Page 24 of Aisle Be The Groom (Bristlecone Springs #1)

OZZIE

W hat were Matty and Gray talking about for so long? I wrung my hands and chewed on my bottom lip while pacing back and forth. This secrecy stuff wasn’t working out at all. I was never any good at keeping secrets. I’d been out since I was ten. Because of me, so many people knew too much about us already.

Jessamine had seen us kiss. Opie and Lawson had overheard about our relationship. Now Gertie and Matty knew the truth as well. Oh god, Matty was one of those people who would look down on me, wasn’t he?

Maybe I should have asked Gray not to reprimand him for the harsh words. He’d only said what others would be thinking. I had to assume some responsibility for the way others would see me. Maybe I should have waited, but how long would be long enough to seem appropriate to date my ex’s father?

The front door opened, and I spun around. Gray descended the stairs, his brows knitted though he tried for a smile. I ran toward him but screeched to a halt when Matty appeared in the doorway.

“It’s fine, I promise.” Gray stroked my cheek with the back of his hand. “He might take some time to get used to it, but he has to. We’re all adults. I’m not asking for his approval, just to respect my decision and yours.”

“Gray.” I took his hand from my cheek and squeezed it. “I don’t want to come between you and Matty. Things are already strained with Carter.”

“Matty and I are fine.”

I glanced over his shoulder, but Matty was gone. “Are you sure?”

“It’ll get better.”

“I don’t know, Gray. So many people will act the way Matty just did.”

“Maybe. But they’ll get over it, and isn’t the most important thing our happiness?”

“But what about your kids?” I whispered.

“They’re grown now. Soon they’ll have their own families and move on. What then? I’ll live forever regretting letting you go to save face? I’d rather be happy with you and have everyone gossip about us than let you go. Matty will come around. Okay?”

He sounded so sure I nodded. Surely, he knew his son better than me.

“Good. Let’s go.”

We took Gray’s work truck and drove for the first ten minutes in silence. I knew because I checked. Then Gray placed his hand on my thigh while steering with the other. “Relax. I don’t bite. Not unless you ask me to, which I can only hope for.”

I grinned, the tension from earlier dissipating. His comment was ridiculous and yet right on time. It reminded me of why I had fallen for Gray’s charm. He had a way of pulling me out from the deepest pits of my worries.

“Do you go around hoping for someone to ask you to bite them?” I linked our fingers.

“Nah, just the pretty ones.”

“You’re such a flirt.” My cheeks flushed, and I let out a soft laugh, feeling lighter. Gray smirked, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. A smile crept across my face as I enjoyed the strength of his hand around mine and the warmth it provided.

“I only flirt with you.”

“But…will you always?” Carter had been attentive too when we started going out.

“Always. I’m not a fickle man, Ozzie. When I give my heart, it’s for keeps. I’m hoping you’re the same.”

Gray glanced at me. A split second really, which was all I needed to see the truth in his eyes that he didn’t try to hide. He meant every word.

“I am.” I stared ahead, not seeing the road but the life I wanted. A husband who adored me, hearth, and home—a sprawling ranch…kids? I sucked in a deep breath. Since when had the ranch been a part of my dream? And kids? I’d given up on that last one when Carter made it clear he didn’t want them. No kids, no pets.

“I had a feeling you were. Tell me. How did you and Carter meet?”

I straightened. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I want to know everything.”

“Umm, okay. We met on app, actually, but our first time meeting in person was at a nightclub.”

“A nightclub? Do you go often?”

“Not really. Mostly if someone invites me, which Carter did at the time. What about you? How did you meet your…wife?” Oh god, did he hear me hesitate over the word?

Gray chuckled. “That was so damn long ago. We met at a rodeo show. She had the hots for cowboys, and it turns out I was one.”

“How did you get to this place in your relationship?”

“We wanted two different things. I wanted the ranch, more kids. She was done with having kids and wanted to live in the city. We tried to make it work long distance but realized we were holding on to something we should have both let go of a long time ago. But we had no interest in remarrying. She’s a free spirit who likes her independence, and I’ve been too busy with the ranch to invest in another serious relationship, so we stayed together on paper.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him if he still loved her or if he would ever divorce her, but I swallowed the questions, too timid to learn the answer. He told me about his early days as a cowboy, not working the ranch but traveling to wherever he could perform in rodeo shows. Stories full of wild adventures. He painted a vivid picture of a life so different from my upbringing, yet his tales filled me with a yearning to have been there beside him, to have experienced the thrill of watching him ride, the pride of seeing him win.

“That’s why I’m trying to be patient with Carter,” he said with a sigh. “I didn’t realize the value of the land right away either, and I hope someday he does.”

“Me too. It’s beautiful here, Gray.”

“You grew up in the city. Could you…ever see this as your home?”

I let my gaze drift across the land, the rolling hills with grass and wildflowers, the occasional stand of trees. But what was Gray asking me? Did he expect me to stay while he remained married to his wife?

“Umm, I’ve enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.” That was an acceptable answer, wasn’t it?

He switched the conversation to my work back in DC, for which I was grateful. About half an hour later, I pressed my forehead to the window, staring in awe at the lake shimmering under the sun.

“Gray…” His name was a sigh on my lips. “You know where all the romantic spots are, don’t you? This is breathtaking.”

“If I’m going to convince you to stay, I have to pull out the big guns.” His voice held a teasing note, but the silence that followed was heavy, layered with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Now would be the chance to address the elephant in the car. But again, I found myself silenced by fear of his answer.

The question lingered as we continued our drive along the winding path leading to the lake. Now and then, he stole glances at me. Our bond was still in its infancy stage, but every moment we spent together, laughing and talking about our pasts, strengthened it. But was it strong enough?

He parked the truck near the lake’s edge, where the water gleamed like a sheet of glass under the afternoon sun. Gray hopped out and opened the door for me. I stepped down from the truck right into his arms. Away from everyone, the judgmental comments, and the expectations. Being with him felt so natural.

He cupped my cheek and placed his lips on mine. Sighing, I opened up to him and leaned into him. I tangled my fingers in his hair, holding him to me. Maybe. Just maybe I didn’t need the wedding. Maybe I didn’t need a gold band on my third finger, no wedding cake, no first dance, and no honeymoon. Maybe all I needed was Gray, the warmth of his loving gaze, the fierceness of his protective nature. Maybe it was enough to just have him, to have this.

If it came down to Carter and the wedding and Gray but no wedding, I would have to choose Gray.

Relax, Ozzie. There’s no rush. It’s a beautiful day, and you have a man who treats you right for a change. Go with the flow.

“Feeling better?” Gray asked against my lips.

“Yeah.”

“So we agree. Whatever backlash we face will be worth it?”

I gave a tiny nod. “I trust you.”

“And I won’t ever abuse that.”

“Gray…” I struggled for words. What could I say to that? I nodded instead, a silent agreement with his promise. He broke our embrace and walked to the truck. “Have you ever gone fishing?”

“No,” I admitted with a laugh. Gray’s face broke into a wide grin as he retrieved two fishing rods from the truck bed. His eyes sparked with excitement.

“Then let me show you how, but first, let’s get some sunscreen on you.”

Gray insisted on being the one to add sunblock to my skin. With gentle movements, his fingers danced over my arms and shoulders, his touch igniting a fire in my veins.

“What about you?” I asked him as he spread lotion over my face. His skin was sun-kissed to a golden brown from working long hours in the scorching heat.

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

“But still. Let me.”

I took the bottle from him and applied it to his face. I traced the contours of his jaw, smoothing the lotion over his skin. He had the faintest trace of freckles that fanned out from his nose. He watched me, his eyes bright under the midday sun. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable but filled with an intimacy that sent a shiver coursing down my spine.

“Thank you,” he said when I was finished. “There’s just one more thing.” He grabbed a baseball cap, placed it on my head, kissed my nose, and pulled the brim down to shield my eyes. “Now we’re all set.”

I stood next to him at the shore. Gray taught me how to thread the line, how to cast, and then, finally, how to wait. The waiting part was the worst. Every minute that passed, my excitement waned. But when I felt the first tug on the line, my heart pounded with exhilaration.

“I think I caught one!” I cried.

Gray wrapped his muscular arms around mine to help me reel in my catch. “You got it. Steady now,” he said, his warm breath tickling my ear. The fishing line strained against the weight of my catch, but under Gray’s expert guidance, I managed to pull it out.

At last, the thrashing fish broke through the water’s surface. It was enormous, a fat silver creature with bulging eyes staring at us in accusation. I squealed with joy and pride. Gray was laughing too.

“Great job, sweetheart! Look at you, first time, and you’ve caught a whopper.”

“What do I do now?”

“Here, I got you.”

He helped me unhook the struggling fish, then tossed it back into the lake. He’d explained we were strictly catching and releasing. As it swam away, I stared after it. A thought struck me like a lightbulb. I’d patiently waited and caught an enormous fish. I’d been so obsessed with getting married that I forgot to wait for the right man.

“Ozzie? Everything okay? If you want to, you can keep the next one.” Gray drew a line down my cheek with his thumb. “I should have thought that this being your first time, you might have wanted to keep it.”

“No, it’s fine.” But he didn’t look convinced. “Really, I am fine. I was just thinking how happy you make me.”

His eyes softened, and the corner of his lips lifted into a gentle smile. “Not as happy as you make me.”