AJ and Rory share a close look before Rory jogs up the stairs to open the door for us. “It was Oliver’s idea.” AJ rushes out before we cross the doorway like she isn’t sure if she should be saying it all.
“Sunshine!” Maxwell’s elated voice travels through the room before his head peeks out of the corner. He rushes over to me and immediately covers my eyes as I turn to face the direction he came from. “Absolutely not. I’ve worked all day on this. You are going to be surprised.” He demands. His hands are big enough to cover both of my eyes with one and gently guide me with the other.
I know the layout of this house by now though and I know he is leading me to the living room. He leans over and pushes a hard kiss into the top part of my cheek. “Happy birthday!!” He screams out and his voice is joined by everyone else standing around Oliver’s living room.
There are different shades of red balloons all over the ceiling and floor. He brought in a large table that I’ve never seen before and it is decorated with glasses filled to the brim with red liquid and topped with cherries. Bowls of cherries are littered randomly throughout the room. Every cherry flavored candy you can possibly find at the store is distributed among the room as well. In the middle are large black candle sticks surrounding a heart shaped cake that says, “bite me.” The cake is even topped with cherries. Rory props his framed drawing on the table right next to…
“You have to be fucking kidding me!” I grab the other frame up faster than I can make it to the table, nearly tripping in the process. My eyes search for him, but the room is full. Eli and Maxwell shift slightly and there I find him. Leaning against the brick wall, right next to the brick that he has repeatedly threatened me to leave alone.
I hold up the frame and Oliver just winks. It’s a shred of his pants, cut out from the night that girl thought she could sit in his lap and I acted impulsively by kissing his leg and signing it. The lip stain is faded but my signature is clear.
I cross the room and stand right in front of him. “You’re insufferable.” I’m shaking my head but the smile on my face is proof that I actually love that he destroyed a perfectly good pair of pants to frame this. I guess technically, I destroyed them first. Worth it to see the look on his face though. The way he had to force a swallow just to keep his breathing even with me that close to his dick. It was euphoric. And now it’s framed. Insanity.
“Are you going to tell me what the deal is with this?” I tap the frame on the discolored brick. He takes the frame from me and makes a show of smoothing the spot I scuffed slightly.
“This is a work of art. Don’t ruin it.” He admonishes me.
Crossing my arms, I tilt my head. “Which one?” I motion to the framed pants and the brick.
“Both.” He says simply. He stands from the wall, walking over to the big table. He puts the frame back in its place, before handing me one of the drinks on the table. “You look…” His words trail off as his eyes search my face before landing on my lips, not even trying to hide his hunger.
“Hot. I know.” I take a cherry from the drink and stick it between my teeth. “I thought you hated people at your house?” I break the heated moment.
“I do.” He exhales as he surveys the room before his stare lands back on me, “but you’re not people.” I let the implication that I mean something more linger. We’ve been pushing a lot of boundaries lately. None of which truly scare me like the way it feels standing here right now.
My body aches to be even closer and for the room to be empty. I need everything I built here to make everything else I’m trying to build work. I just wasn’t prepared to want him as much as I do. Or to feel safe with him like I do. Being a part of West Haven made my purpose clear. And there is a piece of him that is still chasing something that I fear he will never catch. And that does scare me. Being tied to someone that will never find what I can give them enough. Not again.
“Present time and then cake!” Maxwell announces as everyone gathers around.
Eddie and Melinda step forward first. She gives me the tiniest box, wrapped in the softest cloth. I lift the lid to find the daintiest cherries hanging from a gold chain. I unclasp the chain to put it on. She brushes my hair out of the way to help me. I wrap my arms around her neck andbreathe in her comforting scent and warmth. She pulls back and cups my cheek, “Happy birthday, sweet girl.”
A throat clears and Eddie is holding a small bag out to Melinda to hand to me. “I told the girl that you like cherries and she said this would be perfect.” I smile up at him. I didn’t expect Eddie to get me anything. Then again, the way he loves AJ, it doesn’t surprise me at all. I pull the thick paper out of the bag and lift out a red box that has lips decorating the cover with cherries hanging out of it. The box alone makes me excited. I know this perfume. “Tart Deco. It’s absolutely perfect.” He wraps me in a light hug before stepping back.
“Us next!” Maxwell pushes forward through everyone, with Eli following closely behind him. He is beaming with pride and I’m scared for whatever it is that he is holding behind his back. Eli looks nervous as well. Maxwell hands me another small box but as I reach out to take it, he pulls it back, “this doesn’t mean you don’t still have to match with me. I just saw it and it made me think of you.” He lifts the lid and it’s a small sunshine stud for my nose. I burst out laughing because we have matching nose rings. “That’s not the whole present though.” He holds his hand out to Eli, who provides him with a red gym bag. Maxwell holds it open for me to look inside.
A new set of deep red gloves, cherry printed hand wraps, and a new workout set are inside the bag. “Every coach at the gym deserves their own gear.” Eli nods at me. And the overwhelming feeling of kindness that nearly suffocated me earlier hits me like a truck. I sniffle and take a deep breath before mouthing the words thank you to him.
AJ being the saving grace that she is, stands up and distracts me just in time to stop the tears from falling. “My present is the least expensive, but you’re going to love it the most.” She says confidently. “I’m also getting tattoos with you, so beat that.” She looks pointedly at Maxwell who only blows her a kiss.
She pulls the remaining bag off the table and hands it to me. I pull out two tiny shirts. Both black and buttery soft. I turn them around one at a time to read what they say on the front. “Tequila and Tacos.” And I burst out laughing so hard the shirts fall into the floor. Months ago, I wrote with a sharpie on two white tees the exact same thing, and now we have shirts that don’t look like a toddler made them. This is the perfect gift. I jump up and hug her, still laughing. “I love you!” I giggle.
“I love you, too.” She says so softly and full of love that my body stills. The whole room quiets a little bit. She’s never said it back until this moment. I don’t think she even knows she did because she pulls back and everyone just kind of looks away.
“I got you something too.” Oliver’s voice comes from behind AJ. He looks at her and they pass a look that is definitely something only the two of them can understand. Then he looks at me and twirls his finger around, telling me to turn around.
“I’m scared.” I say out loud, half joking.
I feel a heavy material fall on my shoulders, it smells like him. When I look down, it’s a deep cherry red leather bomber jacket. I push my arms through the sleeves and my eyes catch on the zipper, a tiny set of cherries. “This lady named Pru embroidered them here too.” He comes up beside me and lifts my wrists to show me little cherries that look like bombs on the end of the sleeve. “Now you can ride on my bike and not be freezing.” The jacket is big but it’s so soft and comfortable. He is still holding my wrist close to his chest, staring into my eyes. I want to kiss him so badly right now. He releases my hand and that’s when I feel something in the pocket. I pull out a roll of cherry lifesavers and grin. My favorite.
I spin to find Maxwell, “I’ve been meaning to ask you where you find these! I only randomly find them at the gas station. But they are never there anymore.” I twist the foil and take a piece of candy out. His eyes land over my shoulder and I hear Oliver clear his throat.
“I just get lucky I guess.” Maxwell says.
“You’re lying.” I accuse and step closer to him.
“No, I’m not.” His eyes flash to Oliver almost too quickly for me to catch, but I know he is lying.
I move the candy over to the inside of my cheek as I narrow my eyes on him. “Your left eye always twitches when you lie, Maxwell.” His cheeks start to pinken. “Where do you get them?”
