Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Reid
The Sprout n’ Shout was only just getting started, with a full evening of activities planned, but I’d already had enough. All I really wanted to do was take my wife back to the privacy of our inn, take her to bed, and tell her that I was falling in love with her.
For real.
The only problem was that Avery looked like she was having a great time. The last few days had been stressful, to say the least. With Jacob hovering around and constantly poking at her about the inheritance, never mind the near-constant calls she’d been making to her lawyers, trying to figure everything out, Avery needed the opportunity to relax.
And it looked as if that was exactly what was happening. Together, she and Lauren were moving from table to table, their arms full of various plants that I knew I’d be planting in the next few days.
The smile on her face lit her up. She was gorgeous. Even more so when she laughed. I wished I could bring that kind of lightness to her all the time. I’d do anything for her.
Especially if it meant making her happy.
I leaned against one of the tall wooden tables my brothers and I had commandeered in the corner of the beer gardens, the designated drinking area of the festival, my beer in hand, only half listening to Ethan discussing the finer points of the drink and why his own brew would be so much better.
“I don’t know,” I said after a moment, tired of discussing the nuances of beer and why one was better than the other. “As long as it’s cold, I’m happy.” I lifted my plastic cup to my lips and drained half of it.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ethan rolled his eyes. “Wait until you taste the brew I’m working on right now. It’ll change your life.”
“If a beer can change my life, I guess I’ll be impressed.”
“Reid doesn’t need his life changed,” Brody interrupted. “From where I stand, it looks pretty damn good to me. A brand-new wood shop, a big job to work on, and a pretty wife? Looks like you’re winning at life, brother.”
Internally I winced, but I couldn’t let my brothers see. I hated lying to them. Even if it didn’t feel like a lie anymore, it still was. But hopefully not for long.
“How is married life treating you, Reid?” Grayson asked, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.
I still didn’t know exactly what my twin thought he knew, and it wasn’t the right time or place to get into it. But what I did know was that he needed to keep his mouth shut. At least for a little bit longer.
I’d clear it all up with him. Soon. In the meantime…I shot him a glare. “We’re not talking about it.”
“What aren’t we talking about?” Preston joined us, a fresh round of drinks in his hands.
“Reid isn’t talking about married life,” Ethan supplied.
“He doesn’t have to.” Preston set the cups down on the table. “From what I hear, it’s pretty damn wild.”
My head snapped around. “Excuse me?”
My youngest brother laughed and held his hands up. “Simmer down, big guy. I’m only repeating what I’ve heard.”
“Ohh, this sounds good.” Brody leaned forward. “What have you heard?”
I elbowed him in the ribs—hard. “Who’s talking about us?” I demanded.
“Everyone,” Preston said to me before turning to Brody. “Turns out things got a little hot and heavy the other day on the front lawn of the inn.”
Fuck.
“In broad daylight, too,” Preston continued. “Looks like our boy here can’t keep his hands off his new bride. I heard it was quite the show.”
My face heated, my fists clenched, and I’d already taken a step toward him before Grayson stopped me.
“No,” he said simply. “You are not doing this in the middle of the festival.”
I turned to face my twin, ready to take him out to get to our baby brother if necessary.
“It’s not his fault,” Grayson said calmly. “Everyone’s talking about it. I heard it, too.”
“What?”
Ethan nodded, but Brody shrugged. “It was new to me,” he said. “But damn, brother. Avery’s a hottie and all, but the front lawn?”
“Shut your fucking mouth.” I slipped from Grayson’s grasp and was inches away from Brody before two more sets of hands were on me.
Brody just laughed as Preston and Ethan wrestled me back. “Enough,” Ethan said. “What exactly is your problem today?”
I had a lot of problems. Mainly the piece of shit weasel currently living under our roof, making Avery’s life hell. But there was also the intense conflict I felt about that asshole. Because as long as he was in Trickle Creek, it meant that I got to stay married to Avery and spend every waking moment making sure that everyone knew how real our union was.
And I’d be a lying bastard if I said I wasn’t enjoying that part. Hell, I was a bastard either way.
“Nothing.” I shook myself free from their grasp.
“Right. That’s why you look like you want to punch something.”
“Or someone,” Preston added.
“Whatever.” I turned around and backhanded a cup of beer off the table.
“Damn, Reid.” Ethan glared at me. “I know it’s shitty beer, but no beer deserves that.”
“Honestly, I would have thought that a wife might have softened you a little bit,” Brody added. “But you’re still the same grumpy asshole you’ve ever been.”
I shot him a look and bit back a growl.
“Oh no,” Preston chimed in. “Our grumpy asshole brother is a big softie for his wife. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”
“Sounds like the entire town has seen it,” Ethan added with a laugh.
I’d had enough of these assholes and this stupid plant festival, and I was more than ready to get out of there. With a grunt, I pushed away from the table, ready to take my leave.
Grayson caught up with me before I could slip away. “Hey.” He grabbed my arm, and I spun around. My twin took a step back, both hands up. “Whoa. Your problem is not with me, man.”
He wasn’t wrong. I lowered my raised arm and mumbled an apology.
“This particularly sour mood wouldn’t have anything to do with Avery’s cousin, who’s been lurking around town, prying into things, would it?”
I blew out a breath. It was a conversation I couldn’t avoid much longer. And it was about a lot more than Avery’s asshole cousin. “What do you know?”
He opened and shut his mouth, and then, to my surprise, Grayson shook his head. “I know you’re both crazy for each other.” He shrugged before crossing his arms over his chest. “She makes you smile in a way I’ve never seen you smile before. Not even when…well, not ever. And that’s all I need to know, Reid.” He paused, rubbing his chin and assessing me for a moment. “Unless, of course, you have something more you want to tell me?”
I did. Of course I did. Gray was my best friend. I told him everything. He was my sounding board for every important decision I’d ever made in my life. Keeping him in the dark on this had killed me.
I took a breath. “Gray,” I started. “Avery and I—mother fucker.” A flash of movement across the fairgrounds caught my attention. Instantly, all thoughts of confessing the truth to my brother were gone. There was only one thing that mattered.
Avery.
“What?” Grayson turned to see what I was looking at and saw it a second later. “Is that him?”
The look on my face must have given my brother the answer he needed because he put a hand on my arm to still me. “Don’t make a scene, Reid. It’s not worth it.”
“I’m not going to make a scene. Why would you even say that?”
“Because you look like you’re about to tear his head off, man. And trust me when I say that is not a good idea. Not in front of the entire town, and not in front of Avery. You don’t want to do that, Reid. You know you don’t.”
Dammit.
I shook off his touch. “Fine.” He had a point, even if I didn’t want to admit it. I was a grumpy asshole. That wasn’t a secret—Avery knew that. But what she didn’t know was that I also had a temper when someone wronged someone I loved, and I didn’t want her to find out. And hell, that was mostly because I never wanted to see her wronged.
Because I loved her.
The realization slammed into me, causing me to take a step backward.
Fuck. Me.
I loved Avery. I loved my wife.
Yes, I knew I was developing feelings for her. But love? I wasn’t sure how to process that.
And standing in the middle of the Sprout n’ Shout, surrounded by everyone I knew, wasn’t the time or place to attempt to figure it out. Especially when Jacob had spotted my gorgeous wife and was cutting through the crowd, headed directly over to her.
I couldn’t see the look on his face or what he was saying to her. But I didn’t need to because Avery’s body language said everything I needed to know.