Trent

It was early–I was pretty sure that if I got up to move aside the heavy curtains covering the windows of the hotel room, I’d only see the gray light of pre-dawn outside. Not that I was planning on getting up, of course. Not when my beautiful wife still lay sleeping in my arms.

As if my thoughts had awoken her, Elizabeth stirred, her eyelids fluttering. When she opened her eyes, her lips curved into a sleepy smile.

“Is it morning?”

“Not quite yet.”

“Then why are you awake?”

“Because I was lying here thinking about where we were a year ago today.”

“A year ago . . .” A little line formed between her eyes. “Oh, my God. Was it–were we eloping a year ago?”

“Happy anniversary, baby. Can you believe we made it through a whole year of marriage?” I brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

“It was touch and go there for a while.” Elizabeth turned her head a little to press a kiss into my palm. “But here we are.” She paused. “Remind me where we are again? We rolled in so late last night that I was half-asleep when I stumbled out of the bus and into the hotel.”

“Richmond, Virginia,” I answered. “And I have a little surprise for you.”

“Really?” One of her eyebrows quirked up. “Well, spill it, buddy. You know that patience isn’t my virtue.”

“We’re off tonight. No show. And since our little break conveniently fell on our anniversary, I’m taking you out tonight–just the two of us–to celebrate.”

“Really?” Elizabeth pushed to sit up in bed. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had anything more romantic than diner food with the band and the crew. This is exciting! What am I going to wear?”

I chuckled. “I don’t know, maybe something out of the enormous suitcase we’ve been dragging around with us for months?”

“Nooooo.” She shook her head. “This night is special. I have to find something that fits the occasion.”

“Sounds like a shopping trip is in order.” I rolled to my back and linked my hands behind my head. “Luckily, you’ve got all day to do it.”

“That’s good. Maybe Crissy or another one of the girls would want to go with me. I’ll ask when it gets a little later.” She hesitated. “As long as you don’t mind me going off on my own on our anniversary.”

“I don’t.” I tapped the end of her cute little nose. “Maybe I’ll do some shopping of my own. Got to look good enough to walk next to my woman.”

“You always do.” Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. “What a year it’s been. When I think about everything that happened . . . how hard it was when I first got to Burton, everything with your mother and my parents, giving up law . . . it’s kind of mind-blowing, you know?”

“It’s crazy,” I agreed. “We stuffed a whole lot of living into twelve months.”

“We did. And you want to know the most important lesson I learned?” She braced her head on her hand, bending her elbow to rest on the pillow.

“Of course I do.”

She ran her tongue over her lips. “I learned that I can get through anything–that we can get through anything–as long as we have each other. If you’re by my side, Trent, I don’t care about anything else.”

Gathering my wife into my arms, I held her tight and kissed the top of her head. “That’s the best lesson ever. And I agree with you. We’re a team, you and me. We only work when we stick together.”

Elizabeth tilted back her head to smile up at me. “I also know something else. The best way to kick off our anniversary . . . is to stay right here in this bed for the next hour.” Her hand slid a little lower. “Making some magic.”

“Baby, I love the way your mind works.” I bent my neck to brush a kiss over her lips. “Happy anniversary, honey.”

Her answering sigh lit me on fire in all the right ways. Just like always.

“Happy anniversary, babe. Love you.”

And then for the next hour, we didn’t do much talking.

Not with our voices, anyway.

Keep the Small Town Love Sizzling!

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