Page 5 of The Addendum

Katy shrugged. “Unless you can fly the plane yourself, we’re stuck until a new pilot shows up.”

“I could try.”

Her shoulders shook with silent mirth. “Knowing you, Richard, you would succeed. But let’s not try today, okay?” She opened her Kindle again, settling back into her chair.

I drained the last of my coffee, glancing around the first-class lounge. It was comfortable enough, but I was impatient to get going. “I should have had Bentley send the plane.”

Katy snorted delicately, not lifting her eyes from her Kindle. “So spoiled.”

“I like his plane. Maddox could have come, and we could have planned stuff on the way back.”

She lifted her gaze, the blue brilliant and mesmerizing under the bright lights. “I think the two of you will have plenty of time to ‘plan stuff’ when we arrive.”

I tugged down my sleeves, straightening my cuffs. Katy leaned forward, running her finger over my sleeve. “I love you in a suit, Richard. I’ll miss seeing you in one daily. What will you do with all your monogrammed shirts?” She grinned. “You must have two dozen in the closet.”

“I ordered more last month. My tailor is retiring, and no one does the monograms the way he does.” I grinned at her. “I got some colored shirts for fun.”

“Ah,” was her reply. She never remarked on my over-the-top purchases unless I was spoiling her. Then she objected.

“Did you remember Heather’s gift?”

I tapped my briefcase. “Of course.”

“And Reed’s?”

“Yep.”

We had given Gracie a pair of earrings when she got married and Jaxson a set of matching cuff links to welcome him to the family. We did the same for Penny and Gavin. It had become our tradition.

“Good.”

An announcement came over the loudspeaker, and I huffed out an exhale. “Finally,” I muttered as we stood and gathered our things to head to the gate. “We can get going and let the party start.”

Katy smiled, and I bent to kiss her. She looked too pretty not to. She wore a blue blouse that matched her eyes and a long skirt with flat shoes. Her hair was up, strands escaping the clip and falling to her shoulders, framing her face. I clasped her hand, and we walked to the gate. I noticed admiring stares being directed her way, and I glared at a few of the overly frank ones, pulling her closer as we walked. I might have muttered under my breath, making her chuckle.

As we waited in the line, she cupped my face. “You get them too, my darling husband.”

“Not as many as you do. I’m right here,” I huffed. “They must know you’re taken.”

She lifted up on her toes and kissed me. A long, hard kiss that made me want more.

“They do now.” She winked.

Suddenly, I wished Bentley had sent his plane for an entirely different reason.

But her caress had worked, and the stares stopped. At least for now.

* * *

KATY

I glanced over at Richard. He had been working for the first part of the flight, but he was now dozing in his seat. I was looking forward to him being done with the two meetings he’d promised Jenna he would handle and then having him all to myself for a change. We were going to stay in our house in Port Albany for a while and make it our home base. The late spring would blossom into a long, hot summer. We could spend our days with our extended family, lying around the pool and the beach. Take out the boat for a few days. Visit with our girls.

I wondered how Richard would react when he realized the reason I wanted to get there early wasn’t only for Heather’s wedding and because I had so many details to help her with as I had told him, but because we were having a party for him to celebrate his retirement. Penny was upset that she couldn’t attend either event, but her pregnancy had proven difficult and she wasn’t allowed to travel. We planned on being in England after the baby was born in August but were prepared to go earlier if needed. I had offered to fly over and stay, but my daughter, being the independent woman she was, maintained she was fine and the travel thing was simply a precaution from the doctor, and her overprotective husband had insisted she listen. She was going to Zoom for both events.

Richard would pretend to hate the attention, but secretly, I knew he would love every single second of it. There were still times he had difficulty believing the life he lived now, compared to the life he’d led before we were married. The cold, aloof, angry man who cared about no one and nothing but himself was now only a distant memory. The loving husband, the protective, gentle father whom he had grown into, was like night and day compared to the old him. I knew there were moments he still questioned his right to enjoy such happiness, but he embraced it wholeheartedly.

I studied him as he slumbered. His jawline was still strong, his body fit. The lines around his eyes were from laughter, the creases that appeared by his mouth from smiles. The silver at his temples and woven through his dark hair only made him more appealing, adding an air of distinguishment to his features. His intense hazel eyes were still bright and intelligent, but these days held a gentleness and warmth he had lacked when I first met him. He carried himself well, and I still thought he was the sexiest man I had ever known. I loved him with all my heart, and our life was a good one. The thought of how empty my world would be without him made me tighten my fingers on his arm that rested on the seat between us.