Page 57 of Prayers for the Prickly

“You know how we’ve been struggling with the best way to tell our family our news without anyone getting upset about being the first to know?” he said, still perched on the chair beside me, but with enough space between us that the wind was still able to wrap around me and keep me cool.

“Yeah.”

“Welcome to our Secrets Revealed party, where they get to play games for our amusement and learn what we’ve been hiding from them along the way.”

Surprise flooded me as his words sank in. He’d gotten everyone here, including Ever and our grandparents, and still managed not to reveal anything to them?

Holy shit.

Squeeing, I wiggled in my seat until he finally took pity on me and unwound the scarf from around my eyes. They needed a moment to adjust to the bright blue sky and wispy clouds overhead, as well as the colorful array of sundresses, swimsuits and boardshorts worn by the family members surrounding us. It looked like an equal mix, too, of his side and mine, including a few people I knew I’d hadn’t been introduced to yet since they went out on the long line ships.

I saw a wide target set up with an area roped off in front of it with brightly colored plastic. There was also a big wheel in the sand, with a bunch of arrows painted inside of it, three layers bordered by lines that didn’t overlap. Studying it more, as well as the contraption it was mounted to, I realized it was a spinner, though I couldn’t see what was written on it.

“The wheel is officially open!” Gregor declared.

“Wait, wait, wait!” I screeched before sticking my fingers in my mouth and letting out an ear screeching whistle that echoed down the beach even after everyone had stopped talking. “The wheel is not open until I get food and someone explains what the hell the game is!”

The faintest hint of a blush darkened Gregor’s nose as he passed me a steaming plate heaping with boiled seafood and a steak smothered in the garlic cream sauce I loved. Now I understood why he’d stepped away after getting me seated. He knew I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the festivities until someone fed me.

“It’s a wheel of possibilities,” Gregor explained. “Since I couldn’t put anything on the invitations, my brain decided to go into overdrive thinking about all of the assumptions people were going to make when they got it. I started making a running tally of them, which morphed into the idea for the wheel. Figured it might be fun to make people spin it until it landed on the reason they were here and it lit up. I even put together a gift basket from both of our shops for the winner.”

Turning, I placed my hand against his soft beard and pressed until I could surge up and kiss him fully, pouring my appreciation and adoration into the kiss, much to the delight of our family, who assailed us with whistles and catcalls before demanding that we get a room if we were going to keep it up.

My cheeks felt heated when we broke apart, and the little blush that had been on his nose had spread across his cheeks.

“Now the wheel is open!” I declared, promoting another round of cheers.

Gregor kissed the tip of my nose before going to get a plate for himself, leaving me to dig into the succulent seafood and steak.

“Who the hell throws a party to reveal a new kitchen remodel!” someone asked, their voice carrying across the sand to where a small crowd had gathered around the wheel.

“That’s a better idea than a garage warming.”

“Hey now, in the kid’s defense, that new garage add on is pretty sweet.”

“You’re just saying that cause you built it.”

“And you’re just bitter you landed on kitchen remodel.”

Though it hadn’t been part of the announcement of the game’s rules, people just seemed to know that standing around the wheel spinning it over and over wasn’t in the spirit of the game. Those who’d already spun drifted toward the line for food, while others set up a game of horseshoes in the sand, to fill the time with while they waited for the line to thin out. A few rushed to help with plates for the children in attendance, as the stretch of sand beside Gregor’s shop was transformed into a beach party.

“I can’t believe no one let slip what was going on,” I said when Gregor rejoined me in the chair. “Where the hell did you find this massive thing? I love it.”

“I made it,” he replied as he put a couple scallops on my plate. The ones he’d put on mine had been the first things I’d eaten.

These I was going to savior with bites of steak, but only after swirling both in whiskey cream sauce.

“Now I love it even more,” I replied. “Is this the only one like it?”

“Would you like some for the patio at home?”

“Please?”

“Absolutely.”

“Squeee!” I did a happy wiggle dance and bounced my plate a little, but I didn’t lose anything.

I’d have been super sad if I’d lost one of my scallops.

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