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Janessa watched in awe as he retrieved containers from a cooler and added them to the table. “This is amazing!”
“Nothing is too good for you. I want this to be a special birthday.”
“It’s already special, and we haven’t even eaten yet.”
“Well, Denise helped me with the food, so you know it’s going to be delicious.”
Janessa helped Will remove the lids, smiling when she saw that each container held a dish of Denise’s that she really loved. There was mac and cheese, barbecue chicken, glazed carrots, and rolls that Janessa was quite sure had been baked fresh that day.
“I’m going to have to eat with care so I don’t get any food on my dress,” Janessa said, then laughed when Will held out a large cloth napkin. “Should I wear this like a bib?”
“That’s my plan.” He grinned as he moved to do something near the front of the boat. A moment later, music drifted softly from speakers around the boat.
He joined her at the table then, and after pouring them each a glass of sparkling raspberry juice, he rested his hand, palm up, on the table. Janessa placed her hand in his, then bowed her head.
Tears pricked her eyelids as she listened to Will thank God for her and for their relationship. Over the past eight months, he’d supported and cherished her in a way she wouldn’t have believed he could have if she hadn’t experienced it for herself.
When he finished praying, he looked up and smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently before letting go.
“This is so amazing, Will,” Janessa said as he handed her the container of chicken so she could serve herself. “Thank you for doing all of this for me.”
“You know you set the bar pretty high for great birthday parties.”
“Well, I think you managed to clear the bar, and then some.”
“You don’t wish that this was a party with everyone?”
That had been what they’d done for his birthday. She’d planned a surprise party at the local bowling alley with all of their family members and a few friends. They’d rented out the entire place and had a blast bowling game after game and eating all of Will’s favorite foods.
“Nope. This is perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening.”
“You’ll still get your family party this weekend,” he reminded her.
“Yep, but even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t need more than this.”
“I wish I could take credit for it all, but as you can tell, I had a lot of help pulling this off.”
She could tell that, and it warmed her heart to think of the roles others had played to make this a special evening for her and Will. “I know, but I have a feeling you were the driving force behind it all.”
“I did come up with the idea,” Will said with a smile. “But I couldn’t have done it without help.”
As he’d promised, the food was delicious, and with the music, the breeze, and the company, Janessa couldn’t have asked for a more perfect evening.
They talked and laughed as the meal progressed, and when the meal was done, Will brought out a small-tiered birthday cake with fluffy white frosting andHappy Birthday Janessawritten in purple icing. He set it in front of her with a flourish.
“And coffee,” Will said with a wink as he lifted a large thermos and two mugs from another bag.
Before he poured the coffee, he stuck several candles into the cake and then lit them. He made her wait to blow them out until he pulled out his phone so he could record her as he sangHappy Birthday.
It was the happiest of birthdays, and Janessa couldn’t have kept the smile from her face, even if she’d wanted to. Laughing, she tried to blow out the candles, but it took more than one try. Once the candles were out, she cut the cake while Will poured them coffee. Beneath the white frosting was a moist chocolate cake with a rich, creamy chocolate ganache between the layers that looked amazing.
“I love you, beautiful,” Will said as she handed him a plate with a large slice of cake, since she knew he liked sweets. “And I’m so grateful to be able to celebrate another year of your life. Here’s to many more.”
They lightly clinked their mugs together, then enjoyed the cake and coffee.
As the sun began to go down, casting the lake in twilight, Will got up and turned on the lights that ringed the roof of the boat. The lights weren’t bright, but they gave a nice illumination.
“I have something for you, but you need to close your eyes,” Will said, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. “Also, scoot down here.”
