Page 47 of My Grumpy Sweetheart
“It is.” I gave a short nod.
“Perfect. I’ll have to ask if they have Crispin apples. Oh, or what other kinds of apples they grow because, you know, we already talked about getting a brother or sister for Crispin.”
“I said we might one day get a brother or sister.”
“Semantics. Besides, I just want to be prepared.”
The mischievous smile on his face told me that one day wasn’t that far off anymore.
I turned into the driveway of the orchard, taking a deep breath to brace myself for all the things that were to come this weekend. Annoying guides. Ridiculous classes. Other couples who would probably make me want to turn into a real axe murderer.
But the thing I wasn’t braced for was the little pang I felt in my heart upon seeing the big white building housing the B’n’B or the small shiver running through my body seeing the bench under the big oak tree.
I’d never admit it out loud, but maybe Bailey was right with the whole it being a special place thing.
“Let’s see if they got the honeymoon suite ready for us.”
* * *
They did.
Of course they had. Bailey had specifically booked it because it was just as special as us being here in the first place. And, as he’d told me with a bright smile on his face, this time, it wasn’t scandalous at all that we had to share a room — it was something we were doing all the time. I was still waiting for the moment Bailey realized he’d moved in with me. All his stuff was over at my place — even his kitchen gadgets like the dehydrator he’d bought after our weekend getaway last year. Hell, I’d bought him a damn dresser solely for his clothes. He’d filled it over the last two months, but he still hadn’t uttered a single word about him never being at his place anymore.
Well, I happened to like it this way.
As Bailey unlocked and opened the door, the smell of freshly cut apples hit my nose. It took me every ounce of strength not to roll my eyes because seriously? Now they even apple-scented the rooms? What was up next? Making the guests wear apple hats upon entering the B’n’B? Would the honeymoon suite soon be equipped with apple flavored lube and condoms? The fact that I wouldn’t put it in the realm of impossibility was kind of terrifying.
“Oh look,” Bailey said, pointing at a big, comfortable looking couch that definitely hadn’t been here last year. I knew that because this couch actually looked like you could sleep on it. Gone was the small leather sectional. “Just imagine if they’d had this sofa last year.”
Crispin ran after Bailey, and I dropped his leash to hurl all our suitcases into our room.
“Actually, I don’t think I want to imagine what would’ve happened if we hadn’t shared a bed last year,” I said, shrugging. “I kinda like the end result.”
* * *
“Sean,” I bit out as I was the guy standing in the middle of a circle made up of couples that tended to be a lot older than me and Bailey. Of course, the fucker who’d kept flirting with Bailey last year was at it again.
And if the way his eyes lit up as he spotted Bailey were any indication, he remembered him.
Fuck that shit.
Wrapping my arm around Bailey’s waist, I firmly pulled him against me, pressing a soft kiss to his temple.
I wasn’t a caveman and didn’t need to stake my claim by ravaging Bailey right here on the grass or pressed against an apple tree — no matter how much I might want to do that — but a little PDA never hurt anyone, right? Just to remind that slimy sleazeball that he’d caught us fucking right through our check-out time which meant Bailey had been taken last year, just as he was taken now.
Crispin was trotting along, sniffing here and there, tail wagging as he spotted an apple on the ground and happily bit into it. Internally sighing, I clicked my tongue and signaled for him to come over. That damn dog loved apples. Unfortunately, apples didn’t love him. Well, the apples probably didn’t care, but Crispin’s stomach wasn’t a big fan of his namesake.
“Bailey,” Sean said with a smile on his face that faltered a little upon seeing me. “And your…”
“My boyfriend, Dakota. And our dog, Crispin.” Bailey grinned at him, his smile almost making me lose my glare. That, and the fact that he’d called Crispin ours in front of other people.
“Sure. Right. You were on this blind-date charity thing last year, right? I thought it was just a weekend thing.”
Rolling my eyes, I spoke up. “No. When Bailey bought me, it was for good, you know? I’m never going to escape that guy.”
Bailey elbowed me gently. “Like you’d want to escape.”
I made a thoughtful face and stroked my beard. “Hmm, I guess you’ve grown on me.”
