Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
They’d talked about the four of them hanging out, back at the beginning of December when he’d revealed Grady’s ice cream flavor, but they never had. He eyed Grady, who was watching him, maybe trying to see how Deacon felt about it. He could already understand Grady without words, could see by the way he’d sucked his bottom lip into his mouth some, his teeth pressing in, that he wanted to say yes.
“Sounds good to me. What do you think?” he asked Grady.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Perfect. Let me get finished up here.” Roe pointed to the work he’d been doing. “I’ll call Holden and let him know you’re coming.”
“I’ll hang out around town and go with you guys.”
Roe made the call, Holden agreeing. They said their goodbyes, Deacon making it just a couple of steps before he stopped, went back to Grady, and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Forgot to do that,” he said as if he did it in public all the time.
“Don’t make a habit of forgetting it.”
Grady winked, playful, but Deacon replied honestly, “I don’t plan to.”
Chapter 27
Grady
It was chilly and raining when they pulled up at Roe and Holden’s place. Since Deke had driven over to Harmony while Grady was at work, they had to drive in separate cars.
The property was beautiful. Nothing as large or extravagant as Covington Acres, but there was the main house, a small cabin where Marilee and Sean—Holden’s sister and nephew—lived, a barn, pond, goats, and horses. He’d always wondered what it would be like to have a place like this for himself. Not quite as big, he didn’t think. He didn’t have a lot, didn’t plan on having kids or anything like that, so just a home to call his own. A spot of land that belonged to him and always would. He’d never had that or a place where he felt comfortable enough to try to have it.
When he looked up, he saw Deacon staring at him from where he sat in his own vehicle, and Grady thought maybe Briar County would be that place.
They got out of their cars and jogged to the house with Roe, who pushed the door open and signaled for the two of them to go inside. As soon as they did, Roe’s boxer, Zeus, jumped all over them.
“Down, boy,” Holden said from where he stood in the kitchen, holding a bottle of beer.
Grady knelt, loving on the dog. “We need to bring Moose over to play with him.”
“You should,” Roe said. “Once the rain lets up, we can grill outside. The pups can run around.”
Holden laughed. “There is no one in the world who uses a grill more than my man.”
Roe walked over, rested his hand on the side of Holden’s neck, leaned in, and kissed him. “You like it.”
Holden grinned and winked. The love between them was so damn clear, so bright, Grady had to look away, but when he felt Deacon’s hand on his shoulder, it lured him out of his loneliness. He stood, smiled, and nudged Deke, who slid his arm around him and pulled him in to press a kiss to his temple. He liked how affectionate Deacon was. How much he hungered to just touch and hold and be close. He wasn’t afraid to show his emotions that way. Grady hadn’t been with many men who weren’t, or when they were more outward, it was sexual rather than simply wanting him near.
He’d wondered how Deacon would be around others. Usually it was just the two of them at home, other than Christmas with his family or when they were with Granny. Deacon was himself with Granny, a little reserved with the rest of the Sharpe crew, but it seemed he would be more open with Holden and Roe.
“What can I get you both to drink?” Holden asked.
Grady and Deke walked toward the kitchen. The downstairs was open concept, a large space. “I’ll just take some water,” Grady replied.
“Yeah, that’s good with me too,” Deke said. “Smells good in here.”
“We had beef stew in the Crock-Pot all day. The boys are upstairs. Lindsey dropped Wyatt off since she’s heading to Larry’s tonight. Sean’s still iffy on his mama dating Ozzy, so he’ll be having dinner with us instead of the two of them.”
“You say that like you aren’t,” Roe told Holden, who shrugged.
“She’s my little sister. I’m supposed to look after her.”
Grady didn’t know the whole story, but he’d heard that Marilee’s ex-husband—Sean’s father—had been a real piece of work, abusive and an all-around asshole. He was in jail now, but Grady could see why Holden would worry.
“Ozzy is a good guy,” Deke said. “Rumor has it he left Bunny’s just so he could be with your sister.” He turned to Grady. “Marilee works at the grocery store, Ozzy was a manager, so they couldn’t cross those lines at the time.”