Free A Fine Mess by Kristy K. James Page A

it, Ian.”
    “And I said you can go to bed. Remember that submission thing we discussed the other night?” he asked pointedly, raising an eyebrow and trying to look stern.
    Annie just stuck her tongue out at him.
     
    ~~~~
     
    “I don’t know why you keep asking my opinion,” Annie muttered as they got ready to look at yet another house. So far they’d walked through four that morning. All big, all beautiful, and all very different than what she was used to.
    She’d grown up in a beautiful but smallish colonial home in an upper middle class neighborhood. And while all of these houses weren’t very far from there, there was a world of difference in the economic status of the neighborhood, that was for sure!
    Ian leaned close to her ear. As far as the realtor, or anyone else that might be looking was concerned, he might have been whispering something romantic to her.
    “Smile,” he said softy. “I’m asking your opinion because you’re my deliriously happy wife. I’m also asking because you’ll be living here for the next five years and, believe it or not, I want you to be comfortable. So stop giving me a hard time and tell me when we find a house that you can turn into a home.”
    Annie wondered if he realized what he’d said. She could fill a house with all the right things. She could do everything in her power to make it a welcoming, peaceful refuge. But no matter what she did, it wouldn’t be a home for him until he was ready to invest more than just the money with which to buy everything.
    “Okay,” was all she said though. “If you really want my opinion, then I guess I should tell you that if it were up to me, I’d choose the house on Wildwood Way.”
    “Wildwood Way?” He jerked back from her, looking perplexed. “That was the second house we looked at.”
    “Well, you made plans to look at eleven. I thought you wanted to get an idea of what was available.”
    “I do. But we don’t have to see them all if you like that one. Are you sure?”
    “I thought it was perfect. But you might like one of the other ones better.”
    “I told you what I want. Stay here.”
    She watched him exit the car and jog to where Henry Saunders waited at the front door of the monstrosity before them. They had a quick discussion before Ian returned.
    “Okay. We’ll follow him to his office so we can get the offer in today. The housing market has been so bad he thinks it should be accepted by early next week.”
    The car roared to life. As near as a sedate sedan could roar. It never ceased to amaze Annie that Ian tended to drive slower than the speed limit, start slowing for lights and stop signs well before it was necessary, and then take off with more caution than anyone she’d ever seen. He seemed more a sports car, lead-foot kind of guy.
    But just because she wished there were no speed limits didn’t mean that everyone did. In fact, she’s always harbored a small hope that there were fast cars and an endless Autobahn in heaven.
     
    ~~~~
     
    Ian had been inside churches to attend weddings and funerals. He’d even been to the occasional christening, depending on who the baby’s parents were. But he’d never been to one for an honest to goodness sermon before.
    Again, he’d set the rules of the game, so he was stuck with the consequences. And everyone in Annie’s circle knew she wouldn’t marry a man who didn’t go to church regularly. So he was going to church.
    Every Sunday morning and Wednesday night for the next five years. Sunday School, too.
    Because his wife was such an accomplished cook, he’d come to grips in a hurry over having real food in his kitchen. This was a different story though. He doubted he’d ever get used to it.
    At least, he thought philosophically as he knotted his tie, he would probably learn enough to converse with Maddie about God with some degree of expertise.
    “Annie, are you ready?” he called, striding out to the hallway. “If this thing starts at nine-thirty,