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She’d given me shit about the sweatpants before, but now I was seriously regretting changing into them after getting home from work. Still, I couldn’t help but tighten my grip on her and tuck her in closer. She was such a tiny little thing, my Bits, but no one had fit as perfectly as she did. Like she was made for me.
“Don’t blame him, Marcia. It’s just as much my fault. We... kind of got sidetracked.” She looked up at me, giving me a smile that was meant to be teasing and a bit secretive. I knew it was all for show, that she was trying to save my ass with my mom and grandmother, but I was a man on a mission. I was going to do whatever I had to in order to make her realize what my grandmother said was true. We really wereperfecttogether.
Pressing my advantage, I lowered my head and gently teased her lips with my own. Her intake of breath and momentary stiffening was the only signs of shock, but in the blink of an eye, she was melting against me, lifting up ever so slightly to deepen the kiss. That was all her, and I wanted to pound my chest in triumph.
I pulled back, grinning at the little grumble of disappointment she let out and the way she rose up to try and chase my lips for more. I’d gladly give it to her. Once we didn’t have company.
But goddamn did it feel good to know I wasn’t the only one feeling something between us. I only hoped what she was feeling was as strong as what I was. Because I had a hunch there was no coming back from what we were doing. And losing her wasn’t an option.
“Oh, Mom, would you look at them?” my mother cooed. I forced my focus from Wynn to look back at her. Sure enough, she was watching us with misty eyes and the biggest smile stretched across her face. My grandmother, on the other hand, had a wry look about her, as though she knew all along this was going to happen. If I could read minds, I was willing to bet the thought running through hers wasit’s about damn time.
“Young love,” she said, looking as happy as Mom, only in a more reserved kind of way. “This moment needs to be celebrated,” she insisted. “I say we head into the kitchen and crack open a nice bottle of wine. Gage, honey, grab the bags and put them in the guest rooms, would you? We would have booked somewhere else to stay so we wouldn’t be in your hair, but it was so last minute we couldn’t get a reservation.”
“It’s fine, Gran. You know you’re always welcome here.” It was part of the reason I’d gotten a house the size I had. With a study, a master, and two guest rooms, there was plenty of room for family when they came to visit. At least for the time being.
After everything that went down with Vanessa, any plans to start a family of my own had gone up in smoke. But now, thanks to Wynn, I was starting to rethink everything I thought the future held.
My mother spoke next. “Yes, but young couples shouldn’t have your mom and grandmother underfoot when you’re settling in.”
“Oh, I don’t live here,” Wynn said quickly. I looked down at her and saw the way her eyes flared. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud and quickly started to back pedal. “I mean, not right now. Or not yet, that is. I don’t live hereyet. Um...” She looked up at me, silently willing me to help her dig herself out of the hole she’d just fallen into. But I was enjoying watching her flounder too damn much. “We thought maybe we’d wait. You know, get closer to the wedding. Besides, I’m renting and my lease isn’t up for a while.”
“Nonsense,” Gran stated with finality. I’d heard that tone time and time again growing up. It was hermy word is lawvoice, and when you heard it, you’d be wise not to argue. “All that money month after month.” She waved her hand. “It’s a waste. Gage has more money than he knows what to do with. No need for you to keep paying for your own place. We’ll talk to your landlord. I’m sure he’ll be more than understanding.” She nodded like that was all there was to it. Plain and simple.
Wynn’s gaze returned to me, that same pleading glimmer in them as before. I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing but didn’t put up a single argument. Because as far as I was concerned, my grandmother was a fucking genius.
ChapterSeventeen
WYNN
I stoodin the middle of my living room, trying to wrap my head around what had happened over the past five days, and there was only one real answer. Grandma Buttons—sweet, hilarious, sassy Grandma Buttons—had run roughshod over me.
That was the only explanation for why my living room was full of moving boxes by the freaking bundle, just waiting to be unfolded and filled with all my belongings.
I still couldn’t believe this was happening. It didn’t make any damn sense! This was supposed to be a fake engagement. A way to stick it to his bitch of an ex—who was still lurking around town somewhere—and get our friends off our backs for a while. But now I was moving in with my fake fiancé, attending an engagement party our friends were throwing us in two weeks’ time, and waiting with bated breath for a call from my parents losing their ever-loving shit when they find out—through email no less—that their precious baby girl is getting married.
Shit was spiraling out of control.
And Grandma Buttons was right there in the middle of it, stirring the pot when things finally seemed to be slowing down. For an unassuming little old lady, she’d strong-armed my landlord into letting me out of my lease with all the zeal and charm of a mobster threatening someone that he’d sleep with the freaking fishes if he didn’t do what she wanted. The poor man was never going to rent to me again when all this was over.
Laeth came walking around the corner, hefting a bundle of boxes over his shoulder before looking at me. “You want us to get started in the kitchen?”
I looked at him and blinked. My brain had been off-line since the majority of our friends showed up on my doorstep at the earlier hours of Saturday morning on Grandma Button’s orders to help me pack up my entire life.
So I could move in with Gage as, in her words,we had discussed. Only I didn’t remember any such discussion.
Laeth was still standing in front of me, waiting for instruction, when Gage came up beside me. “The kitchen’s great, man. Thanks.”
“No problem.” He gave me one last curious look before taking off.
Gage turned to look at me. “Why don’t you step outside with me and get some air, huh?”
I nodded woodenly, letting him take me by the hand and lead me out onto the front porch.
As soon as the door shut behind us, closing us off from everyone else, he turned to me and closed the distance between us. His hands came up on either side of my neck, an action that had seemed to become commonplace in the past few days, and one I didn’t mind in the slightest. Truth be told, when he touched me like that it had this strange way of centering me, grounding me back in reality when I was on the cusp of losing my shit. I hadn’t realized what a tactile man Gage was. It was almost a compulsion of some sort. Since we started this whole ruse, he never let a chance to touch me pass him by.
He bent his knees slightly, crouching down and bringing his face closer to mine. “You okay, Bits?”
I felt myself press deeper into his touch as I pulled in a deep breath before letting it out. “How did this happen?”
