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“Happy birthday, husband,” she singsongs, pushing Calliope from my side to kiss me on the cheek. She grabs a glass of ice wine from the bar top and raises it in a toast before chugging it back.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I growl through clenched teeth.
“I’m here to wish you a happy birthday, silly. My invite to dinner must have gotten lost in the mail.”
“Ever think that maybe you weren’t invited?” Calliope hisses, stepping back beside me, sliding her arm around my waist.
“Run along, little girl, the adults are talking.” Danica flicks her hand in an ‘off you go’ motion.
“You need to leave,” My Sunshine growls and seeing her so alpha is a real turn-on.
“Sunshine,” I say, pulling her into my side. “It’s fine. Danica is an adult; she knows when she’s not wanted.”
“Ohh, how precious, you’re fucking her. You have no respect.” She pauses, looks Calliope up and down, disdain written all over her face.
“Says the one with no respect,” Calliope sneers. I can feel the anger building in her body. She has repeatedly told me how she hates what Danica has done to me and the kids, but seeing her so protective of us warms my heart and is a total turn-on, my cock is at half-mast seeing her all growly.
“Are you going to let your little plaything speak to me like that?”
“She can speak to you however she wants, we’re all adults here.”
“Danica,” Calliope says her name calmly, “you’re causing a scene, there’s a time and place for this conversation and at Kane’s birthday dinner, which you weren’t invited to I might add, isn’t the place.”
“Scene?” Danica shouts, “I’ll give you a scene.” She reaches to the counter and grabs a glass of wine and throws it in Calliope’s face. Everyone around us gasps.
“What the hell, Danica?” Michael snaps. Grabbing a napkin from the bar, he hands it to Calliope. “Are you okay, Cal?” he asks. Calliope nods and wipes at her face. Michael turns to his mother. “Apologize to Cal now.”
“Excuse me? Are you sticking up for this trollop?” She pauses, and then adds, “And stop using my first name, I’m your fucking mother.”
“Danica,” he emphasizes her first name, “this trollop …” he looks to Calliope, “… I don’t mean that.” Then he turns back to Danica. “As you called her, she’s been more of a mom in the last six months than you have my whole life, so just fucking stop.”
“Don’t speak to me like that, Michael.” She looks to me for backup. “Are you really going to let him speak to me like that?”
“He’s an adult, he has a right to an opinion and it just so happens to be an opinion that I agree with.”
“What about you, Finley?” Danica sneers. “Are you okay with this young, skanky, gold digger being your new mommy?”
“Yep, I’m A-O-fucking-kay with it, Danica.” My sassy daughter adds emphasis to her mother’s first name, and it has the desired effect. Danica’s mouth drops open in shock that two of her three kids are defending Calliope and not her. If Konrad was here, I know it would be three for three. Not getting what she wants from the kids, she turns her attention back to Calliope, who hasn’t uttered a word since Danica threw the drink on her.
“What have you got to say for yourself, you gold digging little bitch?”
Calliope stiffens beside me. She’s on the verge of tears and when I hear her choke back a sob, it hurts. I hate this is happening to My Sunshine but before I can reply, Michael steps up and defends Calliope once again. “Danica.” He once again sneers his mother’s first name. “Cali is the best thing to ever happen to Dad … and to us. Now do us all a favor and fuck off. We don’t need or want you here anymore. The divorce is almost final. Just sign the fucking papers and move the fuck on. We all have, it’s fucking time you do too.”
“But … but …” Danica stammers and that’s when she realizes everyone here is Team Calliope and Kane. “Ugh, fine, I’ll sign the fucking papers. I don’t have time for this Podunk bullshit town.”
“That’s the best birthday present you can ever give me. Now, fuck off, Danica, we’re about to have cake.”
Turning my back to her, I take Calliope’s hand and we walk to the other side of the bar. Garrick, Jayne, and the kids follow and when we’re on the other side of the bar, I take Calliope’s cheeks in my palms and with my thumbs, I swipe away her tears. “Don’t cry, baby, she’s not worth it.”
“I’m not crying over her, I’m crying because she ruined your birthday,” Calliope tearfully cries.
“No, Sunshine, she didn’t. That woman can’t ruin anything because she’s nothing to me. All I need to be happy is you and my kids.” Garrick clears his throat in that ‘what about me’ way. “And my best friend and his wife.”
“You mean that?”
“Yep, every word. You’re it for me, Sunshine.” Before I know what’s happening, I drop down to bended knee and take her hand in mine. “Calliope Victoria Fischer, you are my sunshine. You are my everything. Will you marry me?”
Everyone gasps and the entire bar falls silent. Calliope stands there, staring down at me open-mouthed and wide-eyed. She’s mute, not uttering a word. Everyone’s gaze is on the two of us. Time feels like it’s ticking by so slowly. Then a smile appears on her face and she utters one word, “Yes.”
