We’d bought a bigger one immediately after I moved in, since Grayson had been sleeping on a camp cot that creaked every time either of us so much as breathed. Now we had a queen-size mattress sitting on a simple wooden frame in the middle of the workshop, and it was the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept in.
Probably because of the man who shared it with me.
I glanced around the space, taking in what we’d created together in such a short amount of time.
My plants had transformed the industrial-feeling room into something that felt alive. Trailing pothos vines cascaded down from shelves Grayson had built along one wall. My prizedvariegated monstera sat in a ceramic pot near the window where it caught the morning light. And a collection of philodendrons in various shades of green and cream clustered on repurposed wooden crates that served as side tables.
I’d added other touches too. A woven blanket in warm earth tones lay draped over the foot of our bed. Fairy lights strung along the exposed beams overhead cast a cheery vibe.
And a small gallery of photos captured moments from our first weeks together. Grayson at the hot springs, water droplets clinging to his broad shoulders. The two of us at the Ridge Diner, Marla photobombing in the background with a knowing smirk.
It was a strange home. And a temporary one, until we could finish all the construction and move into proper living quarters.
But I didn’t mind. As long as I got to be with Grayson, that was all that mattered.
I kicked off the covers and returned my attention to the mail. I’d been flipping through it to see if my final check from my old job had arrived yet when I came across a logo I’d know anywhere. My heart stuttered in my chest.
“Grayson?”
He looked up from where he was sitting at the small table we used for meals. He was nursing a cup of coffee and reviewing some notes about his upcoming tile work project. “Yeah?”
“What tech company did that guy work for? The one you saved on the first day we met?”
Grayson thought about it for a second, his brow furrowing. “Junoc, I think.”
“Junoc?” I stared at the envelope in my hands. “Like the social media company? They’re huge!”
He shrugged, those massive shoulders rolling with casual indifference. “I suppose so.”
“Well, the guy came through.” I held up the envelope, waving it at him. “He sent you something.”
Grayson took it from me and inspected it, turning it over in his large hands. “It’s probably a coupon for their software or something.”
I shook my head. “They don’t sell software, hon. They’re a social media platform.”
He tore open the envelope while muttering, “I don’t know about any of that shit. But don’t get your hopes up. It’s not like the guy’s going to send me a bunch of money. That only happens in movies.”
He pulled out a small letter and frowned at it, his eyes scanning the text. I waited, practically bouncing on the mattress with anticipation. The seconds stretched out unbearably long.
“Well?” I finally burst out. “What is it?”
“Uh, a year’s worth of movie tickets.”
I scrambled across the bed and snatched the letter from his hands, reading the fine print. “What? That’s it?”
He shrugged again, looking utterly unimpressed. “Don’t feel let down, hon. It’s not like I usually get tips for the work I do.”
“Yeah, but you saved the man’slife.”
“That’s the way of the world, babe.”
I kicked back against the pillows, watching my man.
He was wearing nothing but a pair of flannel pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips, and I let myself enjoy the view.
Everything about him was gorgeous. From the way his biceps flexed whenever he moved, to the jagged scar across his cheek.
“Well,” he picked up his coffee again. “I guess we should go see a movie.”
