The Saga of Steve and Joey-Part 30

Hello everyone and Happy Monday!! I am back with a new part of The Saga of Steve and Joey. Enjoy!

Part 30

Joey

I smile as Steve pulls the chair out for me before going around the table to sit down.

“You always were a smooth romantic.”

Steve smiles before picking up the menu. Tonight is the fifteenth anniversary of the day we met. I can’t believe in has been fifteen years since I first waked into this very restaurant, butterflies in my stomach over a blind date. I never thought all those years ago that I would be married to that very man with a child.

“Are you okay?”

I shake my head to try and clear my head of those memories and focus on the moment. “I’m fine.”

“He’ll be okay, you know.”

“Who?”

“Aiden. That is what you were thinking of, wasn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but smile at Steve’s insight. Under normal circumstances I would have been thinking of Aiden. He’s on his very first sleepover at Gordy’s house. I had been resisting his pleas for about a month, desperate to keep him at home. But the lure of a private night on our anniversary was too tempting to ignore. Plus, Aiden was starting to beg.

“Actually, I wasn’t.”

“Really,” Steve says, clearly shocked.

“No. I was thinking about this place. And about that night fifteen years ago.”

Steve smiles. “I wish I could remember more. I was so out of it, it’s all kind of a blur.”

“I’m surprised you came if you were that tired.”

“Well, I did think about bailing. But Lucas would have kicked my ass and it wasn’t worth it.”

I chuckle. “I guess I should be glad. I don’t know how I would have felt if I got stood up by a blind date.”

“What do you mean?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I was really hesitant for Lucas to set me up on a blind date. I had been on a bad streak, not being able to stop dating losers. I was starting to get really depressed about it too. I was just about ready to swear off dating when Lucas told me I had to meet you. But if you had bailed, I probably wouldn’t have given you another chance.”

Steve sucks in a breath. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

“Because I really didn’t think it mattered. I mean, I found you and you were, well are, perfect for me. Those losers I was dating don’t matter anymore. And they never did, so I just never brought it up.”

Steve chuckles. “I guess not. It’s actually kinda funny. I thought I knew about that night and now fifteen years later, I’m learning more.”

“I like that, though. It’s like there’s always more I can learn about you and about us.”

Steve reaches across the table and grabs my hand. “Babe, I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about that. I mean, it’s been fifteen years and I am still learning new things. Besides, even if that magically stops and I manage to learn ever thought that has ever passed through your mind, then I will still be here. Because I’ve seen enough in fifteen years to know that you’re it for me.”

I smile as I look down at the table, blushing. “Since when did you become a smooth talker?”

“Hey, it’s our anniversary. I think I’m allowed.”

“You are. It’s just not something I hear that often.”

Steve sighs as he clutches my hand a little tighter. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been as forthcoming with that as I did when we were first going out. I don’t even know why. I love you even more now.”

“It’s simple, really,” I say, running my thumb along the back of his hand. “Life. We have Aiden now, who is quite good at making yucky faces whenever we kiss. You work full-time, we have a house and the list goes on. There just isn’t time in the day.”

“Of course there is! There is always enough time to say how much I love you.”

I meet his eyes and smile. “Steve, it’s okay. I don’t expect you to start saying ‘I love you’ every second of every day.”

“But I do.”

“I know. But that’s the whole point. I don’t need you to say it every minute. I already know.”

Steve looks down at our joined hands and smile. “I guess that’s why I married you, huh? Cause you know me so well.”

“Well, that and the sex.”

Steve laughs. “Well, there is that.”

“Now we should probably look at these menus.”

“Probably. The waiter keeps coming over to see if we’re ready. At some point he’s either going to interrupt us or give up entirely.”

I laugh before picking up the menu that still lies on the table. I give Steve a smile before I open the menu. We may have fallen into domestic bliss, but I know Steve loves me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

I hope everyone enjoyed that! I will be back next week with Part 31 where we will reconnect with Aiden. See you all then.