Page 28 of New in Town

“What else is done?” Maddie asks.

“We have the cakes picked out, and my dress came last week! I love it, it’s sexyandhas pockets.”

Gracie chuckles, “Did you saycakes? As in multiple?”

“Three flavors, actually. I couldn’t decide so Brett insisted I get them all,” Laurel says with a blushing smile.

Gracie reaches for Maddie’s Riesling. “He would have gotten you a hundred cakes if you wanted,” she says, taking a drink and nodding approvingly at the wine. Handing it back to Maddie, she says, “You should have met the guy before Laurel came along. She is definitely his soft spot. One that none of us knew existed.”

She smiles, remembering how open and loving Brett was towards his bride the day she met them. It gives her hope that someone could be so different from what’s expected of them. For the right person.

“You’re coming, right Maddie?” Laurel asks as she picks up the second glass in her flight. “To my wedding? I mean since you and Grey are kind of dating, right?”

Gracie’s head pivots, eyes wide. “That’struethen? Rumor has it that you went to the carnival with him last night! Did you hear this, Laurel? I couldn’t believe it when Riley brought it up to Grey today.”

“Why not?” Maddie asks curiously. She turns her body to face the cowgirl, trying to keep her facial expression relaxed. On the inside though, her stomach had somersaulted the second she heard Grey’s name and the word dating together.

“He prefers to stay on the ranch, away from town and the crowds. It’s just not his scene, never was. And he doesn’t really date either, not where anyone has ever seen him out enjoying himself like this,” Gracie explains.

Maddie feels her heartbeat quicken at the thought that he’s enjoying himself with her. Eager to hear more she asks, “Is there something in particular that usually keeps him away?”

“He had a pretty shit time growing up. Guys picked a lot of fights with him. I don’t think it was ever just one thing, though. But I don’t want to speak for him,” Gracie says.

“Either way, whenIgot a chance to talk to Riley this morning, he said the guy was literally glowing with you yesterday,” Laurel adds with a smile. “Just, be careful. He looks tough as nails, and mostly he is. But he’s more of a softy on the inside than Brett.”

Maddie nods, absorbing their answers. She bites her lip, unsure about asking the next question on the tip of her tongue. Her mom’s voice floats into her mind,cowboys just love the chase. Once they rope you, the timer’s up.

She looks up at Laurel, who is watching her with knowing eyes, and sucks in a breath. How should she ask this? “Then he’s not really a big flirt or a casual guy? You know, the love ‘em and leave ‘em cowboy thing.”

Gracie and Laurel exchange a glance before breaking out in laughter. Maddie feels her face flush, disheartened by the confirmation in the laughter. He flirted with her so much, of course there was a reason he was so good at it.

Laurel reaches across the table and grabs Maddie’s hand. “Oh, I’m sorry, I swear we weren’t laughing at you. It’s just that issonot Grey. At all. It’s only those of us really close to him, at the ranch, that see his more playful personality. Even still, he is not someone I would ever describe as a flirt.”

“He’s a smart ass, but I don’t think he’s capable of flirting,” Gracie adds.

If Maddie’s heart was confused before, she’s completely lost now. Lifting another miniature glass, this one marked with a three, to her lips, she thinks back to the first day meeting him. He was flirty and teasing with her from the beginning. Has he been letting her in on the secret that is Greyson James from the beginning? And if so, what does that mean?

She suddenly feels desperate to understand him, hoping the clarity will help her better understand what she’s been feeling too. Maddie vows to talk to him about his flirting, about his choosing to go out in public for her. She’ll do it the next time she sees him, she determines. The sun sits low in the sky as she steers the conversation away from Grey. “You said you had a weekend-long ride coming up this weekend? What’s it like out there?” Maddie asks.

“We camp and cook over an open fire. Spend our days moving the cattle. They recently started turning the herds out, so we’ll take some up to a summer pasture. It’s so beautiful out there. The rolling hills and mountains. And there is nothing like the night sky out there in the wild,” Laurel raves. “Do you ride?”

Maddie nods. “My best friend grew up on a small farm just outside Denver. They had a handful of cows and pigs, and five horses. I would go over and ride with her. We did mostly short stints, nothing out in the open like that.That, sounds like pure bliss.”

Laurel sighs happily. “It is. Brett likes to joke that I came back for the ranch and my horse, he says that he was just a bonus.”

They finish their flights and look at the favorites they had marked down. Starting with twelve types of wine between them, they’ve narrowed to two whites and a red.

“Extra cake options should call for extra drink options too,” Gracie suggests, looking at the short list they compiled.

“Agreed, I don’t think one extra is bad,” Laurel says, looking at her watch. “I should call Brett to come get us.” She holds up a hand, motioning for the server. “I feel okay, but these flights are probably too much alcohol to drive. And since we won’t be worrying about driving, one more glass while we wait for his arrival won’t hurt,” she says with a grin.

After they each order a glass of their favorite from the flights, Laurel calls her fiancé. Maddie smiles as she watches Laurel’s face light up on the phone with Brett.A love like that is so rare, she muses. And yet, she wonders about the ways she has been so happy around Grey, thinking yet again that her feelings don’t make sense in a fake arrangement like theirs.

Grey

The clack of his cowboy boots on the wooden staircase is drowned out by the live music and social chatter. He takes a deep breath to steady himself as he ascends to the winery’s back deck, reaching the seating area and scanning the crowd. Even though it’s the back of Maddie’s head, he finds her immediately. He had a feeling he’d find her first anywhere he went.

Laurel is sitting across from Maddie and Gracie, facing him. She looks up at Grey approaching then back to Maddie. Laurel is saying something to her, and he feels his pulse quicken in anticipation.

---