Mark was right about us being together every day not being realistic, but I wished it was. By Wednesday, I hadn’t seen him since I left him at his house holding a one super excited princess because of the gifts we’d brought her back. She’d loved her Hotel Emma mug, and we read the story about the Sneetches at least three times. There were hugs for Emma and kisses for Mark— the first in front of Emma, which didn’t even seem to faze her—and then I left. It just seemed so wrong after the weekend. Then I had to work late Monday, and he worked late on Tuesday. We had been talking on the phone and texting but it just wasn’t the same.

Today was the first day we were both off and we were going to meet for dinner. He was bringing Emma. We were going to go eat at her favorite burger place, and then we were going to play miniature golf. I didn’t even know miniature golf was still a thing.

Mark: Hey, just a heads up expect about 1000 questions from Emma when you see us.

Me: Really, why?

Mark: She hasn’t stopped asking about our goodbye kiss the other night

Me: I didn’t even think she noticed.

Mark: Oh, she noticed. I just haven’t said anything because I thought it would blow over

Me: Is she ok?

Mark: LOL oh yeah, she is okay. She is thrilled. But she won’t stop with the questions.

Me: What did u tell her?

Mark: I told her I loved you the way Mommy loves Tom.

Me: Ok, thanks for the warning. See u guys at 6. <3 u.

I was trying to get everything put away so I could get out of work on time when Matt walked up. “Hey, man. We’re all going to the club tonight, wanna come? You haven’t gone out with us in ages. If you keep this up, we’re going to start thinking you’ve been domesticated.” He laughed like that was the most ridiculous thing ever.

“Domesticated, huh?” I said like I was really considering it. “Well, if loving someone so much you’d rather go play mini-golf with their kid than hang out at a club, hoping to get laid makes you domesticated, then I’ll own that title.”

“What? Are you serious? Tell me it isn’t true!”

“Yes,” I said with a completely straight face. “It is true. I am indeed going to play mini-golf.”

“No, don’t tell me the great Justin Johnson, the king of no repeats has fallen!” he exclaimed with a look of what I was pretty sure was mock horror or it might have been just horror I wasn’t really sure.

I laughed. Then seriously, I said, “Yes it’s true. I’m absolutely truly 100%, all in, in love with Mark. It’s horrible and scary and the most wonderful thing ever, man. You should try it.”

“Umm yeah no. But thanks anyway. Hey, with you off the table that just means more pretty boys for me. Honestly, though I’m happy for you. Emma’s a cute kid, and Mark is a really nice guy.”

“Thanks, man. Maybe next week we can both go with you. But for now, I gotta get going. Wouldn’t want to be late to show off my superior skills at the windmill hole.”

“Do they even still have windmills at mini-golf?” Matt asked, looking really curious.

“I have no idea, man. Until this week, I didn’t even know they still had mini-golf.” We both laughed, and then I headed out to the truck. I was meeting them there, and if I hurried, I had time to run by my house, change, and grab an overnight bag because I had no intention of sleeping alone tonight.

* * *

Yes, they still had windmills at mini-golf, and I was just as bad at it now as I was when I was a teenager. It was more fun with Emma though. One thing I knew for sure was that if Mark thought we should let her set the pace, we would be running. That little girl knew exactly what she wanted. It all started while we were at the burger place.

“Do you love my daddy?”

I looked at Mark for direction, but he just shook his head and laughed. “I warned you. I have been fielding her questions all week; it’s your turn.”

She just sat there looking at me expectantly.

“Yes, princess, I love your daddy.”

“Good, cause my daddy says he loves you, and it would be sad if you didn’t love him back.”

“It would be, but lucky for us, we both love each other. And you know, princess, I love you too.”

“I know you do silly. That is why you read me so many stories.”

“Yeah, that is why I read you so many stories.” I chuckled.

I looked up at Mark and our eyes met, and we both smiled. Yep, her pace was pretty much lightning speed.

By the time we got back to the house, she was ready to go to sleep. We got her tucked in, stories read, and headed back downstairs. “She is something else, isn’t she,” I commented as I sat on the couch.

“She is that. She has been full of questions about how things are going to work now that we are together. I knew she wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I guess I didn’t expect it to be such a big deal to her either,” he said as he sat down on the couch next to me.

“She’s a planner like her father.” I pulled him into my arms as I leaned back against the arm of the couch. I never realized I was a snuggler until Mark, but I honestly thought this was perfect. “I love this couch. It is so comfortable. Want to watch a movie?”

He snuggled in and sighed. “No, it is too late for a movie. Let’s watch something shorter and then go to bed.”

“Or we could skip the TV altogether and just go to bed. I have missed you the last couple days,” I said as I ran my nose up his neck. He made a little sound I loved that was somewhere between a moan and a sigh. So, I reached under his t-shirt and skimmed my fingers along his stomach. He pushed back against me and tilted his head to give me better access to his neck.

“Mmmm,” he sighed as I kissed that spot right below his ear that he loved. “Yeah, it’s been a long day and ohhh,” he gasped as I slipped my hand lower. “And I think an early night sounds good. Let’s head to bed.”

The next morning, I woke up with Mark wrapped around me just the way he should be. I hadn’t liked waking up alone the last few mornings. I untangled myself from him and slipped out of bed, being careful not to wake him. I peeked in on Emma, and she was also sleeping so I went down and made a pot of coffee. Once it was ready, I took the cup and went out on the deck to watch the sun come up.

I wasn’t out there long before someone came outside from next door. I looked up and Tom was heading over. “If you want a cup of coffee, there is a fresh pot in the kitchen. I’d offer to get it, but I have no idea how you take it.”

“That would be amazing. All we have in the house are flavored pods, and I just can’t do pecan praline flavored coffee this early in the morning.” He headed inside and got a cup. Then he came back out and sat down. “This is so good. Just plain coffee. Perfect.” He looked like he was in heaven.

“You like a good cup of coffee, I take it?” I chuckled.

“Oh yeah. Love it.” We sat there in silence for a bit, watching the sun come up. “You guys get everything worked out?”

“I’m sure between Mark and Suzie, you have already heard all about it.”

“Yeah, those two are thick as thieves. They were out here forever Monday morning, talking all about your weekend.” Tom chuckled. “It was kinda hard to get used to, to be honest. Even when they weren’t on good terms, you could tell they loved each other. In the beginning, especially before Mark came out, I spent a lot of time questioning my place within their tight little unit. I mean, when most people get married to someone divorced, their spouse hates their ex, but not Suzie. Oh no, she’s inviting him over for dinner and worrying about his social life. For a while there, I just kinda held my breath, waiting for them to reconcile, you know?”

“Nah, Suzie loves you like crazy, man. Anyone who’s spent more than a minute with you guys can see that.”

He laughed. “Yeah, well the feeling is mutual, and I know all that now. I mean I wouldn’t be living next door to the guy or consider him one of my closest friends if I didn’t.”

“Mark told me to ask you about the people you work with and what they think about y’all living here next to each other. What’s that about?”

“I guess all of us being such good friends, being neighbors, sharing a yard, and everything is kinda hard for people to understand. Plus, we tend to do things together as a family unit, so I suppose that seems weird to most people. Hell, if it weren’t me doing it, it would probably seem weird to me too. But anyway, there is a rumor going around at my work that we are in some kind of polygamous relationship. One guy even jokingly asked me if I was trying to start some kind of a polygamous cult out here.”

“Oh my god, you have got to be kidding me.” I laughed.

“Nope,” Tom said, using a fake evil voice and twirling a fake mustache. “We’re starting a polygamous cult, and I’m recruiting new members. Mwuhahaha! Are you ready to join us?”

We were both laughing. “You know what Tom? I think I am,” I said seriously, but then, just for fun, I added, “But just so you know, I’m only sleeping with Mark.”