Page 20 of Grey
Dinner at the farmhouse and meeting Grey’s friends.
Holy crap, she couldn’t stop having butterflies in her stomach every time she thought about it. She’d already met a few of his friends—the very sweet and friendly Tris and Zara—plus Crew who was Grey’s closest friend. But there were more people to meet that he worked and lived with, people who were super important in his life, and she was excited and nervous at the same time.
But it wasn’t just the fact that she was meeting his friends tonight, it was that the invitation to dinner had made her feel like he was inviting her into his world, like she was supposed to be there with him, and that made her whole body feel warm.
In her old life, she’d hated social gatherings, especially with her ex’s friends. If he didn’t think she’d been friendly enough or put on the show of being the happy girlfriend, he’d berate her for hours afterward. She’d always had to put on a whole new persona for those nights, playing pretend so she didn’t get yelled at. But this was different, because with Grey she could be herself.She could tell him about an interesting legend she’d researched or something funny that happened at the library, and he always listened intently and asked questions, seeming to hang on her every word. She could relate. She loved hearing him talk about his work at the farm and with the construction company.
Despite the warm feelings about tonight, the tiny voice in the back of her mind wondered if his friends would like her, but every time those thoughts popped up, she’d push them away. Grey cared about her—she’d seen it in his eyes and he wouldn’t bring her around people who would treat her badly.
It was just dinner, but it felt momentous all the same.
“Thanks for locking up for me,” she said to Mrs. Fielder as she grabbed her bag.
“Of course, dear. Have fun tonight.”
“I will.” She waved and hurried out the door to her car.
She’d opted to leave a bit early so she could drive to a state liquor store and pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. While she didn’t know a darn thing about wine, she was thankful the store worker she spoke to was knowledgeable and had given her some tips, finally settling on a mid-priced bottle that wouldn’t look like she was trying too hard to impress them.
As she drove back through town to go to the farm, she saw the sign for the park and had the urge to stop. She hadn’t planned to stop, but she found herself turning into the lot and getting out of the car.
Pulling a coin from her purse, she shut her door and approached the fountain. The park was empty, and the late afternoon sunlight sparkled on the surface of the water.
Closing her eyes, she made a silent wish.
I want to be part of Grey’s life and I want his friends to like me.
Was that a selfish wish? Her fingers tightened on the coin. No! It was a universal desire to want to belong and to find peopleto connect to, especially people to love. Even though part of her was scared about the feelings she had for Grey after a short time, she couldn’t deny that it felt very right to be with him. Love at first sight or soulmates or kismet…it was really just a different way of saying that she’d found herperson, and she wanted to let him know tonight just how much she cared about him.
With a smile on her face, she tossed the coin, opening her eyes and smiling as it hit the water, ripples spreading out across the surface.
As she turned to head back to her car, she smiled again. Tonight wasn’t just about dinner, it was a step forward—toward something real and amazing, toward the kind of life that she’d always wanted but had always been just out of reach.
She couldn’t have enjoyed herself any more than she did at dinner with Grey’s friends. Not only were they all super kind and sweet to her, but they made her feel like she belonged there. Like the chair that she sat in next to Grey had been reserved just for her.
It was a heady feeling.
The girls—Tris, Zara, and Nancy—invited her to a spa day on Sunday at the farmhouse with manis and pedis, face masks, and rom-coms. The guys were all clearly close and seemed more like brothers than friends, and they were visibly happy to see her and Grey together. She’d wished that his friends would like her, and it had come true.
Grey had been so sweet and attentive to her during the dinner, brushing his hand against hers under the table, his eyes lighting up whenever he looked at her.
Her heart squeezed as she thought about him. Her feelings were even more real now, stronger and sweeter. She was both scared and thrilled by that prospect.
Grey put his hand over hers on the table as the meal wound down.
“Hey,” he said with a low voice.
“Hey yourself.”
“Want to go talk?”
“Sure.”
They excused themselves and left the kitchen, heading outside. “What did you think?” he asked.
“Like I just sat through the best dinner of my life. Thanks for inviting me, I really had the best time.”
“They like you, but I knew they would.” He smiled, but he seemed suddenly troubled.
