Chapter 43 Hallie
HALLIE
“Luke, will you get Charlie and move all the goody bags to the picnic tables outside the barn? And then I might need your help with the balloon arch.”
I frowned down at the enormous array of balloons in Drew-approved colors. Caden and Grae had come to pick him up first thing this morning for a birthday breakfast and to get him out of the way so the party could be a surprise.
“Where did I put the coolers for our drinks?” I mumbled, spinning around.
Charlie laughed at the sight. “They’re right behind you, silly.”
Luke caught me by the shoulders. “Breathe, Hallie. It’s already the best birthday Drew’s ever gonna have.”
“Bruh, you got fancy potties,” Charlie said, throwing his hands wide.
I blinked at him. I had, in fact, gotten fancy port-a-potties so people wouldn’t have to trek from the barn to the house to use the restroom. They were heated and had stocked vanities. “Did you just call me bruh?”
He grinned his gap-toothed smile. “I’m playing Drew today!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “How about you play helping Luke get all those goody bags to the barn?”
“Do I get one?” he asked hopefully.
Luke ruffled his hair. “You’re not a party guest, doofus.”
“I am so,” Charlie argued.
“You both get goody bags. Violet, too,” I told Luke with a wink.
Violet had been spending quite a lot of time at our house over the past few days.
Even though the Bible preached turning the other cheek, Reverend Hooper wasn’t quite on that train when it came to his daughter.
When he found out that Luke had decked a boy to protect her from an assault, he’d become Luke’s number-one fan.
Their whole family was coming to the party today.
Luke’s cheeks pinked. “She’ll like that. She likes the little things.”
I grinned at him. “Sometimes, the little things are the best.”
Charlie made a gagging noise. “Gross. I saw them kissing on the front porch yesterday.”
Luke’s face reddened, and he dove for his little brother. “Shut up, Charlie!”
I grabbed Luke by the back of the shirt. “No, no, no. No broken bones before the party.”
“What about at the party?” Luke grumbled.
“Not there either.”
“Did someone say broken bones?” Lawson muttered as he wandered into the living room. His gray sweatpants were slung low, and his hair was in haphazard disarray.
The sight made me swallow hard. “No broken bones. I promise.”
“What time is it? I feel like I got hit by a Mack truck.”
Charlie laughed. “It’s almost eleven. You slept all day, Dad.”
Lawson’s eyes went comically wide. “Eleven? I set my alarm…”
I winced. “I turned it off this morning.”
Lawson had been burning the candle at both ends, trying to find something, anything that would get him a break in this case. But he wouldn’t get anywhere if he didn’t get some rest.
“You turned off my alarm,” he echoed.
I nodded, biting the corner of my lip. “You needed sleep. You’ve gotten what, a couple of hours the past few nights? You aren’t going to be any good to anyone if you don’t recharge.”
“We have the party today,” Lawson argued.
“We’ve got it, Dad. Practically done. But Hallie needs help with the balloon arch.” Luke motioned to the array of balloons taking over the sectional.
Lawson’s eyes went huge again. “You mean the balloon monstrosity?”
Charlie giggled. “Careful, it could eat you.”
“No kidding,” Lawson mumbled.
“Come on, little man. Let’s get the goody bags over to the barn,” Luke said.
They picked up bags and headed for the door. Nash and Maddie were already there, getting the last-minute things in place for the obstacle course after the company had dropped off the gear this morning.
Lawson stared at the balloons. “You made this?”
“It was actually pretty fun. Caden and Grae have Drew, so he’ll still be surprised.”
Lawson looked at me. “You’re amazing.”
Heat swept through me, those three little words dying to be set free. “I like doing it.”
“Let me get my shoes, and I’ll help you get it to the barn.”
Lawson moved quickly. Before long, we were carrying the massive balloon arch to the barn and fastening it above the entrance.
“I want to be Drew,” Nash muttered.
Maddie laughed. “Only you would be jealous of a soon-to-be fourteen-year-old.”
Nash glared at her as he held the ladder steady for Lawson. “He hits on you all the time.”
She shook her head. “He’s thirteen.”
“I still don’t like it,” Nash grumbled.
I tried to hold in my laughter but couldn’t. “He is charming.”
Maddie sighed. “Don’t stir Nash up. He’s bad enough already.”
Once the final part of the arch was affixed to the barn entrance, I stepped back. I couldn’t help it, I squealed. “It’s perfect.”
“Bro, you been inside yet?” Nash asked Lawson.
“No,” he admitted. “I got home late the last few nights.”
“Check it out. Hallie made kid dreams come true.”
Lawson grabbed my hand and led me into the barn. He stopped dead, taking it all in. Slowly, he turned to me. “You did all of this?”
I scanned the space and had to admit it looked pretty amazing.
There were targets, places to hide a flag for the game, people that popped up, and bales of hay I’d stacked and decorated that the kids could hide behind or climb over.
Then a company had brought in a series of slides and climbing structures to complete the look.
“Not all of it—”
“All of it,” Maddie shouted from the doorway.
Lawson moved before I had a chance to say anything. His mouth hit mine in a kiss that stole my breath. Heat and comfort and what I thought might just be love flooded me.
When he pulled back, I struggled to catch my breath.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for giving him this.”
“Are you gonna be my mom now?” Charlie’s voice piped up from the doorway. “Uncle Roan kisses Cady’s mom like that, and now he’s Cady’s dad. Are you gonna be my mom?”
There was so much hope in Charlie’s words that I knew we needed to tread carefully.
“Come here, Charlie Bear,” Lawson said.
Charlie came running, and Lawson hoisted him into his arms. “I like Hallie a whole lot.”
Charlie’s face scrunched. “You gotta if you’re kissing her. Kissing is gross.”
Luke tried to disguise a laugh with a cough.
“Someday, you’ll change your tune about that, bud,” Lawson said with a smile.
“Nuh-uh. So, you gonna marry her?” Charlie asked hopefully. “I want Hallie to be my mom.”
My heart cracked then and there, and I knew Lawson’s did, too.
He swallowed hard. “There are a lot of steps between dating and getting married, and we don’t want to rush them. But we’ll let you know if anything changes. How about that?”
Charlie’s shoulders slumped. “Okay.” He glanced at me. “Could you be my best friend now? Cady won’t mind if I have two.”
My nose stung. “I’d love to be your best friend.”
Charlie threw himself from his dad to me, and I caught him with an oof.
“I’m the bestest best friend. I share my candy and everything.”
I struggled to keep the tears at bay. “Then I’m pretty lucky.”
“You are,” Charlie said, nuzzling into my hold.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I whispered to Lawson.
He grinned at me. “Been ready since the moment I laid eyes on you again. And now I get to kiss you whenever I want.”
And he did just that.