Parkridge Drive, 6:00 p.m.

Lori picked at her French fries. Chet wished she would stop worrying so much about how Chester acted around her. He was a child, still a baby for the most part. He would learn to love her. Maybe not as much as Chet did, but enough.

“I’m beginning to think you’re not a big fan of Mickey D’s,” he teased.

She set her plate aside on the end table and curled her legs under her. If their relationship ever ended, God forbid, he would never be able to keep that sofa. She looked so beautiful, so perfect on it. This whole place would never be the same without her.

“Chester loves McDonald’s.” She glanced longingly at Chet’s son, who was eating his French fries right off the coffee table, his attention on Toy Story 3. “I want him to be happy.”

Lori didn’t know it but she was thinking like a mother already. “Well, I have something that might make you happy.”

She perked up, the corners of her lips lifting into a smile. “A surprise?”

Chet nodded. Seeing her smile made his heart beat a little faster. “Chester, go get Lori’s present.”

Chester looked at his daddy and grinned. “ ’kay.”

The boy galloped off to his room.

Lori laughed. “What’re you boys up to?”

Chester ran back into the room squealing at the top of his lungs. He climbed onto the sofa next to Lori and stuck the white box with the pink ribbon in her face.

“Sorry about the ketchup.” Chet grimaced. His son had gotten ketchup all over the white wrapping paper.

“It would probably taste about as good as those fries.” She giggled. “Thank you, Chester.”

“Open!” he ordered, pointing a ketchup-stained finger at the present.

Pride swelled his chest so tight, Chet could hardly breathe. Picking out the secret gift for Lori and letting Chester be a part of surprising her was working. The boy was leaning against Lori, his eyes big with excitement as she opened the gift.

Chet prayed this would help break the ice between them.

“Wow!” Lori lifted the pearls from the case. “They’re beautiful.”

Chester reached up and touched the necklace. “Loowi’s su’pwise.”

“Thank you, Chester. I love it.”

He smiled at her and Chet saw the tears glittering in her green eyes.

He couldn’t help himself. Chet got down on his knees in front of her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, baby.”

She hugged him and he felt the dampness of her cheek against his face. Tears welled in his own eyes.

“Me too! Me too!” Chester squealed. He dove into the hug.

They laughed and hugged like one big family.

For the first time, Chester let Lori get him ready for bed. Chet watched from the door as she tucked him in.

She kissed his forehead. “Night, Chester.”

He yawned. “Night, Lo’wee.”

She joined Chet at the door, her face beaming. “Your turn, Dad.” She tiptoed and leaned close enough to whisper in his ear, “Then I’m tucking you in.” She left a kiss on his jaw and disappeared toward their room.

Chet ensured his boy said his prayers, gave him a good-night kiss, turned out his light—leaving the room aglow with the Spider-Man night-light—and softly closed the door. Anticipation making him hurry, he headed down the hall.

In their room, candles flickered from every flat surface. The covers were turned back but there was no Lori on the bed.

He closed the door as quietly as possible and locked it. “Hey!” he called out in a loud whisper. “Where are you?”

“In here,” she whispered back.

He started toward the bathroom door, felt something under his bare feet. She’d left a trail of rose petals on the floor. He followed the path and stalled at the door to take in the view.

More candles and a bottle of wine waited on the counter. Two stemmed glasses. And there was Lori, neck-deep in bubbles, in the garden tub. He’d figured that thing would come in handy when he’d added the shower to this bathroom and opted to leave the big-ass tub.

“Climb in here while the water’s still warm.”

When he’d stripped off his clothes and slid into the water, he wasn’t surprised that she was naked but he was surprised that she was wearing her pearls.

“You like?” She pressed her hand to her throat, showing off the necklace.

He pulled her against him, aligning her body atop his. “I love it all.”

She kissed him until he gasped for breath. “Thank you,” she murmured.

Then they stopped talking… stopped thinking… and focused on feeling.