Perfect Embrace (Mason Creek)

“No. He’s—” I start to give a reason for his actions just minutes ago, but I’ve got nothing. Grayson isn’t the kind of man to play games or the field. He never has been.

“Laken?” Lenora places her hand over mine that’s gripping the arm of the massage chair I’m sitting in.

“Pinch me.”

She throws her head back and laughs. “You’re not dreaming, sister. You’re going on a date with Grayson Davis.”

“I have nothing to wear.” My heart is racing so loudly I’m sure Grayson and his girls can hear it at the front of the salon. My palms are sweating as I think about what I have in my closet. None of it seems fitting for a date with Grayson.

“We’ll go shopping when we leave here.”

“It’s already two thirty. We have to go to Billings, and he said seven. I’ll need to shave… everything,” I say, my face immediately heating as I slap my hand over my mouth.

“There’s plenty of time. I’ll help you get ready. Just breathe,” she says soothingly.

“Leni,” I whisper.

She smiles. “Just breathe, Laken. He’s just a man.”

“I know but, how often do you get the chance with the man of your dreams?” I take a deep breath and tell her what I’m really feeling. “It’s more than that,” I confess. “Those little girls… they’re so sweet, and I’m already half in love with them.”

Her eyes soften. “Just remember that. If this, whatever it is with Grayson, doesn’t go anywhere, remember that you were half in love with them before you tried dating their daddy.”

I get what she’s saying. Don’t let this… whatever it is, affect those two adorable little angels. Besides, it’s one date, not a marriage proposal. It’s dinner, and he’ll see I’m the boring book nerd who’s always managed to fly under his radar, and life will go back to normal. I’ll go back to watching him from afar. I’ll spend Thursday afternoon with his daughters just like I have the last several months, and life will be back to normal.

“Waken, wook!”

I snap out of my daze to see the twins standing in front of me. Their curls that were past their shoulders are now resting just above them.

“Wow. You ladies look beautiful.” Their beaming smiles at my praise fills my heart.

“I’m hoping this makes combing through it a little easier,” Grayson says, pushing his wallet back into his back pocket.

“Daddy spays stuff to make it not huwt,” Harlow tells me.

“Yeah, and it smells yummy.” Hayden giggles.

“Well, it sounds like Daddy is very smart.”

“Oh, he is,” they agree.

“Girls, why don’t you go grab a sucker from the bowl? I’ll be right there.”

“Okay,” they agree. “Bye, Waken and Waken’s sister.” They wave and take off for the sucker bowl that Anna is holding out for them.

Grayson steps toward me, and I’m surprised when he reaches out and tucks my hair behind my ear. “Seven, Laken. I’ll see you at seven.” He looks like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. He pulls his hand away and shoves it in his pocket. “Leni.” He nods at my sister, then turns on his heel and walks away.

I don’t take my eyes off him as he offers a hand to each of the girls, and the three of them leave the salon. The door is barely shut behind them when the entire salon starts talking at once about how hot he is and how he wants me. I block them all out, feeling the crimson of my cheeks, knowing that it has to match my hair. All I can think about is my date tonight and the fact that there isn’t a doubt in my mind that Tate is going to get wind of this. I can only imagine how fast her keys are going to be flying over the keyboard for her latest installment of the MC Scoop featuring Grayson and me.

Chapter 10

Grayson

A blush is a thing of beauty

Things are heating up with our fire chief and local book enthusiast.

If her blush is any indication, I’d say things are moving along quite nicely.

Is there anything more romantic than the hair tuck? I think not.

More to come from the happy couple.

Climbing into my truck, I wave through the front window at the girls. They love staying with both sets of grandparents, and although I feel guilty, like I’m pawing them off, I learned early on to take the break when I could get it. It took me a long time to accept that I didn’t need to be with them all the time if I wasn't at work. I love my daughters. They are my life. However, it’s good for them to get a break from me as well.

I struggled with it when we lost Holly, but the last three years have indeed shown me that it does, in fact, take a village, or in my case, a small town to raise my twin girls.