Even Monday evenings deserved champagne with a simple dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread.
Todd leaned against the doorjamb, and she gazed at him as she mixed the sauce into the pasta.
“You could be helpful and carry some of this to the table,” she offered as he stood there smiling at him.
“You’re almost glowing. What’s got you all giddy?” he asked as he moved into the kitchen and pressed a kiss to her cheek before taking the bowl of salad to the table.
“I found my dress,” she said as she lifted the pasta bowl and followed him.
“You mean my sister found something that was perfect for you?”
Jessie let out a sigh. “Yes. How did you know that?”
“I told you. She has a way about reading people.”
Jessie sat down at the table and Todd followed. “I won’t plan anything until my sister’s wedding is over. I don’t want to step on her toes.”
Todd lifted salad from the bowl with the tongs and set it on her plate and then did the same for his. “That’s understandable. She’s had a few sisters go rounds in her store. I mean fists and all.”
Jessie looked up from serving the pasta and stared at him. “Are you kidding?”
He shook his head. “Nope. You wouldn’t believe how brutal bridal dress sales could get.”
She laughed as she picked up her napkin and set it in her lap. “I get a pushy mom once in a while. You know, they know how to seat their baby for a photo better than I do.”
“I suppose every profession has that. Well,” he gave a thoughtful look as he picked up his fork, “I can’t say I ever had that on the ranch. My uncle, though he might not always agree with me, would let me do things my way when it suited me.”
“And how did that work out?”
Now he laughed too. “I often fixed it to do it his way, because he was right.”
Todd tossed and turned all night. There was something that kept creeping into his dreams that would make him wake up, check the time, and roll back over.
Around one, he walked to the kitchen, filled a glass of water, and drank it down. The air seemed unsettled. Maybe they were going to get a storm. Maybe he’d forgotten to turn off a light at the hall. Maybe Jessie’s excitement over the dress had transferred to him. But it didn’t feel like excitement—this troubling feeling that was keeping him up.
When he’d finished his water, he headed back to bed. Jessie rolled in her sleep and he took a moment to appreciate the look of her at peace.
Leaning in, he pressed a kiss gently to her head, and in sleep, she sighed.
For thinking he’d never love someone in his life, it sure was a glorious feeling to have wandered into it. He was grateful that Carlie had chosen the reception hall and had dragged her sister with her.
Settling into bed, he draped an arm over Jessie and eased himself against her. His eyelids grew heavy and sleep began to take back over.
When his phone rang at three o’clock, both he and Jessie sat straight up in bed. Todd’s heart raced from the abrupt pull from sleep, as well as knowing that any call at three in the morning wasn’t a good thing.
Reaching for his phone on the nightstand, he blinked his eyes to read that it was Lydia calling.
His feet were on the ground before he even connected the call.
“What’s wrong?” he started as he pulled the pair of pants from the hamper and began tugging them on. “Are you okay? Where are you?”
“Todd, shut the hell up,” she scolded on the other end. “I’m with Phillip. We’re at the Bridal Mecca. It’s on fire.”
Surely his heart had stopped. Had he really heard her right?
Todd turned, the phone still pressed to his ear, and stared at Jessie who was perched on her knees on the bed.
“We’re on our way,” he said before he disconnected the call.
Jessie moved off the bed and to him. “What’s wrong? What happened to her? Is she okay?”
He lifted his eyes to meet hers in the dark. “The Bridal Mecca is on fire.”