she’d put down, it was more than a page and—to be honest—pretty dry.
What she’d shared was a very factual report with the tiniest touches of the truth dashed into the mix.
Did she want to say anything more? Did she want to talk about how the times they’d spent with his friends and her sisters had felt bigger than just random gatherings?
That somehow for the first time in her life she was beginning to understand a never-before experienced level of family. That it both thrilled and terrified her, and she wasn’t sure why.
Julia pushed aside the trembling in her gut and decisively reached for Zach’s letter. She all but ripped it from its envelope, slapped it out on the table in front of her and dove in.
Zach’s familiar messy writing covered two sheets of paper.
September 30.
* * *
One month ago, minus a few days, you agreed to make a big sacrifice to save my butt. I’m very thankful.
* * *
I know this whole setup is a lot. You have to write a letter on top of putting up with my stupid ass on a daily basis. That’s just evil—the letter part, I mean. My ass isn’t evil, it’s just annoying.
* * *
I was thinking about what to write. I figured you’d probably do a detailed analysis of our past month based on notes from your journal, maybe with numbers or bullet points. Therefore, this month, I’ll try to speak your language.
THE RULES
• no further addendums at this time.
* * *
I do think you should still date that original page and make a new one that’s a little less messy. Really, Julia, I don’t know how you can keep track of things when you keep changing your mind :-)
* * *
(note—I am very glad you changed your mind.)
THE ACTIVITIES
* * *
• Yoga: I would like to request a few less of those moves where we’re on our stomach. Especially if you insist on wearing those pale-pink yoga pants. Ahem. Too blunt?
* * *
• Dancing: zero changes to our dance card.
* * *
Wait—scratch that. I will warn you that if Trevor Daniels tries to cut in on me again, there will be hell to pay. It’s not so much that I don’t want you to ever dance with other guys, it’s that he’s absolute shit at it. Chances of you getting smashed into another couple go up exponentially every time the dickhead tries. Don’t make me stage an intervention where I have to dive across the dance floor to save you.
* * *
• Horseback riding: no changes.
* * *
Getting a deeper appreciation of Red Boot ranch every time we go. Damn, it’s pretty out here.
* * *
• Cooking: sorry about the meatloaf. It was truly gross, but in my defense, the recipe called for oats. I didn’t realize the package I had was peaches-and-cream flavoured.
* * *
• Research: heads-up. I’d like to go to the States at some point. You want to wait until November? Once you’re done with your EMT shifts? Discuss. Other than that, I really appreciated having you along. You’re good company, and your comments about the brew and food are helping.
* * *
Regarding the other kind of research? Heh-heh. See next note.
* * *
• Fooling around: definitely a complaint to register.
I have yet to see the blue or the neon-yellow vibrator in action, and frankly, that’s a bit of a travesty.
* * *
Onward to October. I hope you enjoy the final month working with the team down at the fire hall. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make things easier for you, whether it’s in the transition for work or anything else.
* * *
You’re a rockin’ fake wife, and a really good egg.
Julia stared down at the paper then her own letter.
He’d hit the nail on the head with her making her comments in an orderly fashion, although he’d one-upped her by using actual bullet points.
She folded his letter small enough that it would fit in the expandable pouch at the back of her journal
Then she rewrote her own note simply to make it neater then reused his envelope. Only she hesitated, pulling out her coloured pens. She proceeded to decorate the outside with tiny little images and words.
When she was done, from a distance the entire surface looked as if it had brightly coloured confetti sprinkled on it. It was only from close-up that the tiny words in capitals became clear. YOGA and RIDING and the rest of them, including the one that made