Lovesick -- A Rocky Lynch Story

Chapter 34

Ryland clicked off the burner on the stove and drained the pasta over the sink. He poured it into a large serving bowl and poured a jar of tomato sauce into it, stirring gently to mix it. At the counter, Karlee tossed a simple salad with dressing and added croutons for that extra touch before placing the bowl in the center of the table next to the breadsticks. Ryland added the pasta to the table, completing the spread.

"What a treat!" I said happily when he called for everyone to come to dinner. I fastened Mason's bib onto him and gave him a small portion of food and a sippy cup of milk. I was about to help Carter get his food, but he stopped me and insisted he could do it himself. Since Rocky was taking care of Avie's dinner, I was free to dish up my own. "You guys didn't have to do all of this."

"It's the least we can do, Juliette," Karlee smiled. She sat down next to me and got a healthy serving of salad with a smaller serving of pasta. "After all, you opened your home to me when you didn't have to. It means the world to me. You've been so busy with everything, so I figured we could help out a bit."

Rocky took a big bite of his food and moaned in satisfaction. "I was so hungry!" he exclaimed. "This salad dressing is so good. It can't be store-bought."

"Food Network," Karlee admitted.

"The pasta probably could have been drained sooner," he teased his younger brother. Across the table, Ryland held up one hand to shield the kids from the middle finger he was showing Rocky.

Unfortunately, that didn't stop Avie. She mimicked Ryland's hand position with much difficulty and held it up for us to see. "What does this mean?" she asked innocently.

"Baby, don't do that," I told her, and gave Ryland a disappointed look.

"I'm sorry," Ryland said, but he and Rocky continued to share teasing looks over the table throughout the entire dinner.

I really wondered if Mason even got any of the food in his mouth. He was completely covered in tomato sauce, his little fingers stained bright orange. "Guess someone's getting a bath tonight," I cooed to him as I got up.

"I got the dishes," Rocky told me.

"Can I help with Mason's bath?" Carter asked me hesitantly.

"Of course, sweetheart. I'd love that." I lifted Mason up and held him on my hip, trying to keep the pasta sauce off of my own shirt. It was to no avail; he got a kick out of leaving little handprints all over me.

After the bath, I got all of my kids ready for bed. They didn't fuss or complain. School must have completely wiped them out. It was unusual that I was able to get through the bedtime routine without a hitch. Maybe it was a sign that things were getting better.

Finally, Rocky and I were able to have some time together before bed. I pulled on a loose shirt and slid off my jeans, tossing them into the laundry hamper. Then I tried to get the tomato stains out of my shirt. "I made that appointment with the OB-GYN," I told him as he brushed his teeth. "It's for next Thursday."

He spit into the sink and rinsed his mouth. "I'm there," he assured me. Then we switched places; I started to brush my teeth as he worked out the last stain and tossed the damp shirt into the laundry hamper as well. Then he took off his work clothes and pulled on a clean pair of pajama pants, keeping his chest bare. "And I made that inspector appointment for the house," he informed me. "We seem to be on the ball, huh?" I rinsed my mouth and nodded with a smile.

We sat down together on our bed, ready to find out what our task was for the day. It was getting so late, so I was hoping to God that it was going to be simple. I held the little book in my hand and took a deep breath. This was it; day 31 was finally here. After this, we would be on our own again. Rocky sensed my apprehension. He placed his hand on my thigh. "Open it, already," he teased quietly, but there was a hint of nerves in his voice.

My fingers flipped through until I opened up to our page. I cleared my throat and read out loud, even though I knew Rocky was reading along over my shoulder. "Day 31: reflect on your favorite days from the past month. What made them special? How has your marriage changed, grown, or strengthened? Discuss tips you have learned and other things you can do to keep your marriage alive for years to come." I tossed the book onto the bed and looked up at him. "What do you think?" I encouraged him to start.

Rocky's lips curled up into a mischievous smile. "Is it wrong of me to say that I liked all of the sex?" he asked.

It made me laugh out loud. I slapped his arm lightly. "Be serious..." I chided.

"I am being serious!" he defended himself. "We learned how to have fun again... Sex doesn't feel like an obligation. We used to only do it maybe once a week. MAYBE. If it was a good week." He rubbed my shoulder lightly and snuck his fingers underneath my collar to rub my bare skin. "But now we do it when the mood strikes, and it's always fun... we're spontaneous again."

"So your favorite day is all the sex days?" I chuckled.

"Well, specifically..." He knitted his eyebrows together and continued to rub my shoulder idly. "Day 22: the bet."

"You only liked that because you won."

"It was a lot of fun. You have to admit. Plus, you learned how to play Blackjack." He smiled and shrugged. "So we both got something out of it."

"I BARELY learned how to play Blackjack," I snorted.

"You did really well for your first time, babe." There was a moment of quiet reflection between us before he spoke again. "And what was your favorite day?" he asked.

"I liked the sex, too," I grinned widely.

"Juliette! Be serious!" he mocked with a smirk.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I thought. There were so many great times during the past month that had helped us through a rough patch. I loved getting to emotionally connect with him and share activities with him, but I think most of all, I enjoyed finding the young man I fell in love with. He was buried underneath the responsibilities of being an adult. There was one specific task that came to mind when I thought about it. "I loved our Vegas trip," I told him. "Even though we both came out on the other side as total zombies."

"I loved that, too," he sighed. "I loved feeling free, but do you want to know something else?"

"Hmm?" I hummed.

"I missed our kids. I missed them so much that weekend. I loved being young and free, but I wouldn't trade any of what we have for all the crazy nights in Vegas. Or for anything." He paused. "And you know, this book might have helped us, but it only gave us the ideas."

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"We did all the work. We grew closer. We rediscovered each other. And we could have done it without the book." He kissed my forehead with a small sigh. "Juli, I know you're worried now that the book is all over, but it'll be alright. I promise you, we will be okay."

The house was nearly quiet. All of the kids were in bed. The only sound was the hum of the television downstairs, where I knew Ryland and Karlee were cuddling after a long day. Both Rocky and I laid backwards into the soft embrace of our pillows and sighed in content, taking in the silence of our room. It was peaceful. I rolled over and rested my head on Rocky's chest; I felt his hand gently rub my back in response. "I love our little family," I whispered.

"Me too," he yawned.

There wasn't a thing I would change. It was our journey, and it was meant to be. Ten years of long nights and early mornings, fights and the make up sex that followed. Three children and baby number four on the way, and all of the milestones we had reached together. All of it led to this very moment in time, where everything finally felt okay.

Sometimes all you need is a magic little book.

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A/N: That's the end... for now :o