Page 42 of Grey
“Well, because I want to officially be part of the herd, but also because I think the herd could use something good to take their mind off Colton’s crazy behavior.”
“I agree. We usually have a big meal after the ceremony. What would you like to have?”
“I’m so glad you asked,” she said, pulling a book out of her purse. “I noticed you guys have one of those big griddles, and I found a recipe book for them.” She flipped to the pages she’d marked with sticky notes. “How about honey barbecue chicken, loaded smashed potatoes, and caramelized peaches for dessert?”
“Holy crap, that sounds good. Hell yes. To all of it.”
She smiled so big her cheeks hurt. “I’ll take pictures of the recipes and send them to Tris and Zara so they can help me plan the meal. Oh, maybe we could make ice cream to go with the peaches too.”
“Sounds perfect, sweetheart. Just like you.”
“Aw, Grey.” She wrinkled her nose as she smiled at him. “You’re pretty damn perfect too.”
It was a relief to get to Saturday without any sign of Colton and his herd. Grey was happy about it, but there was a cautious edge to that happiness because everyone was fairly certain he would come after them again.
Grey had taken out his number-two, after all. And Colton was an unhinged bastard and definitely wouldn’t take it without retaliating in some way.
When or how was anyone’s guess.
But Grey couldn’t live in the limbo of something terrible happening because he was liable to go insane, so he kept his protective instincts up and made sure that Tatum was as safe as possible when she was at the library.
And that the herd was safe at the farm.
As he tended the livestock while Tatum was at the library for the morning, he saw movement near the farmhouse and smiled when he saw Dexter and Nancy hanging string lights over where the ceremony and dinner would be that night.
Once the sun set, he and Tatum would have their ceremony and she’d be a member of the herd.
Daisy butted his knee and bleated at him and he patted her head and walked into the barn, grabbing one of the carrots he’d brought from the garden for her. Returning to the pasture, hegave her the carrot, chuckling as she hopped happily around and crunched on it.
After finishing his chores, he walked over to Dexter and Nancy.
“I’ve got a couple hours before I need to get my sweetheart from the library, what can I do to help?”
Dexter smiled at him from the ladder. “The firepit needs to be cleaned and stocked for tonight, and the chairs brought down from the porch to put around it. Tris is in the house working on the ice cream, which has to churn for a few hours.”
“Perfect,” he said. Everyone was excited by Tatum’s menu suggestions.
He heard the rumble of an engine down the road and his heart clenched for a moment before an online store’s delivery van appeared and pulled into the driveway.
“Oh awesome,” Grey said. “I was hoping it would get here before I had to pick up Tatum.”
“You got her something special?” Nancy asked.
“You know it.”
“You guys are all such romantics,” she said.
“Hey! I’m romantic,” Dexter said.
“I was lumping you in with the others,” she said with an exaggerated wink.
Grey left them to their banter and met the delivery driver, accepting the box. He took it into the storage barn and opened it, finding the ring he’d ordered online. It was a simple white gold band with a center stone that sparkled. On either side of the stone were tiny horses carved in the metal.
It was perfect. Just like Tatum.
Putting the ring in the little pouch, he tucked it in his pocket and headed back out to work on getting the yard ready for their special night.
When the sun had set, they turned on the string lights over the yard and lit candles on the picnic tables. With the sky full of stars, the whole place looked magical.
