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“Are you crying?” Will asks.
I wave the tea towel around in the air. “It’s all those onions I chopped.”
She giggles. “You’re an idiot.”
I sniff. “I’ve been called worse.”
Julian’s eyes linger on my face before he turns his attention back to Will. “What else did you girls get up to today?”
“We got our nails done, went shopping, and then we visited Grandma.” He frowns. “You went to Grandma’s?”
“Of course. We had to show Grandma Will’s new clothes,” I interject.
“Oh, and we met Emerson. She’s really nice. And did you know that it’s Brell’s birthday on Wednesday?” Will adds.
His eyes come back to me. “You didn’t tell me that.” He looks between Will and me. “What do you want to do for your birthday?”
I look over at Will. I was thinking about this earlier today actually. “I was hoping that Will could cook dinner for us.”
Her mouth falls open in surprise. “You want me to cook for your birthday?” She gasps as she looks between Julian and me. “Of all the things you could do, you want me to cook for you?”
I nod and smile. “Only if you have time.”
“I would love to.” She waves her arms around in front of her. “Can we invite Grandma and Grandpa? Oh… and Emerson?”
Julian smiles at her enthusiasm. “If you like.”
"Yay! We can have a whole dinner party. Oh… I'll have to make a cake." She flits around and then runs back upstairs like a giddy child at Christmas. Tillie begins to bark and run behind her. We hear the commotion as they disappear up the stairs.
Julian’s eyes come back to me and he takes my face in his hands. “You’re going to get yourself fucked tonight, Miss Brielle.”
I stand on my tippy toes and kiss him on the lips, sliding my arms underneath his suit coat. “Good. Make it hard, Mr. Masters.”
“Happy Birthday to you,” the table full of people sing loudly.
The birthday candles light up my smiling face. It’s my birthday, and one of the happiest days I have ever had.
Julian woke me up this morning—wearing his sexy suit—with a cup of coffee in his hand for me—a luxury I haven’t had before. The children made me birthday cards, bought me a jumper, and even picked me flowers from the garden.
Tilly chewed up the rug and Maverick fell asleep inside the washing machine. That stupid cat clearly has a death wish.
And now I’m sitting here with Julian, Will, Sammy, Emerson, Frances, and Joseph, watching as they sing happy birthday to me. Will has made a beautiful dinner and the conversation has been fun and light. The table is set perfectly. It feels like everything I have been trying to teach Will has finally paid off.
I blow out the candles and they all cheer. My eyes meet Julian’s across the table and he smiles softly.
I can’t wait to hold him in my arms after everyone has gone for the night.
It’s different now between us. Since he told me about his past and we had sex in the house, he comes to my room every night, staying until he has to get up for work. I look forward to going to bed now because I get him to myself. Even the sound of him asleep beside me is soothing.
I’m in love with him.
It happened somewhere between the crazy hotel hook-ups and now, despite the serious persona he puts on to the world. I know what a tortured man he is, and yet the tenderness he gives me when we're alone melts my heart. Every damaged inch of him is perfect to me.
“Make a wish.” He smiles.
My eyes search his and I blow out the final candle.
Don’t let this end.
