Just Beginning: A Prequel to Just Destiny (Destiny #1) by Theresa Rizzo
Friday morning, dressed in her nightshirt, pink cotton robe, and slippers, Jenny padded down the asphalt driveway. She yawned and squinted at the rising sun peeking through the trees. She wasn’t usually up this early, but she’d been so tired last night she’d fallen asleep on the couch at eight o’clock while reading, waiting for Gabe to get back from the hospital.
She and Gabe hadn’t seen much of each other lately, so it’d been hard to find the right time to broach her delicate topic. Picking up the Detroit Free Press, Jenny turned back toward the house.
Maybe she’d surprise Gabe with his favorite meal; it’d been awhile since they’d had a romantic dinner. After mellowed by a great fish dinner and a few glasses of Pinot, having a baby might sound like a good idea to him.
She’d take a nice bubble bath, put on a sexy little dress, spritz some Chanel Chance in a few strategic areas... She smiled. Perfect. It’d been too long since they’d had a romantic evening. Or maybe she’d get a few candles to scatter around the hot tub. Oh! And some sweet-smelling roses. A little champagne and chocolate in the hot tub under the stars... Jenny shivered. This was going to be an amazing night.
Steve walked his bike through the hedge, looking disgustingly alert and cheerful. “Gabe ready?”
“In a minute. He overslept.”
“He’s been putting in a lot of hours.”
Jenny ruffled her mussed hair and yawned. Boy, she needed a cup of coffee. “He’s pretty stressed. Hey, do you have any ideas for some cool new bike doodads that he might like? Our anniversary’s coming up and I wanted to get him a fun new toy to take his mind off work.”
“You could get him a cardiac monitor for training, or Capognola pedals—those are really nice.”
She eyed his bike carefully, taking in all his toys, then her gaze landed on his shiny blue helmet. “How about a new helmet? Yours looks much lighter than his, and with all those holes it has to be cooler.”
He cocked his head to the side, a doubtful look crossing his face. “Good luck. He loves that artifact of his.”
“Maybe if I find something not too bright and garish, he’ll give it up,” she mused.
Hair sticking up, Gabe pulled his shirt down as he rushed into the garage. “Be right there.”
“Water,” Steve called out.
Gabe pivoted and headed back inside.
“Hurry up. I got a date,” Steve yelled.
Jenny arched an eyebrow. “Doing something fun?”
“Annie and I are heading up north for the weekend.”
“The kids will like that.”
“Just us. Her mom’s watching Sophie and Josh.”
She tucked the newspaper under her arm. “Wedding planning?”
“Not yet. I’m working on a special proposal.”
“Uh huh.” Sure he was. A good friend would ask about his “special” proposal. Guess she wasn’t that good of a friend.
“I wish you’d make more of an effort to get to know her. Annie likes you.”
“Uh huh,” she muttered. He expected her to be gracious before coffee? Now that was simply asking too much.
He laughed. “Give her another chance. I’m sure you’ll come to like her.”
Fat chance.
“What’re you doing today?” he asked.
“Working. Then I thought I’d cook my husband a nice romantic meal.”
“I’ll think about you slaving away while I’m relaxing in the great outdoors with my girl.” He looked beyond her to Gabe. “Ready?”
She and Gabe hadn’t seen much of each other lately, so it’d been hard to find the right time to broach her delicate topic. Picking up the Detroit Free Press, Jenny turned back toward the house.
Maybe she’d surprise Gabe with his favorite meal; it’d been awhile since they’d had a romantic dinner. After mellowed by a great fish dinner and a few glasses of Pinot, having a baby might sound like a good idea to him.
She’d take a nice bubble bath, put on a sexy little dress, spritz some Chanel Chance in a few strategic areas... She smiled. Perfect. It’d been too long since they’d had a romantic evening. Or maybe she’d get a few candles to scatter around the hot tub. Oh! And some sweet-smelling roses. A little champagne and chocolate in the hot tub under the stars... Jenny shivered. This was going to be an amazing night.
Steve walked his bike through the hedge, looking disgustingly alert and cheerful. “Gabe ready?”
“In a minute. He overslept.”
“He’s been putting in a lot of hours.”
Jenny ruffled her mussed hair and yawned. Boy, she needed a cup of coffee. “He’s pretty stressed. Hey, do you have any ideas for some cool new bike doodads that he might like? Our anniversary’s coming up and I wanted to get him a fun new toy to take his mind off work.”
“You could get him a cardiac monitor for training, or Capognola pedals—those are really nice.”
She eyed his bike carefully, taking in all his toys, then her gaze landed on his shiny blue helmet. “How about a new helmet? Yours looks much lighter than his, and with all those holes it has to be cooler.”
He cocked his head to the side, a doubtful look crossing his face. “Good luck. He loves that artifact of his.”
“Maybe if I find something not too bright and garish, he’ll give it up,” she mused.
Hair sticking up, Gabe pulled his shirt down as he rushed into the garage. “Be right there.”
“Water,” Steve called out.
Gabe pivoted and headed back inside.
“Hurry up. I got a date,” Steve yelled.
Jenny arched an eyebrow. “Doing something fun?”
“Annie and I are heading up north for the weekend.”
“The kids will like that.”
“Just us. Her mom’s watching Sophie and Josh.”
She tucked the newspaper under her arm. “Wedding planning?”
“Not yet. I’m working on a special proposal.”
“Uh huh.” Sure he was. A good friend would ask about his “special” proposal. Guess she wasn’t that good of a friend.
“I wish you’d make more of an effort to get to know her. Annie likes you.”
“Uh huh,” she muttered. He expected her to be gracious before coffee? Now that was simply asking too much.
He laughed. “Give her another chance. I’m sure you’ll come to like her.”
Fat chance.
“What’re you doing today?” he asked.
“Working. Then I thought I’d cook my husband a nice romantic meal.”
“I’ll think about you slaving away while I’m relaxing in the great outdoors with my girl.” He looked beyond her to Gabe. “Ready?”