I love you. I love you. I love you.
23
GABE
Holy shit, it feels so good to be in love. And not even just that, but for everyone around me to know it. Shelly knows. Amber knows. All of Oakley’s Crew know, and it feels so damn good.
And even though it’s been a week since I first said it, and Dakota hasn’t said the words yet, I’m calm about it. I don’t need to hear the words yet because I know he feels them. He shows me.
All the time.
I finished the hot tub at his house today, and I already can’t wait to use it. But I have to head back into the shop to clean up and then grab my own truck. I kiss Dakota’s lips hard with a promise to be back before I drive into town and right to the shop.
I’m whistling as I walk into the shop, and Jackson, Archie, and Travis all stop whatever conversation they were having to look at me. “What?” I ask.
Jackson just shakes his head. “The sex has to be phenomenal.”
“It is.” I wink at him, then head over to the sink to clean my hands.
Archie walks over to me and pats my shoulder. “I didn’t know you had it in you again, but it looks good on you. Being in love.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I’m heading back to his house now. Off the clock.”
“I don’t want to know what I’ve been paying you for this week,” Travis says.
I laugh at that but lock in on him with a serious look. “That’s why I saidoff the clock. I’ve been nothing but professional.”
“Uh-huh,” Travis says. “I totally believe you.” He doesn’t, but really, aside from flirting and a few kisses, we’ve been 100 percent professional. “Did you finish up?” he asks.
“Yup. All done. He said he’ll call you to make the final payment today.” And that sense of dread that usually goes through me, thinking about finishing at his house, just isn’t there now. I know I’ll still be at his house all the time.
Though I will miss seeing him during the work week. “Not going to talk him into a pool?” Archie teases.
“Oh! We could do some work on his front porch!” Oakley says, walking out of his office to join in the conversation.
“Nope,” I say. “He mentioned having the mowing crew come out regularly, but I can handle that for him. Free of charge.”
“Thanks for that,” Travis deadpans, and Oakley chuckles, his beefy hand cupping the back of his husband’s neck.
“Leave him alone. He’s in loooove,” he sings.
“Yup,” I say, unbothered that they all know it now and then wave my goodbyes as I head out to my truck. Amber didn’t have school today or tomorrow—some sort of teacher’s in-service thing—so Shelly asked if she and Randy could take her on a little road trip.
Normally, I probably would have sulked about that, but I agreed, knowing my girl is taken care of and having the time of her life staying in a hotel a couple of nights. She loves hotels.
And well... it’s not like I’m going to be alone this weekend. I swing by my place just long enough to shower and change before packing a bag and heading out to Dakota’s. He suggested we have a little staycation of our own, and I’m all for it.
I stop by the grocery store to pick up some things for us to grill, since it’s supposed to be beyond nice this weekend. And then fucking finally, I pull into his drive.
I walk up to the front with the bags of groceries, but after ringing the doorbell and getting no answer, I feel like I know where to find him. I leave the groceries on the porch and head out to the barn. Sure enough, there’s my guy cuddling four baby kittens and their mother.
“Hey,” I say, startling him out of his very clear bliss.
He looks over at me. “You need a louder truck.”
I chuckle and make my way over to them, scooping up one of the black kittens. There are two black ones, but this one has a little bit of white on her chest. There’s also an orange one and one who looks a lot like Mavis—brown and black striped. They’re all too cute for words.
I finally brought Amber over earlier this week to meet the kittens, and she gave them all names. The way my girl lit up seeing the barn, the house, the greenhouse... all of it... it made me think of the first time I came here. She looked around in awe at this place. “Hey, May,” I say to the little kitten on my lap.
