𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐞

three.✔

I had just finished blow-drying my hair when I heard the front door of my apartment open. I pulled up the straps of my sundress before walking out to my small and modest living room. He stood in light blue pin strip dress pants, having tossed his jacket on my funky round rusty orange chair he hates with his eyes glued to the phone in his hand. His medium brown hair is short and slicked back, his face is clean shaved and much more angler than any man I've ever met.

"Hey," I hum with a grin.

"Hey," he replies, still looking at his phone.

Half tempted to just let the straps of my dress fall and see if he'd noticed, but I knew better. When it comes to work, Wraith has a one-track mind and it doesn't matter what I did, I can't pull his attention away from it.

"When you have a minute could you zip me?"

"Yeah, yeah," he dismisses me, and I go back to the bathroom.

I reapplied a little makeup but not much, a few touches of blush and some mascara. I grab a clip and pull the few pieces from the front of my face before securing the clip. My dress is a square neck sheath with spaghetti straps in a pale pink color. It's one of Soph's favorites so I thought I'd wear it in her honor. I had all but given up on waiting for Wraith, trying to zip myself when he joined me in the little bathroom.

"Sorry," he presses a kiss to my cheek. "Just trying to iron out everything before the wedding."

I nod as he hands replace mine and pull the zipper into place.

"I didn't think you'd be home, where's your car?"

I glance at him in the mirror, his dark brown eyes wondering. "I took the signs the girls made for Cole to his office and then he went with me to get the girls from school," I explain. "Since Soph loves riding in the truck so much and by the time we finished, he needed to run to a jobsite. You don't mind swinging by after dinner so I can get it?"

A slight formation of a frown appears on his brow, but he replies. "Sure."

"Soph's card is on the counter if you want to sign it."

"Card for what?" he utters.

I turn to him. "Her birthday?"

"Oh," he shrugs. "Okay. I'm just going to hop in the shower."

"I need to stop at the store, do you want me to go or wait?"

"You better go now," he decides, pulling his keys from his pocket. "But be careful, Scarlett," he warns. "Not a scratch."

I'm internally rolling my eyes, but I give him a quick kiss. "Thanks, I'll be back."

I shut the bathroom door behind me and grab my white sneakers and purse before heading out the door just as I heard the shower kick on. Parked outside is Wraith's silver BMW convertible that sometimes I swear he loves more than me. I'm embarrassed that he's parked in two spots as I quickly get in it and head to the little market five minutes away.

I grab a loaf and a bouquet of pink and purple flowers, setting them on the belt.

"Hi, dear," the elderly checker, Frank grins at me.

"Hi, Frank, how are you today?"

"Still kicking," he replies. "These for Miss. Sophie?" he holds up the flowers. "She said something about a birthday last week."

I smile. Of course, Frank remembered Soph rattling on about her birthday when I took her and Livy to the store with me last week.

"They are," I say. "She's eight today."