"For saving you from whatever you were about to say next," he counters smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Trust me on this. Future you will thank me profusely."
He's probably right.
Given my track record today, I was probably about to say something even more embarrassing.
But I'm absolutely not admitting that out loud.
CHAPTER 25
Cherished
~GRAYSON~
Reverie looks between the three of us with wide, confused eyes that are somehow still sparkling with residual excitement from the live stream chaos—me standing here shirtless and sweaty, still holding Snowfall's leather reins in one hand, Theo in his post-workout gear looking like he just stepped off the cover of a fitness magazine with her phone still in his large hand, Nash down the street leaning against a lamp post looking thoroughly entertained by this entire situation.
Her confusion is absolutely adorable.
Her nose scrunches up slightly, her head tilts to one side, and her vanilla-caramel-citrus scent fluctuates between excited and bewildered in rapid succession.
She has no idea how cute she looks right now. Hair still wind-tossed from the truck ride, cheeks flushed from the November cold and probably from shouting about Alpha hotness rankings in the middle of Main Street, eyes bright despite everything she's been through today.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, directing the question at Theo with genuine curiosity written all over her expressive face. "I didn't know you trained in Millbrook. I thought you went to that gym in Oakridge near your cabin?"
Theo hands her phone back carefully, his expression neutral but I can see the fondness in his olive-green eyes when he looks at her. It's subtle—Theo doesn't do obvious emotions—but it's there in the slight softening around his eyes, the way his jaw unclenches when she speaks.
"Was at the gym," he says simply. "Iron Haven Fitness Center on Oak Street. Better facility here than Oakridge by a significant margin. Better equipment, newer machines, less crowded during the day. Been coming here three times a week for the past couple months."
Then he turns those intense eyes on me, one dark eyebrow raised in question.
"Why are you down here, Gray? Thought you were dealing with that stubborn mare at the ranch this morning. You texted saying she was throwing fits and refusing to load into the trailer."
I smirk, patting Snowfall's strong neck.
She nuzzles my bare shoulder affectionately, her warm breath creating small clouds in the cold December air.
"This beautiful lady is the stubborn mare. Snowfall here wasn't cooperating with any of the other ranchers. Threw Marco off twice, nearly kicked Benjamin's hat off his head, refused to walk more than ten feet with anyone else holding her reins."
I stroke her silky white coat, feeling the powerful muscles beneath.
"So I drove the forty minutes down here to help get her adapted to town life. She and the rest of my horses are staying up here in Millbrook for the winter months since the weather's consistently less brutal than Oakridge Hollow—fewer ice storms,better drainage, more temperate overall. Plus I've got more experienced hands available at the Millbrook stables."
Snowfall whickers softly, as if agreeing with my assessment. She's significantly calmer now than she was an hour ago when she was practically throwing tantrums every time someone tried to lead her down Main Street. Horses can sense when they're with someone who understands them.
Funny how the universe works sometimes. Theo came for training. I came for horse business. Nash brought Reverie shopping. And somehow we all ended up in the exact same place at the exact same time without any coordination whatsoever.
If I believed in fate, I'd say this was a sign.
"Pretty impressive timing though," I add, looking between my pack mates with genuine appreciation. "All three of us ending up in Millbrook on the same random Sunday without any coordination or planning. What are the odds?"
Reverie squeals—this bright, delighted sound that's so full of pure joy it makes Snowfall's ears prick forward with interest and several passersby turn to look at us with amused smiles.
"Oh my gosh!" Her whole face lights up like Christmas morning. "This has to be the universe's blessing! Like fate or destiny bringing us all together at the perfect moment! This is absolutely perfect for starting the Christmas festivities properly as a pack! We could do a group photoshoot at the Christmas market! Or try all the hot chocolate stands together! Or check out that caroling event Harold mentioned! Or go ice skating if there's a rink! Or?—"
"Hell no," Theo cuts her off with a groan that sounds pained, but I catch the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth that might—might—be the beginning of a smile. "Absolutely not. I'm not doing Christmas festivities. I came here to lift heavy things andput them back down, not pose for holiday photos like some kind of catalog model."
I chuckle at his immediate and emphatic rejection.
Theo and Christmas don't exactly mix well—he hasn't celebrated properly in years due to military deployments, bad experiences with ex-partners during the holidays, and general Grinch-like tendencies that he wears like armor.
