Freed (Fifty Shades as Told by Christian #3) - E.L. James Page 0,62

and her step-father, Bob, too. I’m glad we’re meeting them before the big day. Are they on good terms with her dad?”

“With Ray? I think so. But I don’t know, you’ll need to ask Ana.”

“I’ll do that. I’m glad he’s staying with you.”

It was not my idea. “Ana is hoping that we’ll bond.” Frankly, Raymond Steele intimidates me.

Grace pauses. “I’m sure you will. Do you have a marriage license?”

I scoff. “Of course we do. We picked it up last week.”

“Honeymoon?”

“It’s all arranged.”

“And your suit?”

I direct my eye roll at the phone. “It was delivered today. It fits.”

“Rings?”

Rings?

Shit.

Rings!

How the hell did we forget about rings? “In hand,” I mutter, and laugh, because both Ana and I have overlooked the rings.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, Mom. Anything else?”

“You forgot the rings?”

I sigh. Busted. “How did you know?”

“I’m your mother…and you called me Mom. You rarely do that.” The humor and warmth in her voice is soothing.

“Perceptive, Dr. Grey.”

She chuckles. “Oh, Christian, I love you so much. If you don’t have rings, you’d better get some. Everything here is on track; the pavilion goes up tomorrow, and the decorators will follow.”

“Thanks, Mom. Thanks for everything.”

“See you Friday.” She hangs up and I stare out at the Seattle skyline, grateful to all that is holy, for Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey.

Mom.

I call Ana.

“Anastasia Steele.” She sounds distracted.

“We forgot the rings.”

“Rings? Oh! Rings!”

I laugh, because her reaction is the same as mine, and I can imagine her eyes widening in shock. “I know! How could we forget?”

“My mom always says the devil is in the details,” Ana agrees.

“She’s not wrong. What sort of ring would you like?”

“Oh…um…”

“I thought a platinum band to match your engagement ring?”

“Christian, that would be…that…um…that would be more than mighty fine.” Her voice is a whisper.

I smile. “I’ll get matching ones.”

She gasps. “You’ll wear one, too?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” I’m surprised by her question.

“I don’t know. I’m thrilled that you would.”

“Ana, I’m yours. I want the world to know.”

“I’m very pleased to hear that.”

“You should know this by now.”

“I do know,” she whispers. “It still gives me all the feels when you say it.”

“The feels?”

She giggles. “Yes. The feels.”

“Sounds painful.”

“No. It’s the opposite of painful.”

My heart soars. Sometimes she takes my breath away. I swallow, trying to contain my elation. “I’d better get right on this.”

“You better!”

“Laters, baby.”

“Laters, Christian. I love you.”

I let her words settle into my heart.

She loves me.

“Are you going to hang up?” she asks.

“No.”

She laughs. “I have to go. I have a meeting and my boss’s boss’s boss…you know.”

“Yeah. He can be an asshole.”

“He can…but he can also be the best of men.”

I’m staring at her portrait on my office wall; her shy, teasing smile is directed at me. My body and my soul stir. This has to be one of the sweetest things she’s ever said to me.

“I’ll see you tonight,” she says, and the line goes dead before I have a chance to respond.

Anastasia Steele, you are the most disarming woman I know. I stare at her photograph, digesting her words, and I know my smile would light up a dark and soulless night.

Feeling inspired, I find the number for Astoria Fine Jewelry and press call. It’s not only rings I need, but a wedding present for my future wife, too.

My meeting with Welch is inconclusive: there is still no lead on the perpetrator, and I’m beginning to believe the sabotage is a figment of my overactive imagination. Welch’s team is drilling down into all ex-employee records of the companies that GEH has acquired to see if he can find something, but we’ve been over this ground and I think he’s grasping at straws. The only potential suspects we had were Hyde and Woods, but Hyde has been discounted, as he’s been in Florida since he was fired, and there’s no evidence that links Woods to the crash, yet.

“I know how exasperating this is for you, Grey,” Welch says, his voice as gruff as ever. “We are keeping an extra-watchful eye on the Gulfstream.”

“I’m wondering if we overreacted to the FAA report.”

“No. We did not. Not where your safety is concerned. We’ll just have to be patient for the NTSB report. I’m expecting it any day.”

“As soon as you have it…” I let the sentence finish itself.

“Yes, sir.”

“In the meantime, please liaise with Taylor. He’s coming with us to oversee our security while we’re on our honeymoon.”

“Will do. And congratulations once again.”

I nod my thanks. “Okay. That’s it. Thanks for coming in.”

Welch rises and we shake hands.

Back at my desk,