Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
She laughed softly when he crushed her in a hug.
“How are you feeling, sweetie?”
“I’m dead,” he chuckled. “Blissed out and dead. It hurts to smile.”
“Weddings will do that to you.” She peered up at him and combed his hair right with her fingers. “Do you want us to take the kids tonight? Darius said he’d ask you before making a decision.”
“No, we’ll bring them home.” If they were off on their honeymoon on Monday, Gray wanted to have everyone close tomorrow. “I want a day with sweatpants, movies, and leftovers.”
Mom nodded, taking it seriously. “I’ll make sure you get a little bit of everything to take home with you.”
“Thank you.” He kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek right there, and fuck, he could’ve fallen asleep. “I think we need some air in here.”
“I think you’re right. I’ll go open the doors. You go tell your husband to save the farm talk for later.”
Okay, Gray could muster one more cheesy smile. My husband. That sounded so damn right.
He made his way between a handful of guests and snuck under Darius’s arm.
Darius smiled and gave him a squeeze but continued his talk with Reese. “I’m definitely gonna look into that. I know we have a family ’bout ten minutes away from us—built a new place just last year, and they’re part of some farmer’s collective with their beekeeping business.”
“And reach out to Greer,” Reese added. “He and his family are all over those collective groups on Facebook. I think they have a specific account for their place—look up Finlay Ridge.”
“I definitely will.” Darius nodded firmly.
“And I definitely will steal my husband away,” Gray said. “I think it’s time for cake.”
“Well, we’re not missin’ that.” Reese was dragged away by Shay at the same time.
Darius hugged Gray to him and kissed his temple. “Call me that again.”
“Husband?”
“That’s the one. Tired?”
Gray nodded and stifled a yawn. “And I want my husband to tell me why our son knows where we’re heading two days from now and I don’t.”
Darius smirked into a soft kiss. “Your husband is approximately five minutes away from telling you.”
Oh! Well, finally!
“Let’s go have a seat,” Darius murmured.
River had taken the laptop again, so they sat down at their table, and Darius exchanged a nod with Elise, who was standing over by the door to the kitchen.
Seconds later, Avery announced it was time for dessert, and that couldn’t be right, could it? Darius was gonna spill the honeymoon beans.
Gray took a sip of his coffee, glad it hadn’t lost its heat yet. Then he decided he was done with his tie. He’d lasted long enough, longer than Darius, so he removed it and stuffed it into his suit jacket draped over his chair.
“Oi! Listen up, y’all!” That was Ryan’s loud voice. He pointed toward Elise by the kitchen door. “The shortcake over there’s tryin’ to get everyone’s attention.”
She sent him a stiff smile and two thumbs up. “Thanks, brother. Before everyone cuts into the cake, please gaze upon the cookie art the children have created for us!”
Aww, Gray wanted to see this. He hadn’t laid eyes on Justin and Cass in hours.
Grace emerged from the kitchen with a big grin and a cookie tray, and she was followed by Justin, Nova-Lyn, and Ace. Then Ryder and JJ stumbled out, both carrying the last tray.
“Look at those two,” Ryan chuckled. “You takin’ pictures, baby?”
“Oh yeah.” Angel was on top of things.
So was Darius. Gray leaned over and rested his chin on Darius’s shoulder as he snapped a couple photos of Justin.
“Someone’s been eating frosting,” he murmured.
“He wouldn’t be Justin otherwise.” Gray pressed his lips to Darius’s neck, and they watched Justin proudly present cookies to his grandparents at the next table.
“We made them, Pops!”
“You did? They look very tasty.” Aiden grabbed a couple for his plate. “Thank you, champ.”
“You did good, baby.” Gray pressed another kiss to Darius’s neck. “With the kids’ entertainment, I mean. That’s a great idea.”
Darius pocketed his phone and sat a little straighter. “There were some mishaps along the way, but sometimes you just gotta say Not today, Satan, and then Elise will make sure everything works out.”
Gray spluttered a laugh. He’d never heard Darius utter that phrase before.
“S’heavy, Mommy.” JJ grunted as he and his brother lifted the tray and dumped it on the table.
“You did so well, sugar,” Angel praised.
A couple dozen or so sugar cookies filled the silver tray, many without decorations and frosting, but some…were mountains of sprinkles, edible glitter, M&Ms, and colorful glaze. They were the ones parents took a tiny bite of to appease their proud children, before they dove for the plain ones.
Gray had been around a while now.
Before Avery and Elise rejoined them at their table, they urged everyone to dig in and enjoy the cake—and mentioned that the bar was open for all the free cocktails the guests could drink.