Free Flawfully Wedded Wives by Shana Burton Page B

yourself scarce! I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”
    â€œThanks.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Love you too.”
    â€œGo straight to your father’s house,” Lawson called after him as he jogged toward the house. “No speeding and stay off the cell phone!”
    Lawson painstakingly re-created every detail from the night of Garrett’s proposal, from the position of the candles to the strawberries he fed her, covered in whipped cream. She showered and doused herself with his favorite perfume. Her newly purchased lingerie was covertly hidden underneath her dress. This night would signal a new beginning for them, and Lawson couldn’t wait another minute.
    As she lit the last candle on the table in their backyard, she heard Garrett calling for her inside the house.
    â€œHey, Lawson, where you at?”
    â€œI’m out here in the backyard, honey. Why don’t you come join me?”
    Garrett approached the opened back door. “I would but . . .” He stopped, astonished by the alluring scene before him. “What’s all this?”
    Lawson strutted over to him and flashed a seductive smile. “Doesn’t it look familiar?”
    Garrett inched toward her. “Yes, it does. You look incredible, by the way. What’s the occasion?”
    â€œNo special occasion.” She threw her arms around his neck. “I thought it was time we—” She was interrupted by a loud, shrill cry from inside the house. “Is the TV on?”
    â€œNo.” Garrett removed her arms. “That’s what I was coming out here to tell you. Simon’s here. He is asleep in his carrier. Make that was asleep in his carrier.”
    â€œSounds like he’s wide awake now.” Lawson exhaled and tried to mask her disappointment. “Go check on him.”
    â€œHe probably dropped his pacifier.” He gave Lawson a quick kiss. “I’ll be right back.”
    Lawson busied herself by grazing over the food. Garrett returned a few minutes later.
    â€œIs he okay?” she asked.
    â€œHe needed to be changed. He’ll drift off to sleep in a minute. I put him back there in Reggie’s old room.”
    â€œI didn’t know you were getting him today,” replied Lawson, slightly miffed.
    â€œI didn’t either. Simone’s best friend was in an accident today. She asked me to look after him while she tended to her friend. She’s going to stop by and pick him up when she leaves the hospital.”
    â€œOkay.” Lawson smiled up at her husband, determined not to waste another second discussing Simone. “Where were we?”
    Garrett drew her to him. “I believe we were right here, Mrs. Banks.”
    â€œYou remembered.” She leaned in for a kiss.
    Garrett stopped her when their lips were just shy of touching. “You know what? I think I need to get the baby monitor. If Simon starts crying, we won’t be able to hear him out here.”
    â€œGarrett, he’s fine. Let the boy sleep. That’s what babies do best.”
    â€œI know. I want to be on the safe side, though.” Garrett didn’t wait for her approval before dashing inside to retrieve the baby monitor.
    Lawson poured herself a glass of champagne to calm her nerves. She couldn’t fault the baby for being a baby. She couldn’t even be upset with Simone, because she would drop everything to be there for her friends too. She just wished that it could’ve happened any other night. Lawson had downed two glasses of champagne by the time Garrett returned.
    He set the monitor down on the table. “I’m sorry about that, babe. I had to look for it.”
    She gritted her teeth. “It’s fine. You’re being a concerned dad. Nothing wrong with that.”
    â€œAll right, no more interruptions,” he announced and swept her into his arms.
    Lawson yielded. “You promise?”
    â€œLawson, this is all very