Page 28 of Reuniting with the Rancher

“We’re okay,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “We’re okay.”

Greyson pulled her closer, his forehead still pressed against hers. “We’re ok,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He kissed Caleb’s forehead. “We’re okay.” He then kissed Ivy’s forehead. “We’re okay.”

GREYSON

Back at the house, Grey stood in front of his mother, his fists clenched at his sides. His eyes burned with anger, the tension in the room thick enough to cut through.

“You were her grandmother for ten years,” he began, his voice low and cold. “You got to be a part of Ivy’s life because of your lies. But because of you, Lily’s mother never had that chance. She has an aunt, a wonderful woman who raised an extraordinary young man, that she’ll never get to meet. That shame is on you, Mom.”

His mother opened her mouth to speak, but Greyson cut her off, his voice rising. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You almost cost me my family. AGAIN!”

He could still hear the screams in his head—the kids, Lily’s whimpers, all of them as they clung to each other, waiting for the storm to tear them apart. Grey had three core memories he always hoped to never add to - Lily’s empty hospital bed, Ivy hooked up to more machines than she had body space for and seeing his fellow Marines blow apart, burning alive. Now, because of his mother, he had a fourth–living through his family almost being swept away in a tornado.

“And for what?” his voice broke. “To fuel some sick need to be right all the time? To have me to yourself? Lily was going to leave me. Again. Because of you, because my stupid ass thought there might be something, somewhere, redeemable in you. That maybe you’d learned something in the ten years of lying, scheming, and manipulating us. That maybe you’d made a monstrous mistake and were simply too scared to get yourself out from under it…But youenjoyedthis all the way until our children were in the path of a tornado. And honestly, I’m not even sure if it was Ivy you cared about or yourself.”

Her face paled, but Greyson didn’t stop. “You’re my mother, so I’m going to give you more courtesy than I wouldn’t give anyone else who pulled aneighthof what you’ve pulled. Man or beast, I would have given you your wings. Because you are my mother, today you get to leave here with your life. I don’t want to see you again and if I do, I will deal with you like any stranger on the street who endangered my family.”

The finality of his words hung in the air, a death sentence. And for the first time, his mother seemed to understand the gravity of what she had done.

“Son, I–”

Grey made a slashing motion with his hand, silencing her.

Without another word, she turned and walked out, leaving behind the wreckage of her manipulation and lies. As the door closed behind her, Greyson let out a shaky breath. The storm had passed, but the damage remained.

And now, they had to figure out how to rebuild.

14

GREAT IDEA

“This is agreatidea,”Lily moaned into his ear as she rode him soft and sweet. They had tucked themselves away in the loft of one of the outbuildings and were making love for the second time that afternoon.

With their kids and the students off on a field trip to Silver Creek Ranch, Lily and Grey were taking some much needed time to reconnect.

“Give me that pretty mouth, Songbird,” Grey demanded. Her sweet, full lips landed on his and he got lost in her even more. They drank each other in, took, and gave until neither could move.

“Gotta get your chest out of the sun,” Lily mumbled into his arm. “Sun’s strong through the skylight.”

“UV reinforced baby,” he said with a yawn, kissing her on the top o her head. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

She always make sure he protected his grafts, always turning his moisturizer routine into another way for them to connect with slow strokes and gentle kisses. She was still the kind, thoughtful soul who just made it easier to exist in her world.

“I know we are focused on building something new, Songbird, but I have to say I fucking hated my life withoutyou. Ivy was my one bright spot. I poured love into her, bled dedication to the Corps… I had more to give. Loving you is my thank you to God for allowing me to see another day.”

Her eyelashes fluttered against his chest, tickling him a bit. “Just when I think you’ve said all the sweet things you could ever say, you find new ways to make me fall in love with you all over again.” She squeezed him tight, sliding a leg over his.

“Do you think you could fall in love with me again for the rest of our lives?”

Lily sat up to get a close look at him. “What?”

Grey reached a long arm to his hastily discarded pants and fumbled with the pocket, producing a small, cream velvet box. “Open.”

Lily smiled. “Me or the box?”

He tucked a curl behind her ear and raised a brow. “The box in my hand first.”

Her giggles washed over him, settling in him deep. A gasp followed. “Grey, baby.”

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