Page 27

OZZIE

I had nothing against flowers. In fact, I loved having freshly cut flowers in my home, but after an hour, I was ready to run out into the street and get trampled on by a horse. My soon-to-be ex-future mother-in-law hemmed and hawed, flipping back to the beginning of the folder Cameron, the florist, had given us earlier.

“Wouldn’t roses be too traditional?” She tapped a perfectly manicured fingernail against the page. The poor florist tried to smile, but his lips twitched from the strain. I didn’t blame him. Emma was the one who had chosen roses to begin with.

“Perhaps dahlias?” She skipped to another page, but after a moment of pondering, she shook her head. “No, they give off an air of… I don’t know, melancholy?”

I sighed as discreetly as possible and glanced at the clock on the wall. The minutes ticked by as steadily as my sanity dwindled. Wedding planning was supposed to be fun, but apparently, it sucked when you were stuck doing it with your fiancé’s mother and when you had no plans to get married in the first place.

“I have a suggestion.” Cameron opened one of his catalogs and pointed at a picture of quaint little flowers with a touch of rustic charm. “How about anemones? They are unique and elegant.”

And beautiful.

The soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law took one look at the proposed flowers and frowned deeply. “No, those won’t do. They won’t match the napkins at all. And we cannot have that now, can we?”

Cameron looked like he was about to pass out. Then color rushed into his face. The poor guy. He’d been so pleasant, considering he’d hastily put together samples for us at Emma’s request.

“Maybe we should take a break,” I said.

“Take a break? Your wedding is in two weeks!”

“This would go a lot faster if you respected my choices,” I said quietly. “I agreed with Cameron on the wildflowers in mason jars as centerpieces. They would go well together with the rustic atmosphere of the ranch. Then we’d use the wildflower sprig for the boutonniere and have bouquets of the same for the bridesmaids. It fits our theme, our location, and most importantly, it’s what I want.”

A stunned silence ensued in which Emma looked at me openmouthed. I had never talked back to her. She was used to getting her way. Cameron’s eyes widened slightly, and he cleared his throat.

“Yes, that could definitely work.”

Emma let out a sigh. “At least you’ve made a decision, even if I’m not convinced it’s the best one. Now we need to—”

The bell above the door rang. Gray entered the shop in clean jeans and an unbuttoned flannel shirt over a blue T-shirt. He must have stopped at the house to shower and change before he came to find us. I fought against my instinct to run to him.

Please get your mean wife away from me.

“There you are.” He smiled warmly at me, then shifted his gaze toward Emma. “Are you not finished with the flower-shopping yet?”

“Actually, you’re right on time. I just decided what we will go with. Right, Cameron?” I winked at the florist, who smiled.

“That’s right. I’ll come out to view the venue and discuss the arrangements tomorrow, if that’s all right with you, Ozzie.”

I could kiss him that he asked me and not Emma.

“That sounds good.”

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked. “You rarely skip work.”

“Since you’re being so helpful, I figured I should also do my part by taking Ozzie shopping for his wedding outfit.”

“But I was going to do that tomorrow.”

“No need. Besides, I don’t have any formal suits in my closet either, so I’ll need to get fitted for one. It makes sense for Ozzie to go with me.”

Emma spread her arms and scowled. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

“There’s still the photographer to hire and lots more to do.”

“Just not the cake!” I said. “I want to decide on that myself.”

“Good. Now that that’s settled, we’ll get going.” Gray placed an arm on my shoulder and steered me toward the door. “We might be a little late getting home this evening, Emma. I’ll ensure we purchase nothing but the best.”

I held in my giggle as we hustled through the door. Gray placed a hand on the center of my back. “Don’t look back,” he whispered. “Just keep walking. She can sense fear.”

A laugh startled out of me, and he slapped a hand over my mouth.

“Hey, if you alert her, you’re the one staying with her.”

I reined in my emotions until we were in Gray’s truck, barreling down Main Street. Only then did I finally give in and burst into a fit of laughter that seemed to come from deep within. Gray looked over at me with twinkling eyes.

“What took you so long?”

“Sorry. I had to make it look natural.” He squeezed my thigh. “You didn’t suffer too much, did you, baby?”

Oh damn. When he called me baby, how could I complain? “It wasn’t that bad. I just forgot how much she liked to take charge. She was like that when Carter and I visited her.”

“She hasn’t changed. The entire time we were together, I tried to tell her she doesn’t have to take on everything, but her brain’s wired to think if she doesn’t, disaster will strike. She’s even more so because it’s Carter’s wedding.”

I scratched an angry red mark on my arm. “We have to come clean soon. I’m breaking out in hives because of all the lies.”

“You said Carter will be here this weekend, right?”

“Yeah.”

“We can hold out until then. He deserves to be the first person we tell about us.”

“I know.” I scooted as close to Gray as possible without interfering with his driving. “If only we could ride off into the sunset and never return.”

Wishful thinking. Stupid at that. Gray loved his ranch and would never leave it. Neither would I want him to. His ranch was in his blood and a part of who he was. He was proud of the land under his care and the animals he tended to.

“How are you going to handle things tomorrow?”

“I’m all set for that. I’m watching Hudson’s daughter, so a perfectly good excuse for not being able to traipse all over town with her.”

“Good thinking. I love a smarty pants.”

I preened like a damn peacock. “To be fair, it’s all a coincidence. What are we going to do? Emma expects us to return with our wedding suits.”

“So we’ll buy wedding suits. Who knows? We may need them someday.”

After an hour and a half, we arrived in Emerald Fort, the closest city to Bristlecone. For a city, it was smaller than I’d imagined, but definitely more vibrant and bustling with energy and color than the small town where we’d come from.

Emerald Fort had a friendly, small-town feel, but…busier. Cafés and boutique shops lined the streets, each with its unique look and wooden signs. On a hill in the distance stood the old fort that gave the city its name, a reminder of the area’s history.

Gray paid for our parking, and hand in hand, we walked through the busy streets, narrowly avoiding colliding with the bustling pedestrians. He protectively inserted his body between me and potential hazards, and my heart fluttered.

“What’s this?” Gray steered me toward the entrance of a brewery.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat.”

“But shouldn’t we find the perfect suit?”

“We will. Trust me.”

It was funny how those two small words “trust me” set my mind at ease, soothing my anxieties. As we entered the brewery, the clatter of dishes and murmur of conversation enveloped us like a warm blanket. The scent of toasted malt and warm food made my mouth water. A waiter greeted us, guided us to a table near the window, and handed us menus.

“You’ve come here before, haven’t you?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Do you come here a lot?”

“Not a lot, but from time to time. There are certain things that are limited in Bristlecone.”

“Like what?”

He raised his eyebrows, and I quickly lifted the menu to hide my disappointment. Oh. He used to come here for a booty call? The charm of the city dimmed a little.

Gray tugged down my menu. “I don’t have to do that anymore now that I’ve met you.”

“What if we run into—”

“We won’t. And even if we did, you don’t have to worry. You’ll never know.”

“What if I want to know?” There goes that perfectly arched brow again. I sighed. “You’re right. I don’t want to know.”

“Does it bother you?”

“I wish I could say it doesn’t. I’m sorry for being jealous.”

“Are you kidding me?” He took my hand up. “I’m the one who has to keep up with a younger, sexy-as-fuck boyfriend. Your jealousy is reassuring.”

What? I never once considered that Gray was insecure about our age difference. He was always so confident, so assured in everything he did. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Gray, you’re one hell of an attractive man.”

I’ll have to make sure he knows that from now on.

We got barbecued wings, burgers, fries, and some of the local craft beers to wash it all down. As we ate, I couldn’t help thinking about how carefree I was, having a simple meal that didn’t involve me weighing calories in my head before Carter pointed it out to me.

Gray caught me watching him and smiled. “What?”

I leaned over the table and kissed him briefly. “I’m having a good time.”

“Shucks. Now I’ll feel bad if I ruin it by bringing up Carter.”

“No, tell me.”

“How are we going to break the news to him? Should I? Should you? Or should both of us?”

“Is there a right answer? I don’t know, but I think I should. After all, we’re engaged.”

“And I’m his father.”

“True, but technically, you didn’t break a commitment to him. I did.”

“I don’t know, Ozzie.”

“Honestly, I don’t either, but there’s no version that will get us a favorable response. I’ll rip it off like a Band-Aid.”

Gray heaved a sigh. “I don’t like this, baby. I really don’t, but I’ll respect your wishes. If you change your mind, I’ll step up and take the heat.”

I never doubted that he would.

We lingered for too long over lunch, but neither of us wanted to move. When he eventually paid the bill and we left, Gray took the lead once more. I was giddy—maybe I’d had a little too much beer—as I swung his hand and bounded beside him like a lovesick puppy. But I didn’t feel any shame over the way I was acting. Not when Gray didn’t behave much better—pulling me up against him and kissing me right in the middle of the sidewalk.

I could have followed him everywhere, and I did. Right into a shop, but not the kind we intended to stop. A sex shop.

“Gray!” I whispered fiercely, digging in my heels. “What are we doing here?”

“Nothing too kinky.” He grinned. “Just thought we’d get you more of those sexy lingerie you secretly like.”

I spluttered, but before I could say anything, a young woman popped up in front of us. “Hi, I’m Sidney. What can I do you for?”

“Do you really want to go?” Gray asked.

I should. I gave a tiny shake of my head, and his smile widened. “We can stay.”

“Good.” He turned to Sidney, looking and sounding quite confident as he asked to be taken to be shown the sexiest lingerie they had.

For a second, my stomach dropped as I braced myself for Sidney to say they didn’t carry any in my size. Shit. I’d forgotten why I hated shopping so much.

“We just got some new stock I think you will love.”

“And you carry plus sizes?” I asked.

“Of course. My girlfriend’s plus size as well, so I know how difficult it can be when it comes to shopping. I got her input before I opened this place.”

“Wow. You own this place? But you’re so young.”

She laughed. “Not that young. I’m actually thirty, and for years I’ve been working with a Fortune Five Hundred company. Very miserably, I might add. Savannah—that’s my girlfriend—gave me the courage to follow my passion and open this place.”

“That’s so cool.”

“Start-up’s a bitch, but it’s finally paying off. Here you go. What do you think?”

My mouth dropped open. She hadn’t been lying when she said she carried all sizes. And not like some stores either who stocked only a handful of plus sizes to appease us bigger people. She had an eclectic selection, ranging from sultry nightdresses to barely there lace ensembles, all in varying patterns and colors. The silhouettes were flattering, the cuts thoughtful and sexy. I thought of all the ways Gray would strip them of me. And in the case of the edible underwear, to eat it off me.

Gray wandered around while I chose different pieces. He told me to go wild, get everything I loved, and when I only selected six, he sent me back to pick more.

I chose a few more, blushing at some of the options. The bustiers and garters, stockings and corsets were all so decadent. I could never have imagined being in such a place, let alone browsing with such unbridled freedom. But Gray was encouraging me to embrace my desires. His confidence was infectious and made me feel fearless.

When I ventured over to the cash register, Gray had a shopping bag in hand. “What did you get?” I tried to pry inside, but he held it tight.

“No peeking.”

We walked out of the store, our arms laden with shopping bags. And if I should have felt ashamed for buying lingerie to seduce my fiancé’s father instead of a tuxedo for our wedding, I was too happy to dwell on it for long.

If anything, the day only made it perfectly clear how much I’d fallen ass backward and belly up for the man who embraced everything about me. The only thing I’d ever wanted from Carter that he could never give me. To think I’d come so close to marrying him and accepting his poor treatment because he made me feel it was all I deserved.

I knew better now, and I would never let another man treat me that way ever again.