Page 82 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“And I leave for Paris the next day,” Brindle chimed in. “Wehaveto go tonight.”
Pepper stood by the door in a pair of jeans and cowgirl boots, arms crossed, her golden-brown hair piled up on her head in a messy bun. She’d gotten into town last week, and the girls had dragged Grace’s butt out of bed then, too.We have to! It’s Pep’s first night back!
Pepper lifted her foot to show Grace her boot. “I gave in. There’s no stopping these fools.”
“Grace will probably get pregnant on her honeymoon anyway,” Brindle said. “And then she’ll be locked down tight like Sophie and have to miss our nighttime prowls.”
Grace smiled thinking of having little Reeds running around. She wasn’t ready for thatquiteyet, but she could love up Sophie and Brett’s precious baby girl. She hadn’t missed her birth after all. Sweet Brenna was born three nights ago, and Grace and Reed were right there waiting to greet her.
Axsel put an arm around Pepper’s shoulder and said, “At last y’all included me this time.” He looked at Reed, who was pulling on a pair of jeans, and said, “I swear, it’s like a chick club.”
Sable came out of the closet and ran her eyes down Grace’s tank top and boy shorts. She tossed her a hoodie and said, “Cute boy shorts, Grace! Put that on.” She turned her attention to Axsel. “If it were a chick club, you wouldn’t be here. Chick clubs do their nails and hair and stuff. You want to see the firemen’s two a.m. calendar photo shoot as much as the rest of us.”
“Darn right I do,” Axsel said with a big smile.
Grace laughed as she pulled on the hoodie, but she had a feeling no one wanted to see the calendar shoot as much as Sable wanted to get an eyeful of Chet Hudson.
“Maybe I can stay here since my man is ready, willing, and able,andperfectly willing to climb back into our beautiful new bed.” Grace smiled flirtatiously at Reed. “I’m sure Reed won’t want me checking out firefighters anyway.”
“Go, baby. I’m secure in my manhood.” He leaned across the bed and hauled her down, kissing her so hard her entire body flamed. “Besides, I’m meeting you there. There’s a bonfire after the shoot. You. Me. Making out beneath the stars. Be ready.” He swatted her butt and lifted his chin toward Brindle, who was holding up Grace’s cutoffs and the embellished cowgirl boots Morgyn had made for her. “Best get going, pretty girl. You don’t want to miss the Montgomery ruckus.”
Amber offered Grace a hand and pulled her to her feet. “We’ll have fun, Gracie. This is the last time you’ll see the calendar shoot as a single woman.”
“Only in Oak Falls would firemen come from two different towns and do a calendar shoot in the middle of the night,” Pepper said.
As Grace pulled on her cutoffs, surrounded by the people she loved most, her gaze caught on Reed. His loving eyes and boyish grin sent her overjoyed heart into a tailspin as she said, “Exactly, Pep. Only in Oak Falls. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
