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“Never a dull moment with that woman,” Finn said with a chuckle.
We walked past Garrity’s, Finn’s family’s bar, and there was a bench out front with two scarecrows sitting on it. Pumpkins and corn stalks were gathered at the entrance. Cup of Cove had kept it simple, with a sign hanging out front that read:Happy Fall, Y’all! All Pumpkins Welcome!
I’d slipped into a floral maxi dress with my cowboy boots, and Finn was wearing jeans and a button-up. The man rarely wore anything other than a hoodie, a tee, or a flannel… but his weak spot had always been little Gracie.
And she’d asked us all to come to this tea party, so we were going to show up looking nice for her.
Finn held the door open for me as I stepped inside The Tipsy Tea. Loud chatter came from the back room, and we made our way back there.
Gracie came running toward us wearing what looked like some sort of wedding flower girl dress with a pair of pink cowboy boots. Gracie Reynolds was my spirit animal. Equal parts bougie princess and small-town cowgirl.
She lunged into her uncle’s arms and kissed his cheek. “I’m happy you came to my tea party, Uncle Finny. Now let me hug Ree Ree.”
He rumpled her curls and laughed before passing her over. She put a hand on each of my cheeks as she settled on my hello. “Thanks for coming. You look real pretty.”
“And you look like a real live princess.”
Her jaw fell open. “That’s what my Bossman and Links said. They thinks I am a real live princess.”
She wiggled out of my arms and clapped her hands together. “Everyone is here, Miss Matilda.”
I made my way around the table, hugging every member of the Reynolds family and their significant others. Finn motioned for me to take the seat between him and Brinkley. Gracie sat at the head of the table between her grandma and grandpa, and I glanced around, taking them all in. The guys all looked way too big for their chairs, but there they were, showing up for this little girl.
Matilda and two teenage girls who worked for her came around to fill our teacups. Gracie stood up and patted her dress into place. “Bossman, thank you for giving my family this special party. All of my favorites are here. I thought you’d never come home, Ree Ree. I waited forever and a few days for you to come back.”
I held up my teacup and smiled. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Gracie sat down, and everyone started talking all at once.
Maddox, whom Gracie called Bossman, stared at the platters of tiny sandwiches and picked up his teacup. “So, this is the big experience, huh? Little sandwiches and a few drops of liquid in our cups?”
“Yep. Every little girl in Cottonwood Cove wants to have a tea party here,” Georgia said, leaning against him. “You killed it, Bossman.”
“Didn’t Brinks sneak a frog into her tea party, and a few dishes got broken when he escaped, and all her friends freaked out?” Cage asked, raising a brow, while Gracie was talking a mile a minute to her grandparents.
“I wasn’t really the tea party type. Mom insisted on me throwing my seventh birthday party here. I wanted to have a pirate party.” She shrugged.
“Of course you did. That’s why you’re marrying Captain Jack Sparrow.” Lincoln barked out a laugh.
Everyone chuckled, and Finn leaned over to fill me in that Captain Jack Sparrow was Lincoln’s pseudonym when he travels and doesn’t want to be recognized.
“So, I think you guys have a real shot at the Super Bowl this year.” Maddox studied the tiny triangular sandwich, and his gaze narrowed like he’d never seen such an odd piece of food.
“Baby, it’s cucumbers and cream cheese,” Georgia whispered.
“Hmmm… do five-year-olds eat that?” He raised a brow.
“It’s the experience,” Hugh said, reaching for a triangle of his own and popping the whole thing into his mouth, and Lila laughed.
“It is all about the experience,” she said.
“So, what’s going on with the lovebirds?” Cage looked between me and Finn, and my cheeks burned.
“All is going well.”
“Yeah? I heard Jessica made quite a scene last night,” Brinkley said. “I’d like two minutes alone in a back alley with that girl.”
My head fell back in laughter because she wasn’t joking, which made it funnier.
