Read Online A Very Grey Christmas by T.A. Foster - Free Book Online Page B

Grey and I had never talked about marriage other than the brief insinuations at Marin’s wedding. That hardly counted as a real marriage talk. We had known each other less than a year and had only lived together a few months. And I was twenty-two. Marriage wasn’t on the table, was it? Today wasn’t the day, but at some point, I needed to know if it was something Grey was thinking about too.
    For now, I had to push snowy bride images out of my head and focus on the Christmas in front of me. Focus on Grey.
    “I’m glad you like them,” he whispered.
    He held up the box I had wrapped last night when he and my dad were in a serious college football discussion. It was nice I could count on Dad to keep him distracted during my secret Christmas missions. I swallowed hard when he pulled on the ribbon.
    “I hope you like it,” I eked out.
    “Is it the drill I told you about?” He chuckled.
    Dammit, that drill was in my closet. “You can’t ask.” I poked him in the leg.
    He lifted the lid and tore through the tissue paper. He withdrew a leather-bound album and placed it in his lap, not saying a word.
    Oh, God. Did this mean he didn’t like it? He opened the cover and stared at the first page of pictures.
    “When did you do all this?” He flipped to the next page.
    I chewed on my lip. “Yesterday,” I confessed. “While you were working on the bike with Dad. I had them developed.”
    “I didn’t know we had all these pictures. There’s even one from spring break.” By the time he reached the end, he landed on a picture of us from our snow walk. “You even got Christmas in here.”
    I nodded, waiting for more of a reaction. “I didn’t fill in the rest of the pages.” Half of the album was empty. “I thought we could do that the rest of this year.” I searched his face for emotion.
    My heart soared when he turned to me with a grin. “I can’t wait to fill the rest of it with you.” He kissed me and all my worries melted. He actually liked my last-minute attempt at Christmas romance.
    We didn’t have any pictures of us at the cottage in frames, or even on the refrigerator, and I had never considered putting an album together. I saved all my pictures on my cloud, which turned out to be the best thing yesterday when I needed to print fifty of them and sort them in the album. Technology was a blessing.
    “I do have other presents for you.” I smirked. “They’re in Padre though. I wanted you to have something to open from me today.”
    “Darlin’, thank you.” He opened the leather cover again and leafed through the pictures.
    “When you’re done, I want to look at that,” Mom called from her side of the room.
    They had embraced our relationship with full support, but I knew my parents were curious about our Texas life. The pictures would help.
    After the last bow was tossed in the save bag, my mother turned to me. “Eden, did you open everything?”
    I glanced at my spot on the couch. “Yes, I think I’m all done.”
    “You sure?” She looked under the coffee table and then shot Grey a quick look of uncertainty. The entire encounter was weird.
    “Um, as far as I know, Mom.” I wondered what gift she thought was missing.
    “Oh, ok. Sorry, I think I miscounted.” She hurried out of the room with the bow bag.
    “What was that about?” I asked Grey.
    “I have no idea.” He stood. “Coffee refill?” He took my mug and rushed in the kitchen as fast as my mother had.
    Everyone was suddenly acting strangely. I decided it was the Christmas magic making everyone a little loopy.
     

     
    Taylor texted a picture of her and Mason sitting next to the Christmas tree. She was holding a necklace in her hand, obviously trying to show me what he had gotten her. I wrote back.
     
Merry Christmas. Love the necklace. Tell Mason Merry Christmas from us.
     
    I wasn’t going to worry that Grey hadn’t actually relayed the sentiment. He wouldn’t wish Mason an un-merry Christmas.
    The table was set;