Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Gray seemed to like that response. “You have every right to be skeptical. I’m glad Layla has protective friends.”
Quinn hooked her arm with mine. “Why don’t you take Aunt Layla’s friend to the living room, and you can open your gift with Daddy in there, Harper.” She turned to Gray. “I’m going to take Layla to the kitchen to open wine and talk about you. What can I bring you to drink?”
He threw her a dazzling smile. “A beer would be great.”
The door to the kitchen was barely even closed when Quinn started. “Jesus Christ. You said he was good looking. Not that. That’s Brad-Pitt-before-Angelina-level smoking hot.”
I grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet. “I really could fall for him, Q. It’s sort of terrifying.”
Quinn pulled a bottle of wine from a rack on the counter and the opener from the drawer in the center island. “You still don’t trust him?”
“It’s not that I don’t. I’m afraid to. Honestly, why he lied makes a lot of sense. And technically, he wasn’t even lying—his marriage had been annulled. He was at such a disadvantage, and our connection happened really, really fast. So part of me does understand why he didn’t want to scare me away with his crazy history. And I believe his apology is sincere and that he cares about me.”
A loud pop filled the air as Quinn pulled the cork from the bottle. “So what’s the hesitation then?”
“He could devastate me.”
Quinn held up the wine. “He could also lose his balls with the jagged end of a bottle.”
***
“Oh my God.” I handed Gray his beer and stood next to him as people crowded around Harper, who was tearing through her gift. “Don’t tell me that big thing is a box of boxes.”
My goddaughter had just opened the three-foot by three-foot square box that Gray brought, only to find another wrapped, slightly smaller box inside.
Gray grinned and sipped his beer. “You said she had a box obsession.”
I had told him that, but a year and a half ago. “How the hell did you remember?”
“Told you, I remember every minute we spent talking together.”
God, he really does. And him remembering this particularly random thing I’d told him about my goddaughter in passing so long ago really made me want to find that empty closet he’d threatened to push me in.
“That was so sweet of you. I only brought her a heart locket. She’s going to be disappointed after this. Sadly.”
He smiled proudly. “And the last box has an actual gift. It’s a carved wooden box that’s a puzzle to open.”
I scowled at him. “This borders on bribery and might be considered cheating at our bet.”
“My entire gift was under twenty bucks. How much did you spend?”
I brought the wine to my lips. “Bite me.”
He looked around the room with a shit-eating grin on his face. “I’d love to. Is that closet around?”
I shook my head. “Come on, cheater, let me introduce you to everyone.”
The party wasn’t very big—mostly Quinn and her husband Brian’s family and a few of the employees from the pub. Brian, being the suspicious New York City cop that he is, wore an inhospitable mask on his face as he shook Gray’s hand. When Quinn had first told him I’d met a man in prison, he’d been vocal about suggesting I’d lost my mind. When he’d found out things ended the way they did, he didn’t have to say I told you so.
Brian locked eyes with Gray during the shake. “Layla’s like a little sister to me, and I carry a gun.”
“Brian!” I scolded.
Gray put his hand up, motioning for me to let him handle it. He swallowed and nodded at Brian. “Understood.”
It’s funny, since I had decided to forgive Gray and move on, I actually felt bad for what he’d gone through and wanted everyone else to move on, too. People still saw him as an ex-con and a future suspect even when they knew the truth of his story. So while I partially understood Brian’s suspiciousness, it also made me want to defend Gray.
“You know what, Brian—”
Gray slipped his hand around my waist and discreetly squeezed. My eyes flashed to his, and I knew he wanted me to let it go. So I did…for now.
Wagging a finger at Brian, I said, “We’ll talk later.”
We went out back, and I finished introducing Gray around. At least everyone else at the party was friendly. After I was done, we sat together on a lounge chair in the sun. It was a gorgeous late-spring day. I leaned my head on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry about Brian and Quinn.”
“Don’t be. If they weren’t protective, they wouldn’t be very good friends. I’m glad you have them.”
“I know. But I want them to like you.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere, Freckles. Let them come around in their own time, and it will be genuine. You can’t force someone’s guard down.” He kissed the top of my head. “I need to earn their trust just the same way I’m still earning yours.”