Page 140 of Lucky Mother Pucker

I glance at Leo, standing just a few feet away from me. Warmth flickers in his eyes as he gazes at me. And something else. An intensity I don’t recognize. It makes my heart flutter and my tummy do a backflip.

I hold his gaze before blowing out the candles. I don’t even bother to make a wish. Because the one thing I want, I already have.

* * *

“Birthday girl! Have you had a slice of cake yet?”

Anna runs over and starts to hand me a slice of confetti cake.

“I already ate some,” I say.

She sits down on the couch and helps herself to the slice.

Poppy walks over and hands me a glass of sparkling wine. “Bubbles for the birthday girl.”

I thank her and take a sip, smiling as the fizzy wine tickles my nose.

“Having fun?” Poppy asks.

“A blast. Thank you guys again for throwing this together at the last minute.”

Anna pulls me into a side hug. “We were happy to,” she says.

“Leo was the one who planned it all,” Poppy says. “He got the decorations, ordered the cake, and recruited all of us to help set it all up while he took you out to dinner.”

I glance over at him in the kitchen, refilling his drink while talking to Travis. My heart thuds in my chest. He planned all of this for me. So I would feel special.

He looks up and winks at me. I instantly blush.

“I saw that,” Briar says, joining us on the couch.

I fight a smile, but it’s no use. I’m utterly smitten by him.

“He really, really likes you,” Briar says in a playful tone.

“Oh, yeah,” Anna says. “I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.” She nudges me softly with her shoulder.

Poppy nods. “It’s true.”

A giddy grin splits my face in half. “I really, really like him too,” I admit.

“So did anything happen between you two on Halloween night?” Anna asks. “We all noticed that Leo never came back downstairs to the party after he helped you to bed.”

“Oh, um…” I had no idea they saw that.

Poppy gives her best friend a gentle scolding look before turning back to me. “You don’t have to answer that.”

Even though I’m a little flustered, I want to open up to them. They’ve adopted me into their friend group, making me feel like one of them.

“Leo and I, um, hooked up.”

They all squeal excitedly, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I knew it!” Anna says. “You’ve had this glow about you ever since then.”

“I have?”

She nods. So does Briar.