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Chapter Twenty-Two
Rose and Gray walked into the restaurant where the rehearsal dinner was being held, holding hands and smiling.
“You’re lucky I care about Maggie and brought you inside instead of back to my hotel,” he whispered in her ear.
“I don’t feel lucky at all,” Rose teased back.
“Is that her?” A woman rushed toward them, her dark hair threaded with gray, and a smile that looked as familiar as the one on Gray’s face.
Gray smiled even wider when the woman slipped her arm around his waist and hugged him to her side. “You’re as beautiful as he said.”
“Thank you.” She eyed Gray.
“Mom, this is Rose. Rose, my mom, Andie.”
Rose tried to tamp down the wave of nerves and act normal. She had expected Maggie’s and Marc’s parents to be here to celebrate with the bridal party, but not Gray’s. She held out her hand. “I’m so pleased to meet you, Mrs. Pearson.”
She waved that away. “Andie, please. And this is my husband, Grady.”
Rose shook his hand. “So Gray’s name is derived from yours, just without the D.”
“Andie wanted him to have his own name.”
His mom hugged Gray close again. “He’s his own man.”
“And a very good one at that,” Rose added.
Andie looked up at her son. “I like her.”
Gray’s intense gaze never left Rose’s. “I do, too.”
Andie smiled at her. “He told us all about you. He’s going to steal you away from that company you work at. And I’m inviting you to our monthly family dinner. First Sunday of every month. You can’t miss it. No exceptions.”
“Consider that your invitation and order to be there.” Gray shook his head at his mom.
Rose skipped over the part about working at Gray’s company, since they hadn’t talked about it since that first night. “I love that you all make a point to get together. I should do something like that with my mom and sister.” It would be a wonderful way to start a new tradition.
“Gray told us you hadn’t seen them in a long time. I’m sorry to hear about the troubles you had in the past. But Gray said you’ve reconciled with your family now.”
“I have. It’s been a long time coming.” She eyed Gray, wondering when he’d talked to his mom about her and just how much he’d told her. A lot, by the sound of it. They’d only started dating. But it said something that he’d not only spoken about her, but didn’t seem to mind introducing her to them so soon, either.
Grady tugged his wife away from Gray. “Let’s join the others. Things look tense between Marc and his dad.” Grady and Gray exchanged a look of foreboding. “Have you two made up?”
Rose eyed Gray, who avoided looking at her.
Gray shook his head. “I told Marc it’s out of my hands. I can’t make Uncle Matt do anything. It’s his decision. But I did tell Marc that it’s not what I want, but that doesn’t seem to matter to Uncle Matt.”
“He’s protecting himself and his employees,” Grady explained, giving Rose some insight into their conversation. “You understand that.”
“I do. He has cause to be concerned.”
Grady briefly glanced at her. “This is complicated.”
Rose’s stomach went tight. Did they know about her and Marc, too?
Maybe it was better they did. No secrets.
Gray stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I made myself clear to Marc and Uncle Matt.”
