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She sighed and climbed off his lap, grabbing his hand and tugging until he followed her to the couch. He made a token protestation but didn’t argue very hard as she sat down and got him to stretch out with his head on her lap.

He sighed and closed his eyes as she started massaging his head and neck and shoulders.

She always made him feel so good. He might not deserve it, but no one deserved her, so the lucky guy might as well be him.

He’d been given the gift of her, so he would gratefully accept it and make sure she was always as happy as he could make her.

She massaged his head for about twenty minutes, and he relaxed so much he almost fell asleep. But when Nancy came in to ask about dinner, he focused again, starting to sit up. He still didn’t like being so vulnerable with anyone except Eve.

“No, honey, don’t get up,” Nancy told him. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“I’m okay.” He blinked and processed how he felt. “My headache’s already feeling better.”

“I think the work headaches are mostly tension,” Eve said. “That’s why the massages help with that but not with the migraines.”

“Yes. Probably so.”

They talked over what they wanted for dinner, and then Nancy left them alone again.

Jude smiled at Eve and picked up her left hand. Kissed the palm. Then turned it over and kissed her finger just over her wedding and engagement rings.

Her expression was sappy as she said, “I feel the exact same way about you being my husband.”

“I know you do. It’s like a miracle. I feel like I should be more resentful that a stupid mistake turned my whole world upside down and gave me such trauma, but it also gave me a future with you, so I can only occasionally summon much anger about it.”

“It’s the same with me. I’ll never stop being grateful that I got the chance to be your wife and that I’ve been given a longer lifetime with you than I ever imagined. I guess everyone’s days are numbered, but our numbers aren’t known anymore. And I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

“Exactly.” He kissed her. Reveled in the freedom of pure affection untainted by uncertainty or cynicism.

He’d never experienced feelings so unadulterated. Not until he’d fallen for Eve.

She leaned against him, smiling and holding his hand. “We should make a list.”

“What kind of list?”

“A mutual bucket list. Of things we want to do together before we die. Now that we have a whole lifetime to do them. That’s not silly, is it?”

“No. It’s not silly at all.” He got up and went to grab a notepad and pen from his desk, his heart filled with so much hope he wasn’t sure his chest could contain it. “Let’s start right now.”

EPILOGUE

Two years later

Eve hada headache on her way home from teaching class.

She was only teaching one course this semester as an adjunct instructor of sociology at a small liberal arts college outside Charlotte. Last academic year, she’d taught two classes both semesters—one right after the other on Tuesdays and Thursdays—and she’d always left campus feeling excited and invigorated.

She loved teaching introductory courses, and finishing a class session filled with interesting discussion and engaged students always gave her a kind of intellectual high.

Today’s class had been fine, but she’d had to go in early for an adjunct faculty meeting, so it had been a long day. Her feet were hurting and her head was hurting and she was a little bit queasy.

She was ready for the day to be over.

Not that she had anything to complain about. Because of Jude’s family’s wealth, she didn’t even need this part-time job. She could have found things to keep her busy at home or in thecommunity, but she’d worked hard to earn her PhD. She wanted to use her education and begin a career.

One day she’d like to get a full-time faculty position, but there hadn’t been any open positions nearby in the past year. Jude had told her he was happy to move to wherever she got a job, but the truth was she’d rather not leave Green Valley. Their families were there. Most of their friends. Maybe one day they’d decide to relocate and start over somewhere new, but not right now.

And maybe never.