“You came,” she says without even trying to hide the pleasure on her face.
I nod. “I told you I’d be here.”
“I know, but…” Her voice trails off.
I step closer, careful not to crush the flowers or the cake between us. “But I’ve said that before.”
Her eyes soften, and she tilts her head. I lean down and rub my nose against hers. “I’m a changed man, Aria, and I’m not taking one second of my life for granted.”
Her breath catches, and I hand her the bouquet first. Her eyes drop to the flowers, then come back to mine. “Penn.”
I gesture to them. “For you.”
She touches one of the petals and smiles. “They’re beautiful.”
“So are you.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and then I lift the cake box. “And this is also for you.”
She looks at it, and her eyes widen. “You got me my favorite cake?”
“Yeah.” I shift the box in my hands. “I know you didn’t eat it the other day. I know you were too upset, and you probably threw it away, so I figured I owed you one.”
For a second, she just stares at me, but then she surprises me when her eyes fill.
Fuck.
“Hey.” I lower my voice. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
She shakes her head and takes the cake from me. “I’m not crying.”
I nod at her. “You are.”
She rolls her eyes, smiling at me. “I’m emotional. There’s a difference.”
I smile. “Okay.”
She looks down at the cake again, then back at me. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you two going to stand in the doorway all night?” Miller calls from somewhere inside. “Because some of us are hungry.”
Aria laughs and steps back. “Come in.”
I follow her inside, and the smell of food hits me immediately. Miller and Lindsey’s house is warm and loud, exactly the way family dinner always is.
Logan is in the kitchen with Bree, setting out plates while Bree directs him like she’s in charge, which we all know she is. Miller is at the counter slicing bread, and Lindsey is pulling a casserole dish from the oven.
Ozzy is outside in the backyard with Eli, who is running in circles around him with a plastic bat in his hand.
I look around. “Where are Mom and Dad?”
“At Zach and Skyler’s,” Aria says, setting the flowers on the counter and the cake beside them. “They’re helping with Grace so Skyler can rest.”
I reach for her hand, and she lets me take it.
“Guy?” I ask.
