CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Lee.” Rori’s voice drew Lee’s attention from the paperwork he was finishing up on a dog that had been brought in earlier.
Lee relaxed back in his office chair as he smiled at her. “What’s up?”
“Cheryl’s on the phone for you.”
Lee gestured at the phone on his desk. “You could have paged me and saved yourself the walk back here.”
“I could have,” Rori said with a growing smile. “But I didn’t want to.”
They’d agreed to maintain physical distance at work, except for the time they had together during lunch. However, that didn’t mean they couldn’t flirt a little, especially when they were alone.
“Well, I appreciate the effort,” Lee told her. “More than I can say.”
He loved to see her cheeks pink slightly, as they did then. Almost two weeks had passed since their first date, and it had been great spending time together, getting to know each other.
What he’d loved the most about the past two weeks was learning that Rori had a great sense of humor—one that previously had only been hinted at in the occasional twinkle in her eyes.
Now he knew how to make her laugh, and he loved putting that knowledge to good use. He loved it when she laughed with unfettered delight, and knowing he’d been the one who’d brought that out of her made him so happy.
She gave him a smile as she headed for the door. “See you later.”
Lee stared at the empty doorway for a long moment before he remembered he had a call waiting for him. He grabbed the receiver and punched the blinking line.
“Hi, Lee,” Cheryl said, her voice more chipper than Lee might have expected, considering she’d given birth not that long ago. “So, a little birdy told me that you and Rori are dating.”
“A little birdy, huh?” He smiled, even though there was no one there to see. “Would the birdy’s name happen to be Alys?”
“Possibly.”
Lee hadn’t seen the need to hide what he and Rori had become to each other, so it was no surprise that Cheryl had found out. “Yes. We’re dating.”
“Well, then I’m doubly glad I remembered something this morning.”
“What’s that?” Lee asked.
“Has Rori said anything about when her birthday is?”
“Her birthday? No.” They hadn’t had a conversation about that for some reason. That was a bit odd, considering they’d talked about so many other things. “Is it soon?”
“You could say that,” Cheryl said. “It’s today.”
Lee frowned as he sat forward. Hearing voices in the hallway, he said, “Just a sec.”
He set the receiver on the desk, then got up to close his door before returning to his call with Cheryl. “You said that Rori’s birthday is today?”
“Yep.” Cheryl sighed. “I meant to let you guys know about it earlier, but as you know, I’ve been kind of busy. Maybe you could do something at lunchtime on Monday for her.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to Alys about it.”
A baby’s high-pitched cry drew Cheryl’s attention, and she quickly ended the call.
Lee dropped the receiver back in its place, then braced his elbows on the desk as he dropped his face into his hands. Why hadn’t Rori told him it was her birthday? Why hadn’t he asked her when it was?
He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t, but it was too late now. They’d even missed the lunch hour, so he couldn’t do something for her today or run out to get her a gift.
Glancing at his watch, he saw that they still had four hours until the clinic closed for the day. After that, they’d planned to go over to Charli’s for pizza.
Charli. If anyone could help him figure something out, it would be her.
Rather than text, he tapped the screen on his cell to phone her.
“You never call me,” Charli said when she answered. “Is the world burning down?”
“Maybe,” Lee told her, well aware that he was being just a bit dramatic. But he only had one shot at a first celebration of Rori’s birthday as a couple. He wanted it to be perfect.
There was a beat of silence before Charli spoke. “Do not tell me that you’ve done something to upset Rori.”
He hadn’t. At least not yet. “Cheryl just called to tell me when Rori’s birthday is.”
“When is it?”
“Today!” Lee raked a hand through his hair. “It’s today.”
“Don’t panic,” Charli said. “It’s going to be fine.”
“How can it be fine? I have nothing for her. No card. No gift. No cake. Nothing. Nuh…thing…”
“Let me take care of the cake, and I’ll get a bunch of balloons and signs to put up and surprise her. As for the rest, just be honest with her and tell her you didn’t know, and if you had known, you would have gotten something for her. Then go out later and get something for her. A thoughtful gift is always acceptable, even if it’s late. Does she know when your birthday is?”
“No. It’s not a conversation we’ve had.”
“So she’ll understand.”
Lee knew that Charli was right. Rori hadn’t struck him as an unreasonable person, and she had to know that if he’d been aware of the importance of the day, he would have been prepared for it.
“You know what’s weird, though,” Lee said. “It’s like she doesn’t even care.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if no one was acknowledging you on your birthday, you would have been pouting and sighing and waiting for someone to ask you what was wrong. Then you’d drop vague hints, assuming we could all read your mind.”
“I’m not that bad,” Charli protested.
“Oh yes, you are. If Blake didn’t wish you happy birthday the moment you opened your eyes on your birthday, you wouldn’t be happy.”
Charli hummed. “Maybe.”
“Definitely.”
“Hey. The purpose of this call isn’t to dissect my personality flaws,” Charli said. “This is about Rori’s birthday. If she’s not reacting at all, either she really doesn’t care, or she’s good at hiding what she’s feeling.”
“Yeah. I don’t know.” He didn’t think she could hide her feelings that well, but perhaps there were layers to her that he hadn’t been allowed to reach yet. They still hadn’t talked much about her childhood. “But we’re going to show her that we care, and we want to celebrate the day she was born.”
“I can’t wait,” Charli said. “And the girls and Peyton are going to be thrilled to have a party to plan. Hope you’re not wanting something super sophisticated and elegant. That won’t happen.”
Lee chuckled, relieved that instead of giving him all the reasons why it wasn’t convenient to put together a party in under four hours, his sister had jumped right in with both feet.
“I’ll try to delay leaving from here, so everyone has time to get there before we do.”
“Perfect! See you in a bit.”
Lee felt significantly better after his conversation with Charli. He was so grateful for his family and how they were always ready to jump in and help.
Just before the clinic closed, Lee headed over to the shelter side of the building. As he passed Rori at the reception desk, he paused and said, “I’m going to do a quick check of the dog and cat that were brought in today, then we can go.”
Her smile showed not an ounce of hidden disappointment or being upset. “I might come over to see them when I’m finished here.”
“Perfect.”
He left her to it and pushed through the door into the shelter. Everyone else had already left, leaving just Evan to keep an eye on things.
Lee chatted with the man for a minute, then headed to where the two new animals were being held for these first few days.
He checked on the dog first, happy to see that he was moving around a bit more than he had been earlier. When the door opened, he glanced over to see Rori stepping through it.
Since the clinic was closed, Lee held out his hand, and when Rori took it, he drew her to his side. He pressed a kiss to her temple. It was the only type of kiss he’d allowed himself so far. He didn’t think it was his right to kiss her when he had yet to tell her he loved her.
It was there, though. He just hadn’t found the perfect opportunity yet.
“How is he?” Rori asked as she laid her head on his arm. “He looks like such a sweetie.”
“He does seem to be pretty mild-mannered,” Lee agreed. “And I didn’t find any obvious signs of abuse or neglect, and he appears to be well-fed. Unfortunately, the phone number attached to his tattoo doesn’t work. Rachel is monitoring social media to see if anyone has reported a dog like him missing. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have someone here to pick him up tomorrow.”
“That would be a happy ending,” Rori said.
“We get a few of them,” Lee said. “Unfortunately, not as many as we’d like.”
“How’s the cat?”
“Seems like she might be a bit feral, but otherwise, she’s okay.”
“That’s good.”
He took his time finishing up his evaluation on both animals, wanting to give everyone enough time to get to the house before he arrived with Rori. She didn’t seem upset by the delay, and when he asked if she wanted to go by her place to change, she said yes.
As usual, she was in and out of the apartment building in short order, swapping out the jeans and work T-shirt she’d been wearing for a pair of denim capris and a floaty, see-through blouse over a tank top. Her practical work style didn’t spill over into her casual attire as much as it had when they’d first started hanging out.
He didn’t much care what she wore, as long as she felt comfortable and confident in it. The only thing he wanted her to wear as much as possible was a smile, because that was what made her truly beautiful. And if she was happy, that meant he was succeeding in their relationship.
Charli had been sending him pictures of all the preparations, plus he’d gotten a text from her while waiting on Rori to say that everyone was there and ready. Excitement thrummed inside Lee as he imagined what lay ahead.
He noticed that Rori had brought out a container when she returned to the car after changing. “What’s that you got there?”
“I know your family always have good desserts, but I thought maybe I should contribute. I made some cookies.”
“Oh really? What kind?”
“I remember you said you liked peanut butter and chocolate, so I found a recipe for a chocolate brownie cookie with peanut butter chips to try.”
“And did you taste test them?” he asked as he turned off Rori’s street.
“I did. I think they taste pretty good. Did you want to test one?”
“Definitely.” And if it tasted like charcoal, he was prepared to lie, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He just hoped that he didn’t need to.
She handed him a cookie, and as he pulled to a stop at a light, he took a bite of it. Not only did the cookie not taste like charcoal, it tasted better than most cookies he’d had.
“Delicious, sweetie,” he told her with a smile. “You did a great job.”
Her eyes shone as she smiled at him. “I hope the others like them, too, even though I did kind of make them mostly for you.”
“I appreciate that, and I plan to make sure they don’t eat them all so I can have more.”
“If you like them, I’ll be sure to make you more.”
Lee liked the sound of that, and he loved that she’d thought of him when she’d decided to make the cookies. It made him feel special, which made him happy. He liked to do things for her, and it seemed like maybe she enjoyed doing things for him, too.
When they reached the house, he was a mess of nerves, hoping that Rori liked what they’d planned for her. He thought she would, but there might be a reason why she hadn’t even acknowledged the day or been upset that no one else had done anything for her.
In a few short minutes, he’d know.
As they walked up the sidewalk to the front door, Lee took Rori’s hand. He prayed that this would be a happy and memorable evening for her.
When they got to the door, he reached out and opened it for her, allowing her to step into the foyer first.
“Surprise!!”
His family was all gathered near the stairs, holding balloons and cheering, some with their phones out, recording the moment.
Rori came to a dead stop in front of him, forcing Lee to step to her side to be able to enter the house and close the door.
“Happy Birthday, Rori!” Layla called out. “We’re having a party for you!”
When Rori didn’t respond, Lee got concerned. Her mouth had dropped open, and her eyes were wide. There was definitely shock on her face, but there was also something… more.
She turned her gaze to him. “This is a party for me? For my birthday?”
“Yes.”
Rori promptly burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. Lee cast a concerned look at Charli.
His sister motioned to the side. “Take her to the living room. We’ll leave you alone.”
Slipping his arm around Rori, he guided her through the arched entrance to the living room. The murmur of his siblings’ voices faded as they presumably returned to the kitchen and dining room.
Once they were alone, he gathered her into his arms, holding her close as she cried. Not knowing what had prompted the emotional response, Lee just held her and prayed for wisdom for himself and peace and comfort for Rori.
Her reaction scared him just a bit because it made him wonder how much she kept hidden from him. Very well hidden. Given her upbeat attitude throughout that day, he’d never imagined she’d break down like she just had.
Lee rubbed his hand up and down her back as he rested his cheek against her hair.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I only cry in the dark. Never like this.”
He tried to figure out what she was saying. “You only cry in the dark?”
Her nod was slight, but because of how close they were, he felt it.
“Why?” Lee asked. “Why only in the dark?”
When silence stretched with no response from her, Lee thought she wasn’t going to respond, but then she said, “Tears only in the dark because no one will see.”
“You don’t want anyone to see you cry?” Lee understood that. He wasn’t exactly a fan of crying in public, either.
“No.”
“Why?” It seemed more than just not wanting to cry in front of people.
“Because if someone sees you cry and doesn’t comfort you…” Lee felt her take a deep breath. “The hurt is so much worse.”
Lee’s heart broke for Rori, knowing she spoke from experience. That was the only explanation for how deep her emotional response had been. However, his heartbreak soon morphed into murderous rage as she continued to cry silently in his arms.
Whohad made her feel this way?
Lee wanted to find them and teach them a lesson about imparting hurt on someone so kind and gentle. In his mind’s eye, he saw a young Rori, crying alone while others watched her with disdain or apathy.
“I will always comfort you when I see your tears,” Lee promised her. “Always.”
She remained quiet in his arms as she inhaled shakily. Lee rubbed his hand in circles on her back as he took regular breaths, hoping she’d begin to breathe in sync with him to help her calm down.
He was anything but calm. However, he was taking a page from Rori’s book and doing his best to keep his emotions hidden. She didn’t need to know that he wanted to hunt down the people who’d inflicted this hurt on her.
As he felt the tension leave Rori’s body and her breaths even out, Lee said, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” she said. “But you deserve to know why I reacted… like this.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” Lee assured her. “You don’t owe anyone that.”
“I know, but if we’re going to be together, you need to know.” She paused, and Lee waited for her to reveal what had prompted her tears. “If that’s what you still want.”
Lee’s heart skipped a beat. She thought he’d changed his mind because she’d shed a few tears? Loosening his hold on her slightly, he lifted his hand to tip her chin up so he could see her face… her eyes.
They were red and swollen from her tears. Still, she was the most beautiful woman he knew.
“I do still want that. I want the relationship, and I want to know everything about you.”
Her eyes seemed to well up again, and as she blinked, a tear slipped down her cheek. Lee brushed it away with his fingertips, the love he felt for her overcoming everything else. He had to tell her soon.
“The last time I received a cake or present for my birthday was when I was nine years old. By the time my next birthday rolled around, my grandma had died, and I wasn’t with her anymore.”
“You lived with your grandmother?” Lee asked, needing the clarification.
Rori took a deep breath, then nodded. “For some strange reason, my mom chose to stay pregnant with me, though she had no interest in raising me. My dad didn’t either, so my grandma stepped up and took me in when I was born. That’s why she named me, and my parents didn’t. They didn’t care.”
“That’s good that she was willing to take you in.”
Rori nodded. “She was strict and never told me she loved me. But still, she made sure that I had a stable home with my own room, clothes, and plenty of good food. When she died…”
“Who did you go to live with?”
“I ended up with my mom first, but then there was a custody battle, and not the good kind where both parents want the kid. No, they battled over who had to take me.”
“What did they settle on?”
“One week I’d live at my mom’s, and then the next week I’d be at my dad’s.”
“That had to be hard.”
“It might not have been if I’d had a space of my own at each place, but I didn’t. I had to pack up all my things to go from one place to the other. Needless to say, I didn’t have much. And my birthday was never acknowledged, let alone celebrated.”
“What about Christmas?” Lee asked, though he really didn’t want to hear how badly they’d mistreated her for that too.
“I usually got one present from whichever parent I was staying with. They alternated from one year to the next who had to take me for any of the holidays.”
Lee’s rage surfaced again, and his thoughts turned to her mother, who lived so close. He hoped the woman never brought her cat into the vet clinic again because it would be extremely hard not to give her a piece of his mind.
“I wondered why you didn’t mention it was your birthday.”
Rori shrugged, then leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder. “I honestly forgot. Over the years, it became necessary to not even think about it because the hurt was too much to bear.”
“Do you wish we hadn’t done this?” Lee asked. “I never meant to cause you pain.”
He felt her hand land on his chest, covering his heart. “You didn’t. At least, not in the way you mean. I was just so stunned that anyone would want to go to the trouble of doing something for me on my birthday.”
“You are worth all the trouble in the world to celebrate.” Lee pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You deserve to be celebrated.”
“Thank you.” The words came out in a whisper, and Lee resolved to be the one who showered her with all the love and attention she’d missed out on for years. And he had a feeling his family would be right there to help him.
Just like they had that day.