Chapter 31
“Dad!”
Rohan bit his tongue to keep from laughing as the hostess’s eyes went wide as saucers.
She had been too busy flirting with him earlier to listen when he’d said his party had already arrived and he knew where they were.
She differed from the one who had seated them before he’d had to run out and pick up Landon’s birthday cake that had not been ready on time.
He turned his attention to Kodi as she approached them.
“Mom was just about to call you to see what was taking so long.” The teenager looked to the hostess and raised a brow at her before dismissing her with a bored sigh. “The kids are still playing the games, so we’ve got time to set the cake up.”
They went over to where they’d been seated. As they did, Kodi snorted and shook her head.
“Landon was right. You must give off some weird pheromone.”
Rohan chuckled. “If I do, so does your sister.”
Kodi laughed. “You aren’t wrong.”
When they arrived at the large table they’d called and reserved, Jalen, his mother, and Trent were the only people at it. Kodi had told him the girls were still playing, and he figured Vega and Maria were playing with them. He placed the cake on the table, and Jalen smiled at him.
“Thank you for going back out to pick it up.”
He knew telling her to stop thanking him for normal things was a moot point because she hadn’t listened the other times he’d told her. Instead, he responded, “You’re welcome.”
He retook his seat beside Jalen as he looked out over the gaming area to find the girls.
He knew that Vega and Maria were with them.
However, he still wanted to know where they were.
He spotted Landon pretty easily as she sat atop a motorcycle playing the racing game.
He found Mikal and Alynn playing Skee-Ball with Vega.
However, he couldn’t find the twins. Rohan was about to stand up when he felt Jalen’s hand on his thigh.
“They’re in the ball pit with Maria’s sons. She’s over there with them,” Jalen informed him. He nodded as he leaned down and kissed her.
“I have a question,” Kodi started. “When are the two of you going to give me a niece or nephew, because those dad instincts are looking pretty sharp, Rohan?”
He looked at her to find her smirking at him as Jalen coughed as if she’d choked on air. Like the question was physically wrapped around her neck. His brother chuckled as his mother seemed to get excited, nodding in the affirmative and wanting an answer to the question as well.
“I agree with Kodi; six grandchildren are wonderful, but they say seven is a lucky number,” his mother threw out.
He ignored them both, as it seemed Jalen was intent on doing when she changed the subject.
“Trent, are you still okay with Alynn sleeping over tonight?” she asked.
“If you’re still sure you want her to.”
“Of course. Landon’s chosen to have a pajama party with the girls tonight, and she wants Alynn there.”
Trent shrugged. “I won’t object to a free babysitter for a night,” he responded with a laugh.
“Kodi, what do you have planned for the rest of the weekend?” his mom asked, drawing the teenager’s attention.
“Sleepover tonight, and I have a date tomorrow, sort of.”
“Sort of?” Rohan questioned.
“I mean, we’re going to a play in the park with some other people from school.”
“Oh, so it’s a group outing,” Trent said.
“Well, it didn’t start out that way,” Kodi told them. “But I think it being one makes her more comfortable. So, I don’t really mind.”
He watched Kodi take a sip of her drink and wondered if she had casually just come out to them, or if it was something that Jalen already knew.
Regardless of which one it was, he was happy that she trusted him enough, his family enough, to do so.
Not that any of them cared what her dating preference was as long as she was happy.
“Have I met her?” Jalen inquired. “Is she one of the girls who come over to get their hair done?”
“No,” Kodi responded. “I feel like dating clients would be messy. But I’ll introduce you if it goes well.”
They sat and talked for a few more minutes until Jalen announced it was time for cake. The movie they were going to see started in an hour, and she wanted them to have time to cut the cake, enjoy it, and for the girls to turn in their tickets for prizes.
Rohan and Trent went to round up the kids, while Jalen, his mother, and Kodi set up the birthday cake, decorative plates, and noisemakers. Landon had opted to open gifts at home after the movie.
When everyone was together, they sang Happy Birthday and blew the noisemakers while Landon blew out the candles.
Slices of cake went around, and the twins told everyone about the battle they and Maria’s sons had gotten into in the ball pit with some other kids.
Let them tell it, they’d gone to war and come out on the other side as veterans.
He was sure he wasn’t the only one at the table trying not to laugh because it was very clear to all of them that they were serious.
After the cake, they headed to the ticket booth so everyone could turn in their tickets.
Everyone except for his mother, who he was more than aware had snuck off to settle the bill for the table.
She’d told him when they arrived, it would be her birthday gift to Landon, though he was sure Jalen would try to protest.
When each of the kids had the prize they wanted, Rohan ushered Jalen towards the door. They didn’t get very far before she stopped him.
“Wait, I have to go pay.”
“I’ve already taken care of it,” his mom informed her as she joined them. “And before you attempt to protest, be warned that I will take it as backtalk, and I’m not accepting any of it.”
He bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing as Trent tried to cover his chuckle with a cough. Vega and Maria didn’t seem to care and outright laughed.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jalen responded quietly as if she’d just been scolded when they all knew that his mother was messing with her, but was still in no way going to let her pay.
They all made their way outside, got into three separate vehicles, and headed towards the movie theater.
Once they’d watched the movie, which Vega paid for to Jalen’s dismay, they all headed back to her apartment, minus Maria since both of her sons had fallen asleep during the movie. Trent and Vega had carried them out to her car for her.
Now, they were seated around the living room as Landon opened her gifts.
So far, she’d received two cards with money in them from his mother, Trent, and Alynn.
The twins had gotten her an organizer for her sketch pads and pencils.
Mikal had gotten her comic books. The cover and inside were blank with preset panels.
She’d stated that if Landon ever wanted to draw her own comic, she’d have what she needed.
Kodi had gotten her a pair of earrings, which Landon had apparently been eyeing for a few months; Vega had paid for her to spend a week at a pretty prestigious art camp over the summer which she’d almost strangled the breath out of him for as she hugged him in gratitude, thanking him.
She was now opening Jalen’s present, and she hadn’t even taken it out of the box before she was surging forward, landing in her sister’s lap and hugging her tightly while chanting thank you.
“You’re welcome,” Jalen responded. “But let me be very clear. If you let your grades drop, if you get in trouble in school, if you become disrespectful, I will take that phone from you.”
Landon nodded along to everything Jalen said. “I won’t, I promise.”
She removed herself from Jalen’s lap and went back to where she’d been sitting in the middle of the floor. Rohan had half expected her to open the phone immediately since she’d been so excited about it. Instead, she placed it to the side and grabbed her last present, which was his.
She untied the bow around it and removed the wrapping paper.
The gift had come in a box, but Rohan had placed it inside a plain one as well to give her a little extra work to do.
When she removed the top from the box, she stared into it for a moment before he found himself attacked.
He chuckled to himself, hugging her back.
He shouldn’t have been surprised; she’d been sure to show everyone who had given her something that she appreciated their gift.
“Well, show us what you got?” Kodi stated from the arm of the couch where she was sitting.
Landon got up and returned to the box, pulling the tablet out and holding it up. Rohan had done extensive research on the different brands and found that this one was most often used for drawing, and the pen that came along with it was seamless.
Jalen turned to look at him, and he had an idea about what she was going to say. So, he stopped her before she could.
“Fuss at me about it later,” he told her quietly, not wanting to interrupt Landon’s time.
“Thank you all again,” the teenager stated as she gathered everything up with Kodi’s help.
“Why don’t you girls go get ready for the sleepover?” Jalen suggested.
“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Trent responded.
Everyone said their goodbyes. Trent told Alynn he’d be back to pick her up tomorrow afternoon, and Vega promised he’d be back tomorrow as well.
Rohan stood and headed towards the door. Jalen stopped him as the living room emptied, and only the two of them remained.
“I know Landon is extremely grateful for your gift, but you didn’t have to get her such an expensive one.”
“Baby, you realize that camp probably costs more than the tablet I got her.”
Jalen fell quiet, and Rohan knew it was because she hadn’t thought of that. He wouldn’t mention the phone that she bought for Landon because he knew she would pull the sister card in defense of the price.
“Besides,” he continued. “Isn’t it our job to make sure she follows her dreams? Which means giving her whatever resources will help her achieve that.”
Jalen shook her head at him as she smiled. “What am I going to do with you?”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him before kissing her softly on the lips. “Hopefully, keep me.”
“Mm, I’ll think about it,” she joked with a smile.
“I’m going to get going. Have fun tonight. Call me if you need me,” he instructed, giving her one last kiss.
Jalen nodded, and he exited the apartment, waiting to hear the click of the lock before he went to his vehicle. It was only a little after seven. So, he figured he’d go home and play some video games for a while.