Page 22 of Grey (Little River Stallions #2)
Grey and Tatum turned into the gravel driveway of the farmhouse, the familiar sight of the buildings of their herd’s home coming into view.
He glanced over at Tatum, her face glowing with happiness as she leaned against the seat.
She’d looked like that the entire two days they’d been at the safari park, taking advantage of a small apartment complex on the park grounds for the shifters to use.
The park’s many shifters and tight security had allowed them to feel safe and secure and to really unwind.
Before they’d left three days earlier, they’d been elbow-deep in repairs. Fortunately, the damage from Colton’s attack was on its way to being completed, and the one advantage from the whole damn thing was that their herd was stronger than ever.
He reached over and took Tatum’s hand, feeling the press of the engagement ring as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Home sweet home,” he said.
“I had the best time at the park,” she said, straightening a little. “But I’m really glad to be home.”
“Me too,” he said. “I enjoyed the time away, and I’m going to suggest that Crew and Zara go hang out there for a while too, but I missed the farm and the herd.”
“I’m sure the animals have been wondering where we’ve been.”
He parked and they got out of the truck. He took a moment to inhale the sweet, earthy scent of the farm that had been home to him for so many years. It felt even more like home with Tatum by his side.
Ford walked out of the barn and smiled as he tucked a dirty rag into his back pocket. “Well hey, you two, how was your time away?”
They greeted each other with a half-hug, half-manly backslap, and Ford gave a smile and chin-jut to Tatum.
“Wonderful,” she said, leaning into Grey. He put his arm around her.
“How were things here?” Grey asked.
“Coming along,” he said. “We’ve got a mechanism for the front gate coming in the mail tomorrow, which will let us use a code to open the gate so we won’t have to get out and open and close the damn thing.”
“Awesome,” Grey said.
“It’s been quiet,” Ford said, crossing his arms over his chest. “And we could definitely use that around here.”
“I’m going to find Zara and Tris,” Tatum said, giving Grey a kiss on the cheek.
He watched her leave, his heart full of love for her.
They met up with Ford, Dexter, Khyle, and Avi, who greeted him in much the same way, like he’d been traveling abroad for years and not just away for a couple days so he and Tatum could enjoy some peace and quiet. The males had been busy finishing up repairs on the greenhouse and garden.
“I’m going to suggest you take Zara to the park for a couple days,” Grey said to Crew. “Tatum had a ball. We got private tours of everything, even the VIP safari tour, and we ate dinner with the gorillas one night. She still is surprised by how many types of shifters there are.”
“Zara already told me I needed to take her there,” Crew said. “After the repairs are done, though. I know you and Tatum needed some downtime after her abduction, so I’m glad you were able to get away.”
They talked about the repairs and what needed to be finished, including the motorization of the front gate, and then Dexter said, “I’ve got a loose plan worked up to turn the rooms off the kitchen into a suite, plus extra bedrooms. I’ll send them to you so you and Tatum can chat.
We’ll have you over for dinner this weekend and we can refine them some more. ”
“Awesome, thanks,” Grey said.
“The sooner the better,” Ford said. “I’ve got dibs on your suite on the second floor after your new rooms are finished.”
“What?” Avi demanded. “You can’t call dibs!”
“Hey, sure I can,” Ford said. “I’m pretty damn sure that I’ll be the one to find my soulmate next, ergo I get the suite.”
“You wish,” Avi said. “I’m definitely feeling lucky.”
When they’d finished discussing repairs, he and Crew headed for the farmhouse, where they found Tatum on the porch with Daisy sitting beside her, nibbling on a handful of clover. “Daisy followed me into the house! I think she missed me.”
Grey leaned against the porch railing and reached over to scratch Daisy between her ears. “I don’t blame her, sweetheart. I’d follow you anywhere.”
Tatum laughed and patted the space on the top step next to her, and he sat down.
“It’s really good to be home. The park was so fun, but this is where we’re supposed to be. I thought I knew what family meant, but I didn’t until I met you and the herd.”
“I agree. We’re both right where we should be, with each other and the herd.”
They sat in peaceful quiet for a little while, his mind wandering over the coming weeks and the work that would need to be done as summer slipped away and fall descended.
They would always be working on the farm’s security to ensure that if Colton returned—which was likely since he was a giant ass with the ego of a solar system—they would be ready for him.
But for now, he let himself not worry about anything and focus on the moment, savoring the sweet feeling of Tatum leaning against him and knowing how much she loved and trusted him.
As it grew later in the day, the herd gathered in the farmhouse for dinner.
All the females had worked together to prepare a feast, and Grey didn’t think he’d ever seen such an amazing meal.
It was moments like this, when the table was full and the herd was together, that reminded him why he fought so hard for the farm and for his family.
After dinner, Grey stepped outside for some fresh air, rocking on his heels and staring up at the stars.
“You okay?” Avi asked, coming to stand next to him.
“Yeah, just thinking.”
“About anything in particular?”
“All we’ve been through. What might come next.”
Avi nodded. “We’ve come a long way. Just think back to when we were spending most of our time with Dexter’s construction company and we didn’t even have cattle. Now we’ve got an honest-to-goodness homestead and four of our herd members are mated.
“I hope you find your soulmate soon. You and Ford.”
“Me too, man. I’m ready to find her and start the next chapter of my life.”
Grey had been in that place just a few weeks ago, before he’d found his soulmate lost in the woods. Things were changing in the herd, but they were all good changes.
He walked back inside and found his sweetheart, pulling her in for a hug and burying his face in her neck to inhale her sweet scent.
“Tonight was amazing, wasn’t it?” she asked as she melted against him.
“Hell yes,” he whispered, kissing her neck. “Everything’s perfect.”
And it was. At least for now. And after what they’d been through, he’d take these little moments of peace and enjoy them, hold on to them. Because they were precious, just like Tatum.
Challenges would come, because that was life sometimes, but he and Tatum could get through anything together—they’d already proven that.
He would move heaven and earth to be with her, he would kill to see her safe.
That’s what stallions did for their soulmates, because they were the most precious thing on the planet.
He was exactly where he needed to be.
With his soulmate in Little River.
Thank you for reading GREY!