Page 88 of From Grumpy to Forever
“Yes.” I nodded. “Put ice in all the buckets for the drinks,” I assured her before she could ask the question. “And I also put the drinks in to chill.”
She smiled and blew out a breath before lifting the clipboard again.
Gently, I took the list from her hand and set it behind me. “Avery, it’s fine.” Before she could reach past me to grab it back, I took both her hands in mine. My eye caught on the flash of the diamond on her left hand, and my heart caught the way it always did when I realized that this woman was mine. Really and truly mine.
“It’s just that?—”
“Avery.” I stopped her. “The building is not going to collapse just because you invited half the town inside.”
“Not helpful.” She shot me a look, but her lips twitched as she tried not to smile. “This is just so important. I don’t want to forget anything.”
“You didn’t.” I dropped my teasing tone and pulled her close. “The inn is perfect. You’re perfect. And the grand opening is going to be amazing. You’ve worked your ass off. Relax and enjoy it.”
She exhaled and leaned into me for a moment before glancing up at me, a sparkle in her eye. “You just want me to relax so I won’t make you give a speech.”
I groaned and pressed a kiss to her temple. “You know damn well I’m not giving a speech, sweetheart.”
She already asked me three times, and each time I’d given her the same answer. The inn was hers. This day was about her. Sure, I helped and we did a lot of it together, but none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for her tenacity and her vision. It was Avery’s day.
“I think I can convince you.” Her hands slid down my body.
As much as I would have loved to give her the opportunity to try out her methods of persuasion, there was no time. In minutes, the inn would be swarming with family, friends, and neighbors. None of them needed a show.
I caught her hands again and gave her a deep kiss. “I have no doubt I’d love to see you try, sweetheart. But?—”
“Is this where the party’s at?”
Avery spun at the sound of the voice, and just like that, it was time to celebrate.
* * *
“It looks incredible, Reid.” Grayson slapped me on the back and joined me in leaning against the wall, where I’d been watching my wife in her element. It felt like the entire town had come out to see the grand re-opening of the Tamarack Inn and support Avery.
Everywhere I looked, people were laughing, smiling, and admiring the renovations we’d done.
“I can’t take any of the credit,” I told my brother. “It was all Avery’s vision from the very beginning. She knew exactly what she wanted. I was only labor.”
He elbowed me in the ribs before lifting his drink to his lips. “We both know that’s not true. But I will say, the two of you make a pretty awesome team.”
“I won’t disagree with that.” I let myself smile.
Next to me, Grayson laughed. “I still can’t believe it.”
“Believe what?” Reluctantly, I looked away from Avery to face my brother. “That we were able to pull it off?”
“Oh no.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “That I can believe. I just can’t believe you finally met someone who’d not only put up with your grumpy ass but could also put a smile like that on your face.” He laughed again, but I couldn’t disagree.
“Gives you hope, does it?” I shot him a look. “I mean, if it can happen for me…”
“Forget it.” Grayson blew off my comment the way he always did when someone brought up the subject of women and dating. “It’s not happening.”
I knew better than to press my twin. He’d been in love once, and it hadn’t worked out. We all thought it would take a bit of time for him to get over it and move on, but it had been years since his first love, Harlow, left to pursue her career as a chef. She’d traveled around the world, working with some of the most famous chefs in the business, experiencing amazing things, but Grayson still seemed to be stuck in the past. And it didn’t look as if that would change anytime soon.
We stood in easy silence for a few minutes, watching the party around us, when a familiar face broke away from the crowd and headed in our direction.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, guys, but you were just the guy I’ve been looking for.” Asher Carlson, along with his fiancé Noa, joined us.
“You’re not interrupting anything.” I shook Asher’s hand and gave Noa a quick hug. It had been a while since I’d seen either of them. Asher and his siblings had grown up with me and my brothers.
