She lifted her glasses and dabbed the corners of her eyes with her knuckles. “I just . . . I never thought this would be an option for me. I never thought anyone would ever . . .” She dabbed and laughed, sniffed, and Merritt’s stomach climbed back to its space below his diaphragm. “Oh.” He tried not to smile but did a terrible job of it. “Well. I apologize that the men in your life have been muttonheads, but then again, I suppose I should thank them—” This time he wasn’t able to finish the sentence because Hulda was kissing him.
