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)
This just got weirder and weirder. Was Gray being berated or what?
“You realize it’s not my wedding, right?” Gray felt the need to make sure. “It’s our day. Of-fucking-course I will plan it for the both of us. But that doesn’t mean I’m making concessions on my own preferences. We’re more similar than you might think, honey. I want that day to be perfect for us. I wanted the wedding favors to reveal a little bit about us. I absolutely wanted you to bitch at me about the soap bubbles until we ended up angry-fucking each other’s brains out.”
Darius’s mouth twitched with mirth.
“You’re just gonna have to live with our family and friends blowing bubbles our way,” Gray said. “Rice kills birds or some bullshit, and birdseed out on a pier…? We don’t need to attract more sea gulls. That leaves us with bubbles or flower petals, and we’re just not that couple.”
“But we’re bubble guys?”
Gray smirked. “I was kind of thinking about the kids. They’ll enjoy it. And it won’t cause any damage if they continue indoors.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Darius pinched his brows together—but he looked way less troubled now. “I guess you have a point.”
Gray was still unclear about the involvement of Elise. Darius had turned out to really love those chocolates; for chrissakes, he’d raided the cupboards in the middle of the night on more than one occasion, and Gray found it sweet and funny. At the reception, they’d obviously go with Elise’s creations. They didn’t really compare.
“Is there a fight with Elise I should know about?” he asked. “I texted with her yesterday morning about our order for the reception, and things seemed fine.”
Darius shook his head. “That’s between her and me—and it ain’t serious. What I said earlier was just… I shouldn’t have gone off on you for including a wedding favor that might make my sister huffy. It was a dick move. It was an excuse.”
Ah. To be honest, Gray hadn’t thought that far. He enjoyed the good-natured rivalry and banter between the Quinn siblings. Avery had shared some stories from back in the day when he’d admitted to Elise that he didn’t have much of a sweet tooth. She’d been so taken aback that she’d avoided him for days. Ethan had a similar experience with her, from the time he’d told her he didn’t like cupcakes or something.
“For the record—” Gray nudged their shoulders together again. “I see how much you love me every day, Dare. You should know by now that I don’t count romance in roses and chocolate assortments. I see it in the time you put into our home, from the biggest fortifications you install to the smallest crops you add to the list. I see it in the way you look at me and how devoted you are to our family. And I see it in how you train me. I know your biggest fear is to lose what we have, and so you do everything in your power to prevent that from happening.”
Darius closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
It made Gray furrow his brow.
“You just stole the one good line I’d written down in my vows,” Darius muttered.
Gray exhaled a laugh, more relieved than he could put into words. “What was it, the fear and prevention stuff?”
Darius nodded.
“You’ll think of something new.” Gray was confident.
“Easy for you to say.”
“Hey, I haven’t even started writing mine.”
Darius sighed and retrieved a half-eaten bag of jerky from his hoodie’s front pocket. “Words come easier for you, knucklehead.” He stuck a piece into his mouth and extended the bag in silent offering. “Are we okay?”
“We’re more than okay.” Gray chewed on a piece and made a face. “These aren’t.”
“Right?”
Still, Gray took one more. He loved jerky. But there were better brands. “You know what I think we need?”
“Tastier jerky?”
Gray grinned. “A day away. Soon as we’re rested, I say we pack up the kids and head to the hot springs. I’ll make those cinnamon roll bites you love and make sure we have enough hot dogs to feed our army. No wedding talk, Reese can’t come, and we’ll spend the night. We’ll try out the new tent.”
Judging by the look on Darius’s face, he was all in.
Gray bet they could take some great pictures too. Springtime in Washington was stunning.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Darius leaned in and kissed Gray chastely. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Gray pecked him back a few times.
“We don’t have to worry about Reese,” Darius went on. “He texted from the lounge. He’s staying in Seattle to help River and Shay with something.”
“Helping them with what?” Gray pressed, too curious for his own good.
Darius chuckled. “You think he told me?”
Hmpf.
Knowing Darius, he hadn’t asked for details either.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sometimes I wonder if you’re doing this on purpose, knucklehead.