Page 64 of His Wilde Little
“Probably more money coming your way,” he added, shattering my thoughts. “Since it’s partly your reputation as to why we’ve got some of these investors interested.”
Olivia scowled at her father, sipping on her cocoa. Either she didn’t want me to know that, or she’d burned her tongue on the scorching hot liquid in her mug.
After the drinks warmed our bellies, we went back to work, collecting milk, eggs, and making sure all the animals had food around and fresh bedding with all the different organic materials they used to sleep on. Most of the family headed back to the house to work on dinner. Jace went back to our place where he was working on a dessert, and I went to the horses at their field with a fresh bag of apples.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” I told them. “You’ve all been good, and I’m thankful for that.” I mused aloud, going inside the field through the gate. “I wonder what you’re all thankful for. I hope I’m on that list. I can’t take credit for the medicines they vets gave us, but I can take credit for all the love.” I gave Bramble a rub down her nose as she was sniffing to investigate the bag in my hand. “Ok, ok, you want a treat. I know, I know.”
Horses were more like my family than the people I’d grown up around. The holidays always brought about this strange guilt that started in my chest and settled in my stomach, it was like heartburn. Every Thanksgiving, I’d been thankful for the work I was given that year, I was thankful for the horses I worked with, and I was thankful for a full belly or whatever I’d whipped up on the stovetop. It was usually some type of chili with cornbread.
Giving out the last apple, I walked by one of the trees and sat by the base of the trunk. Ashwind came and laid right beside me. The other three followed him, sitting down around me and the tree. This was the best indicator of trust in me, they knew I cared for them, and in a way, they cared about me.
I stayed with them for an hour, letting thoughts fill my mind, some of the negatives trying to beat out the positive ones. It didn’t last long though, I’d grown up with self-doubt and negative talk, I could combat them just as much. My life wasn’t perfect, and I had to remind myself that I wasn’t trying to be perfect, I was just trying to be me.
Back at the house, Jace was rushing around the kitchen, stirring pots on the hob and then squatting to look inside the oven in quick succession. I stood in the doorway, inhaling the sweet caramel scent in the air and getting a rumble from my belly. It took him a moment to notice I was there, and he almost jumped right out of his skin when he saw me.
“Jeez, I told you this was supposed to be a surprise,” he said.
Placing a hand over my eyes, I hadn’t seen anything that gave it away. “I didn’t spoil anything, but it smells amazing,” I told him, turning around.
Jace gave my ass a spank. “We’re supposed to be over at there in an hour, so you’re back just in time for a shower.”
“Hey,” I grumbled. “I’m supposed to be the one reminding you about showers. And I only want to take one if you’re there with me. Who else is going to wash my back for me?”
He gave my ass another spank and giggled. “Me,” he said. “Let me pull these out of the oven, finish this off, and I’ll be there.”
“Ok, I’ll go pick out a nice shirt then,” I told him. It was kinda lucky I hadn’t brought much with me when I moved, mostly because I didn’t own too many clothes, but now even more so since Jace’s clothes overtook the wardrobe and dresser, granted, he needed the space for all his onesies.
I loved going through Jace’s clothes, just seeing all the sides to him I was yet to explore. He had cropped t-shirts Icouldn’t imagine him in, mostly because I only either saw him in those tight shirts, a onesie, or completely naked. The shirts had slogans on them like‘Baby Boy’and ‘Sugar Baby’, or which only one of them was true, because I was no Sugar Daddy.
“I can’t wear those,” he said, coming up beside me.
“I think they’re fun,” I told him.
“One year, I got into DIY clothes. Have you got to the tie-dye stuff yet?”
“I did see something colorful. So, you made these then?”
He nodded, taking my arm and cuddling up against me. “Yep, although I never wear them anymore. I can’t exactly wear them in the house, and I definitely don’t get enough time off to go out and wear them.”
“I promise to make sure you’ll have more time to wear stuff like this,” I whispered to him and gave him a kiss on his forehead. “But right now, we need to go shower and make sure we smell nice for dinner.”
He grumbled, pressing his face into my shoulder and groaning. “I want it to be the two of us,” he whispered back. “I’m thankful for my family, but I kinda just want to be thankful from a distance.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, baby, but we’re going to get that time alone next week,” I said, giving his forehead another kiss. “But until then, we’re going to put on a big smile, enjoy the dinner with your family, and surprise them with dessert.”
“I can already hear the arguments,” he whispered and sighed. “But you’re right, at least we get to come back here after.”
“And speaking of desserts, are you going to tell me?”
He laughed. “No way, not until dessert time. You won’t be disappointed.”
“Come on, tell me.”
“Nope.” He giggled and ran off into the bathroom. “Come on, or we’re gonna be late.”
Following him into the bathroom, I needed to know what those desserts were. He was keeping them close to his chest, all secretive, and as much as I loved a secret, I wanted to know his. But I’d find out soon enough, and it was only dessert, but it was still a secret.
This was our first meal with the family as a couple. The outing of the relationship doesn’t count because they didn’t know, and we kinda dominated the conversation for a short while as everyone had questions about what was going to happen. I hoped the conversation wouldn’t still be about that.
