The Gray Brothers: The Beginning✔️ (Kindle version)

Welcome home, Mrs. Gray

Patty

"Are your eyes closed?" Nate asked me.

"Yes, for the hundredth time. Why did you need to carry me?"

"Because carrying you is fun." He chuckled.

We stopped.

He set me down and leaned into my ear. "Ready?"

"Yep."

"Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes to see an unfinished house. "It's nice."

He walked in front of me. "I got a good deal on it. Dad and my brothers will help me renovate the house. Then it'll be our dream home. Hun, what do you think?"

I smiled at him. I didn't want to dash his dream. Oh, boy. This house was something else.

He grabbed my hand, dragged me to the front door, opened it, and showed me the house, which needed work.

The electrical, plumbing, and drywall were in disrepair. This house would be an exciting place to live. No wonder Nate got it dirt cheap. The house was a dump. I hope he knows what he's doing.

*****

I woke up to banging. I looked around to see Nate gone and heard a high-pitched squeal. What in the world?

I got out of bed, stuck my head out of the window, and found Cayson on a ladder.

"Sorry, Patty."

"Cayson, what are you doing?"

"I guess Nate didn't tell you we were stopping by."

"Ugh!" I pulled my head inside and stomped out of the room and down the stairs.

"Hey, Peppermint Patty!" Jonas said.

I took a deep breath. "Where is my husband?"

"Kitchen." He nodded towards the kitchen.

I walked to the kitchen, passing other guys and finding Nate and Grayson working on the kitchen lights.

"Nathaniel!"

He turned and walked over to me, closing the distance between us. "Morning, baby." He kissed me.

"Don't morning me!" I glared at him. "What is going on here?"

"We're working on the house."

"Now? You couldn't wait!"

"If we wait, we won't finish the house," Grayson said.

I gave Grayson an annoyed expression. "Thanks, Grayson, but this is between my husband and me."

Grayson backed off.

"Fine. But the next time we have everyone here, tell me, so I know when to expect the family."

I sounded like a spoiled brat. But could you blame me? Imagine waking up to people banging and pounding, not knowing they were coming. Yeah, you wouldn't be too happy either.

*****

Since I would have people in and out of my house, I became accustomed to them. With Nate changing jobs and starting a new career, he worked on the house if he wasn't at work. I pitched in and helped and got good with a mud knife.

We spent the first three months of our married life this way. It wasn't bad, but it's a lot of work.

One day, I walked into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. Exhaustion swept me. No, I wasn't pregnant.

He chuckled at me, lying face down on the bed. He walked over and climbed onto the bed next to me. "For eighteen, I figure you would have more stamina." He snickered.

I turned my head and groaned. Then I propped myself up. "I didn't realize how much work is involved with renovating a house."

"Repairing houses is always a colossal job. It's wonderful that my family and I are good with our hands." He held up his hand and wiggled his fingers.

"How long will the improvements take until we finish them? It's not that I don't mind having family invading our home. It would be nice to have one-on-one time with my husband," I reached up and pulled his lips to mine.

"Soon, I hope." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. As he was about to kiss me, a crash resounded from downstairs. We scrambled off the bed and ran downstairs to find a branch that had broken the living room window.

"I can fix that." Nate nodded and pointed at the broken window.

I looked at Nate and placed my head in my palm. We live in the money pit, and the first year would be extended.

*****

Nate boarded up the living room window. The tree by the window came down, and Cayson brought another window over and installed it.

While I watched him work on the window, the lights flickered. Now what? A buzzing sound emanated, and the power went out.

"My bad!" Jonas said.

"Looks like Jonas wired something wrong." Cayson snickered.

"I'm thinking your parents wired Jonas wrong," I said, making him chuckle.

The front door opened, and someone asked, "What the hell happened to the electricity?" Well, Nate's home. He walked into the living room. "Pat?"

"Jonas happened."

"Fanfuckingtastic."

Remember how I said Nate had a temper? Well, his anger showed. "Jonas! I'll kick your ass!" He walked away.

"Jonas better run," Cayson said.

"Why?"

"Because when Nate's mad, he throws stuff. Hell, he threw a wrench at my head one time."

My eyes widened as I ran after Nate, finding him ready to beat Jonas, and jumped on his back.

"Pat!"

"Nate."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm giving my husband attention." I wrapped my arms and legs around his body.

He sighed and looked at Jonas. "You're lucky that I love my wife."

"Yeah, I'm sure she loves it when you love her." Jonas wiggled his eyebrows.

"Jonas?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't."

He shrugged, and Nate walked around with me on his back until he set me down. He turned to me. "This restoration isn't how I imagined it."

I noticed the frustration in his eyes as his enthusiasm disappeared, with the house becoming a chore to him. I reached up and touched his face. "Babe, it's okay. Life isn't perfect, and neither is this house. The house will be amazing."

"Do you think so?"

I lowered my hand and reached for his. "I know so. Trust me. After we finish, we'll treasure this struggle." I smiled at him.

He pulled me to him as he wrapped his arms around me. "That's if I don't kill my brothers first."

I giggled. The lights came back on. We looked around. "See," I said. Then the lights turned back off. "Or not."

"My bad!" Jonas said.

Nate rolled his eyes as I laughed. Yes, a house takes work, but it'll be worth it when we finish it. I'm sure of it.