Our Now and Forever(49)

With a dazed look on her face, she said, “Try to focus.” He wasn’t sure if she was speaking to him or herself. “Is this appropriate for tonight?”

Rubbing his chin, Caleb asked, “Have you ever been to one of these meetings?”

“No, but Lorelei is on the committee. I should call her.” Snow reached for her cell, but Caleb cut her off.

“We need to leave in a few minutes, and Lorelei won’t be able to see what you’re wearing through the phone.” And if she called Lorelei, Snow might learn where he planned to take her after the meeting.

Tonight was their first official date since the do-over started, and he planned to get Snow onto a dance floor. The few times he’d taken her dancing in Nashville, she’d claimed a lack of rhythm, and he’d acquiesced, not wanting to push while their relationship was still new.

The free pass ended tonight.

“I could text her a picture,” Snow said, still stalling.

Caleb’s brow shot up. “Are you fifteen?”

Giving him a dirty look, she surveyed the clothes scattered across the bed. “I think a nice top and cardigan would be better.”

“So . . . outfit number one?” Truth be told, the little white tank had done wonders for his wife’s amazing breasts. And it didn’t hurt that the neckline offered him a clear view down to the lacy number beneath.

“Give me two minutes,” Snow said, shooing him out of the room. If they weren’t in such a hurry, Caleb would have insisted on helping her change.

Two minutes later, Snow stepped out of the bedroom wearing the burgundy sweater. To Caleb’s confused stare, she said, “What?”

“Forget it.” He would never understand women and their fashion struggles, so there was no sense in trying. “It’s time to get this night started. The sooner the meeting is over, the sooner we start our date.”

As he dragged her to the door, Snow asked, “Are you going to share the details of this date?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said, spinning her onto the porch before locking the door. She displayed enough rhythm to make a perfect turn without losing her balance. “Now let’s go before we’re late.”

They were down the steps before Snow realized the Jeep was running. “Were you in that much of a hurry?” she asked, jogging to keep up with him.

“I wanted to warm it up for you,” he lied, then lifted his petite wife into the passenger seat and dropped a kiss on her temple. As he marched around to the driver’s side, Caleb thought about warming something else up later tonight, and hoped this meeting didn’t take too long.



Snow tried to focus on the meeting ahead and what it would mean for her going forward. After tonight, there would be no sending Caleb home without anyone in Ardent Springs being the wiser. Though she supposed that ship had sailed five days ago, the idea of having to put on an act as young lovers taking the next step in their relationship put her nerves on edge.

Especially since it didn’t feel like an act.

Snow’s libido had been arguing the case for days. Why couldn’t they have sex and still go their separate ways? Why should she go without? Why deprive herself of the delectable man who’d been showing her in every way possible that he was ready and willing to make her see God?

And he could do it, too. He’d certainly done it before.

Halfway to the restaurant, Caleb’s cell phone went off. “See who that is, would you?” he asked her, handing over the phone he’d pulled from his shirt pocket.

At the name on the screen, Snow’s blood turned to sludge. “It’s your mother,” she said, her libido instantly silenced. This was why Snow couldn’t have nice things.

“This night is not to include my mother.” The Jeep rolled to a stop at the light at Main and Fifth, and Caleb took the phone, swiping to send the call to voice mail. “I’ll call her back in the morning.”

She didn’t know how often Caleb ignored his mother’s calls, but she hoped it wasn’t too often. All she needed was Vivien getting the idea that Snow was telling him not to answer and who knew what she’d do. Or what she’d tell her son in retaliation.

“I don’t mind if you call her now,” she said.

“Don’t be silly.” He squeezed her knee. “This is our first second-time-around date. Whatever my mother wants can wait.”

“Okay,” Snow said, keeping her eyes on the streetlights going by as they crossed into downtown. More to herself she said, “I sure hope that’s true.”



As he parked in front of Lancelot’s Restaurant, Caleb put thoughts of his mother out of his mind. She’d called three times this week, taking every opportunity to ask when he was coming home. He’d told her that was up to his wife, which earned him another reminder of how Snow had abandoned him and that they kept the best lawyer in the state of Louisiana on retainer for these kinds of situations. Vivien had gone so far as to say that for as much as the man cost, surely he could get their son out of an undesirable marriage.