kissed the top of her head, but she held out a finger.
“Give me half an hour. I’m in the zone, making notes for another potential line with Sephora. They mentioned they could see our collaboration becoming a yearly thing, and I’m bursting with ideas. I want to get them down on paper before I forget them. I didn’t get to it this afternoon.”
I sat in the armchair opposite the couch, watching her. She was magnificent, all serious and focused. Energy was rolling off her. I smiled but felt a pang deep in my gut as I remembered something Hailey had shared at the first Friday dinner I’d attended, about how Val used to only have time to work on her ideas late at night.
I swallowed, discovering a lump in my throat.
I knew better than to bring it up. She’d done nothing but appease me every time I did. I was going to change tactics.
Which was why, the next evening, I sneaked up on her in the kitchen after I put Peyton to bed. I stopped in the doorway, watching her. She was wearing sweatpants and a tight top, and her hair was pulled back in a braid. She was also dancing, holding the spatula like a microphone. I laughed. She whirled around to me, startled.
“I didn’t hear you come up. Why are you laughing?” She parked both hands on her hips. “Not at my dancing skills, I hope. If you are, lie quickly. I happen to be very proud of my moves.”
“Slow down, woman. I’m not laughing at anything in particular. Just enjoying the view.”
She gave me a smile before returning her focus to the oven, where a cake was baking. I walked up behind her, placed my hands on her hips, and whirled her around.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Uh-oh. That sounds bad.”
“It’s not bad.” I pulled out the voucher from my pocket, dangling it before her.
“What’s that?”
“A surprise.”
Excitement sparked in her eyes. She licked her lips, wiggling her eyebrows. “Gimme, gimme. I love surprises.”
I took the voucher out of the envelope, dangling it some more. She was too cute, the way she kept trying to read what was on it. Then she snatched it from me.
“Tickets to the wine-tasting festival. And a voucher for a three-night stay at a hotel,” I said.
“Oh, that’s awesome. When are we going? After you drop off the girls at your Dad and Mom’s?”
Peyton and April had a week-long vacation, and my parents had insisted I bring them over.
“No, this is just for you and whoever you want to take.”
“You’re not coming?”
“No.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I’ll stay with Peyton and April at my parents’ while you’re away. Then we’ll have a few days to ourselves when you come back before I pick up the girls. You go to the festival and take whoever you want. Go with Hailey and Lori, or your friends. Make a girls’ weekend out of it.”
She looked at the voucher, then back at me. “Why are you so bent on me going without you?”
“I want you to go and relax. You have girl time to catch up on, and I think some time on your own will do you good.”
Her smile froze. “What do you mean?”