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As we leave the shop, the new bag added to my pile, I smile at my friend. “Thank you, Janey. I do love them.”
“Good. Now, we’re making a pit stop at mine to get dressed.”
“What? Why?”
Her apartment is a street away from mine, and I don’t understand why we’re bothering to stop and get changed there instead of just going home. Correction, I don’t understand why we need to stop and get changed at all.
Before I can ask any more questions, though, Janey cuts in. “Just trust me, okay?”
Curious as much as I’m confused, I nod. I do trust her, so I bite my tongue and follow her to her apartment.
Half an hour later, we’re dressed in our new finds and nearly back at my apartment. Janey in a skin-tight navy blue dress that highlights her sleek body and patent tan heels on her feet. I’m in a sparkly mini-dress that matches my new heels, and I let Janey pin my hair up in a pretty, deliberately messy updo. I feel…good. All Aidan’s insistent compliments must be finally getting through because as I catch my reflection in the elevator while riding up to my floor, I smile at myself. Sparkling and smiling, I begin to believe Aidan’s right when he tells me I’m beautiful.
The elevator dings as it stops at my floor, and I fumble through my armfuls of bags to find my purse and grab my keys. We make our way to my door, heels clicking, and I quickly unlock and swing it open, propping it with my hip as we wrestle our bags inside.
“SURPRISE!”
The bags fall from my hands in a crash as I jump, my heart leaping into my throat. Oh my God! The shout comes from a group of people in my living room, people who definitely weren’t here when I left. Not just any people, I realize as I take in the scene, seeing my parents’ faces amongst my friends, noting a few of Aidan’s closest friends and family too.
Pink and gold streamers hang from the doorways, and two big balloons are floating against the back wall, two twos for my age. A banner readingHappy Birthday, Autumn!hang along the same wall, a table with snacks and drinks set out beneath it.
Aidan’s standing in front of the crowd, a huge grin on his handsome face. My heart is doing backflips in my chest. My eyes sting with happy tears, and my throat chokes up with amazement and gratitude. He’s thrown me a surprise party.
If it’s possible, I’m falling even more in love with him right now.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he says to me as I run to him, my new heels clicking on our wooden floor. I throw myself into his arms, squealing as he lifts me off my feet, too happy to care about how the move makes the hem of my short dress ride up even more.
“I can’t believe you did this!”
“Anything for my girl.”
He kisses me, tasting like home, like love. I moan against him before my logical brain remembers there are a whole lot of other people in this room, and I pull away, feeling myself blush. Aidan chuckles, taking my hand as we turn to the crowd of others waiting to greet me.
My mom pushes to the front of the group, shouting my name and grabbing me in a hug. I hug her back, thanking her for being here. Aidan has met my parents before, but they live in the next city over and are kept busy with their social lives and work so I don’t see them as often as I like to. The fact that my mom and dad are both here means the world to me.
“I knew you were a good guy when I met you,” Mom says to Aidan
She lets me go so my dad can hug me too.
“It’s an honor you think so,” Aidan replies, as charming as ever.
Admittedly, I’ve been a little nervous to introduce him to my parents because of our age gap. I mean…he’s closer in age to my mom than he is to me. I’d expected it to be awkward, for me to have to justify and explain everything. But my parents didn’t care as long as I was happy and he was treating me right, and I realized just how lucky I was to have their support.
I greet everyone else, accepting hugs and birthday gifts with a smile and thanking everyone for coming to celebrate with me. I feel warm and bubbly the whole time, always staying close to Aidan, either holding his hand or leaning into his side, needing to touch him. The effort he’s gone to for me…I feelsoloved and special—the way only he can make me feel.
“I love you,” I tell him as we get a moment to ourselves when everyone starts to mingle now that the surprise part of the party is over. Someone hands us glasses of fizzy champagne, and I sip my drink happily.
“I love you more than words can describe,” he says back to me, making me shiver. He’s looking at me like I’m the damn sun, and God, there’s no way this could get more perfect.
The second I have that thought, Aidan decides to prove me wrong.
My mom comes up to give me another hug, pulling away quickly and taking my glass. I frown, confused as to why on earth she’s stealing my drink, until a secretive smile tugs at her lips.
“Turn around, baby,” she stage-whispers with a wink.
It’s then that I realize everyone’s gone quiet. Nervous butterflies erupt in my belly. What’s going on?
The second I turn around, I’m glad my mom stole my glass. If she hadn’t, it would surely end up shattered on the ground. Shock makes my knees go weak.
