Page 58 of Shelter from the Storm

“Sadly, no,” Edith said. “Because she was quite perfect for me in every other way.”

“You are so badass. I totally want to be you when I grow up.”

“Well, I’d say you’re well on your way, my dear.”

Gretchen didn’t agree, but she didn’t have a chance to say so before her phone rang.

“It’s Theo,” she said, picking it up.

“He won! Sam won!” Theo announced, as soon as she answered.

She and Edith cheered. Then she and Theo spent a few minutes discussing how to get word out about their celebration happy hour.

When she hung up, Edith—who was hardcore Team Theo—suggested that she channel her inner Edith at the party, make a few bad decisions, and go wild with her hot boss.

Gretchen scoffed, dismissing the idea—aloud. While inside, she seriously gave it some thought.

Maybe it was time for her to channel her inner Edith. Because God knew that woman had lived a life worth living, and suddenly, Gretchen wanted to do the same.

Time was too precious to keep wasting.

Gretchen took a moment to herself, leaning against the counter behind the bar, enjoying the victory party. Sam had been touched by the surprise happy hour, and given the way he’d circulated the brewery, spending a few minutes with everyone who came to congratulate him, Gretchen had no doubt, he would be a wonderful mayor.

The celebration she and Theo had secretly planned behind the scenes “just in case” had been in full swing for way more than one happy hour. Glancing at the time on her phone, she saw they were approaching their fourth hour of happiness.

Every member of the Storm family was in attendance, and while she wasn’t sure, it certainly felt as if nearly every citizen in Gracemont had made a point to drop by. Well, everyone except Scottie Grover, who was probably hunkered down at home, licking his wounds.

Lark McCoy, who provided entertainment at least one weekend a month at both the brewery and the winery, had ensured spirits remained high, strumming her guitar and performing one amazing set after another, packing the playlist with sing-along hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Party in the U.S.A,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Living on a Prayer,” “Wagon Wheel,” and more.

Gretchen’s voice would be hoarse come morning, as she, Mila, Nora, and Remi belted out the words while waiting tables. Because of the sheer number of attendees, it had become an all-hands-on-deck situation for a couple of hours, with every Storm either manning the taps, working in the kitchens, or serving. But as afternoon gave way to evening, a lot of people had finally headed home for a late dinner.

Edith, who’d left half an hour ago, would no doubt be tucking Manny in tonight, the man enjoying one flight too many. He was jovial when tipsy, and he had provided at least five of the countless toasts in Sam’s honor that had kept people lifting pint glasses.

With a much thinner crowd, consisting only of Storms and a few stragglers unwilling to call it a night, Gretchen could finally take a moment to catch her breath. It had been an amazing evening—one of the best of her life—something she’d been saying a lot of late.

Every day here was better than the one before. It wasn’t anything she’d ever experienced, but damn if she wasn’t loving every moment of it. That nagging feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop was fading away, leaving in its wake this constant state of sheer happiness.

It had been a week since Halloween, since Theo had kissed her senseless on the dance floor at Whiskey Abbey…and then even more senseless on the front porch of Edith’s house after walking her home. She was lying to herself when she said she tried to do the smart thing and resist his attention, because there was no denying her efforts couldn’t be labeled anything stronger than token at best.

God, she thought, stroking her finger over her lips. They were chapped from all the kissing she and Theo had been doing lately. Since agreeing to see where things led them, he’d taken advantage of the offer, dropping by her office nearly every single hour to steal another kiss. She’d joked earlier in the day that if he kept it up, Nora was going to fire both of them.

After her driving lessons on Saturday and Sunday, they’d parked on a rarely used dirt road on the farm and made out like teenagers who’d discovered their fun bits. So far, they’d limited their embraces to kissing and some hot-and-heavy, over-the-clothing touches. It had been intense and far too innocent for Gretchen, who hadn’t felt arousal in years.

Any passion she might have felt for Briggs at the beginning of their relationship was lukewarm compared to her desire for Theo, and nowadays, she felt like a walking live wire, sparking brightly whenever he was in the same room as her.

She wanted him.

That thought was as shocking as it was terrifying. She’d genuinely believed Briggs had beat out of her the part that craved sex and touching and kissing and closeness. If he had, Theo had found a way to bring it all back to life. With his sweet compliments, drugging kisses, and peaceful, gentle, nonthreatening nature, she was smitten.

For goodness sake, the man didn’t even hurt bugs. She’d watched him catch a bee in his office the other day then take it outside to release it. On the flip side, she’d seen Briggs kick a dog before, simply for making its way into their yard and rolling in the grass.

When Theo had asked if he scared her on Halloween, she’d almost laughed, because he didn’t have a clue what it was like to be truly frightened. Him professing his affection for her didn’t even make a blip on her horror radar because…why would it?

She meant what she’d said to him about not trusting her instincts, but damn if she didn’t want to believe what they were telling her about the man.

Given her past, she was shocked by how easily she’d let herself be swept away by Theo Storm. The cloak of self-preservation she’d worn like armor for most of her life had fallen off in Gracemont, simply because it was no longer necessary. Everyone she’d met here had been nothing but genuine and kind and welcoming, so it made it simple for her to be herself without fear of repercussions or judgment or violence.

Gretchen grinned when a strong arm wrapped around her waist, Theo’s breath warm against the side of her face, the scent of hops and citrus reminding her of the beer they’d both drunk.

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