27. Red
27
RED
By the time Friday morning comes, the storm has passed and between us shoveling snow around the truck, and a plow clearing the roads to town, we're able to drop the cabin keys back in Rainbow Springs and get on our way to Palmer.
Thankfully Mags offers to drive which gives me the time I need to organize something for her.
“Oh, my goodness. Look!” Mags shrieks as we drive down the old highway to Palmer.
My eyes jerk up from my phone, expecting to see a volcano exploding or an animal takeover. What can I say? Duck Norris has me believing it’s within the realms of possibility.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my eyes darting out the window.
“Nothin’s wrong , but look, there's that gnome fence George was tellin' us about, right over there," she says, pointing to the left-hand side of the road. "We should stop, we did buy a gnome, after all.”
I follow where she’s pointing to, and there it is–a fence with what looks like hundreds of gnomes hanging off hooks on the wires. “We can’t have Gnome-lo Baggins shirkin' on his responsibilities now, can we?”
Mags groans and shakes her head. “That name’s terrible, Red. Seriously bad. I’m sure we can come up with somethin’ better. Besides, ours is a cowboy. Remember?”
“OK, darlin’. Have at it,” I reply as Mags pulls the truck over to the side of the road and we both hop out, but not before I reach into the back and grab the gnome in question.
Soon enough, we reach the fence covered in gnomes of all different shapes and sizes, each one more whimsical than the last.
“These are so cute,” she replies, slowly walking the length of it and bending down to look at all the different types of gnomes and garden ornaments hung there.
I hold up our offering from George’s One Stop Shop. “They’re not as cute as this guy.”
Mags makes her way back to me, her eyes soft and warm. My fiancée . My One .
“Why’re you lookin’ at me all funny there, Redmond?” she asks curiously.
Reaching out, I hook an arm around her waist and pull her body flush against mine before dropping my chin and kissing her, doing it until she melts into me and has to grab my arms to stay standing.
“What was that for?” she breathes.
There’s no wiping the satisfied smirk off of my lips. “Because I wanted to. Is that OK?”
She scoffs. “Is that OK? The man I love asks me if I mind him manhandlin’ me because he wants to kiss the boots off of me. Of course it’s OK, Redmond. Feel free to do that whenever takes your fancy.”
I grin, suddenly feeling ten foot tall and bulletproof. “Duly noted. Now, where do you want to put our special gnome then?”
“ First , we need to name the guy. Then , I think we’ll put him on that hook in the middle of the fence halfway down. How does that sound?”
“Fine by me. He’s got a new home, now he needs a name.” I hold the silly ornament out in front of me, pulling Mags into my side so that we can both look at our acquired gnome. “What about George?” I muse.
Mags playfully hits my chest. “No, that’s just… no. OK. What are some good gnome names?”
I chuckle, unable to stop myself. “Can’t say I’ve owned a lot of gnomes, let alone met many. What are gnome names anyway? It’s a gnome. ”
She scoffs. “I know! It’s funny though. You can’t tell me you’re not excited to give him a name or see him hang on the fence!”
“Darlin’, I think I’d be more excited to watch paint dry. But knowin’ you’re excited about it is enough for me. Let's name this guy and get this show back on the road.”
Just as I say that, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Unfortunately for me, Mags doesn't miss it since she's right up against that side too. She arches a brow.
“Damn phone won’t stop buzzin’.”
She shoots me a questioning look. “Is somethin’ wrong back home?”
“No,” I say, already shaking my head. “Nothin’ like that. Just discussin’…ah… logistics, that’s it. Now, back to this guy.” I hold up the ceramic person in my hand again, hoping she’ll stop askin’. She hates surprises and this is one I’m not goin’ to let her ruin for herself. Not this time .
“Hmm. You’ll keep, Redmond. Just remember that I know all of your tells and I know when you’re hidin’ stuff.”
That does get my attention and my head snaps toward hers. I don’t ever want her to doubt me so I give her a little bit of information to tide her over. “How ‘bout this? I am hidin’ somethin’ from you but you’re goin’ to love it. So let me have this one secret because I promise you, it’ll be worth the wait. Just like you were,” I say, feeling the words as deeply as I say them.
Mags's features soften, her body sagging against mine, her eyes warm. “You’re suprisin’ me again ? ”
“Yep.” Little does she know that this will blow the glacier tour surprise right out the window. There’s no stopping the chuckle that escapes me at her wide-eyed expression. “Darlin’. Can we please name this damn gnome because the longer I keep hold of it, the more I worry I’m goin’ to turn into one. And that just won’t do because then you definitely won’t want to marry me, mountain’s Call or not.”
The expression on her face tells me that was the exact right thing to say. The way the corner of her mouth curls up just confirms it. “There ain’t nothin’ and no one that’s goin’ to stop me from marryin’ you. If we could do it right this minute in front of all these damn gnomes as our witnesses, then I’d take your name and give you my vows right here and now. Don’t doubt that, Red.”
I narrow my eyes, my voice dropping to a growl. “Fair warnin’, Mags. I’m goin’ to kiss you now and it’s goin’ to be long, and it’s goin’ to be deep, and it’ll probably leave you short of air.”
She tilts her head, sending an adorably cute but confused look my way. “You’re warnin’ me you’re goin’ to kiss me. Considerin’ we did a hell of a lot more than kiss last night and this mornin’…”
“You talk sweet, I’m goin’ to kiss you. You flirt with me, I’m goin’ to kiss you. You stand there lookin’ cute and sexy and sassin’ me, newsflash, darlin’, I’m goin’ to kiss you. Because now that I can, I don’t want to stop.” We stand there staring into each other’s eyes. When she pops her hip with a shrug, I fall even more in love with her.
“Then what are you waitin’ fo—” I swallow her words by slamming my mouth down on hers, my hand tangling in her wayward curls.
When we finally break apart, we are both breathless and dizzy with desire. Mags leans her forehead against mine, her breath warm against my skin. "Well,” she breathes, definitely short of air just like I promised, “I reckon I'll forgive you for hidin’ whatever you’re hidin’, just as long as you promise me a lifetime of those kisses."
I chuckle, the sound rumbling in my chest. "Consider it a deal, darlin'. Now, about that gnome..."
Cuddled into my side, she looks down at said gnome. “What about Ronald?”
“Like McDonald?” I say, shaking my head.
“No. In honor of Ronnie from the Secret Cow back home.”
At least that makes more sense. “Nope. It needs to be more gnomey. ”
Mags stares at me in disbelief. “OK… so George is out. Ronald is out. What about Jim-Bob.”
Now I’m the one seeing her in a different light. “Jim-Bob. You want to call our gnome, Jim-Bob?”
“Yep. It’s unique .”
“It’s somethin’, that’s for sure,” I mutter under my breath. She doesn’t miss it though because she jabs her elbow into my side with a giggle.
“Well let’s go put Jim-Bob in his rightful place on the fence and then get on our way. Especially since there's a surprise comin’ my way. Can you at least tell me if it’s a good one?”
I slowly arch my brow. “Is there any other kind?”
“OK, then. We better hurry up then,” she says, bouncing on her feet with the energy of a teenager. Just seeing her so happy and knowing I’ve helped put that smile on her face has me walking taller, even putting a new spring in my step.
Then again, being in love with my best friend, knowing my ring is going to be on her finger and that she’s going to be mine in every way? That would fill any man with pride.
All that’s left to do now is hope that everything I’ve planned falls into place, because if it does, Maggie Gallagher—soon to be Grayson—is going to get the surprise of her life.