Chapter 18 Silas #2
A woman whose name I didn’t know, but whose kid was possibly on my flag football roster, spun on her heels. “It’s your birthday?”
Rhona tapped the pink box Dex slid across the counter to her. “Our sweet Ivy told us all about it. Felicitations to you, dear.”
“Uh…”
“Oh, we can do better than that, Rhon,” Harry declared, clearing his throat and belting out the birthday classic in a surprisingly rich baritone voice.
Rhona raised her arms like a philharmonic conductor, inviting the entire shop to sing along. My cheeks heated as two bakers popped in from the kitchen and joined in with Dexter, Harry, Rhona, and half a dozen strangers.
“Wow, that was…thanks.”
Dexter snickered gleefully. “You should see your face. The good news is…it’s over and since you’re here, you get free donuts—including today’s special, my soon-to-be famous peanut butter and jelly donut.”
I beamed. “No way.”
“Way.”
I accepted birthday well-wishes like a champ, along with a complimentary cup of herbal tea and a box of donuts, then followed Rhona and Harry outside.
“So…Ivy?”
Rhona chuckled. “Yes. We saw Coop and the kids last week before he took them to Fallbrook. They were buzzing with stories about their new neighbor. They’re quite taken with you.”
“That’s nice to hear. I think they’re pretty awesome too.”
“They sure are,” Harry agreed. “And let me tell you, they’re amazingly well-adjusted.”
Rhona pursed her lips as if she’d tasted a lemon. “That’s all Cooper’s doing.”
“Oh, now…give Sarah credit too,” Harry chided. “She’s a good mom.”
“Hmm.” Another lemony look later, Rhona patted my arm, then hooked hers through Harry’s. They shuffled off together, calling out birthday greetings in their wake. “Feliz cumpleanos, Joyeux anniversaire, Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!”
I didn’t bother hiding my monster grin. Maybe thirty-seven wasn’t such a bad birthday after all.
And it got better, too.
I was inundated with text greetings from friends and family, including a video from Val of him and his baby daughter, Gigi, in their pool.
“Wave to Uncle Si. Can you say happy birthday?” Vally asked the baby, turning to the camera with a wide-eyed shocked expression as Gigi babbled and sucked her fist. “Did you hear that? This kid is a genius! Happy birthday, buddy. Miss you, and I actually mean it. I bumped into your agent at Nobu and he’s got me thinking you met someone in Vermont.
I might have to come out there and see what’s goin’ on. Love ya!”
Alli left a voice mail. “Hey, you. Happy birthday. I’m planning a trip to Boston this summer and I want to meet up. Liam could join us…or not. We can decide later. I’d love to see you. Eat all the cake!”
Two months ago, that would have been an automatic hell no.
I had no desire to get stuck in a megastar’s vortex with my ex.
Now? It didn’t sound terrible. I had a life of my own that didn’t revolve around football and yes, I was probably on borrowed time, but maybe not.
I mean…the longer I was in Wood Hollow, the more I saw a glimmer of something here for me.
I could commute, I could buy Vally’s house, I could… be with Cooper.
Okay, I was getting ahead of myself. But fuck, it was my birthday, baby.
And any day that started with two orgasms and ended with homemade chocolate cake got top marks in my book.
“…happy birthday to you!”
“And many more!”
“From channel four!”
“And Scooby Doo on channel two!”
I shot a three-way WTF between Cooper, Chase, and Ivy huddling around me at the kitchen island. “Is there more?”
“Nope. Blow out your candles before I have to find my fire extinguisher,” Cooper snarked.
“And make a wish,” Ivy reminded me.
“You should close your eyes,” Chase piped up. “It always works better for me.”
I took his advice, squeezed my eyes shut and blew out the candles on the four-layered, slightly lopsided cake liberally iced with chocolate frosting and decorated with blue sprinkles, and thirty-seven red candles. Yep, I counted them.
I helped pluck out the candles, oohing and ahhing over Ivy’s masterpiece…
as I’d done since I’d walked into Cooper’s house and realized they’d basically thrown me a small party.
The banner Cooper had put away when he’d left for the mill that morning was up again, along with a few balloons.
We’d feasted on grilled burgers, corn, and potato salad, and now cake.
And it was delicious.
“Whoa! This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had in my life,” I gushed. “How’d you do it? This must have taken forever.”
Ivy blushed, her eyes bright with pleasure.
“Two days. I made the cake part at Mom’s house.
Dad picked us up from school and we had to go back to the house to get it and bring it here.
I made the frosting a couple of hours ago and put it in the fridge to cool.
I was worried it might taste stale, but it’s not. ”
“Not at all. It’s really really, really amazing. Thank you.”
“I helped with the burgers,” Chase said.
“You helped eat ’em, huh?”
He offered a high five and a goofy grin. I laughed, my heart swelling in my chest with so much sweetness.
I insisted on cleaning the kitchen with Cooper while the kids decided what game to play or movie to watch.
It was a Friday, so they were allowed to stay up later than they were on school nights.
Honestly, the fact that I knew shit like that was sort of weird, or…
not. I couldn’t tell, and I wasn’t about to overanalyze potentially worrisome details on my birthday.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” Cooper asked, drying his hands on a dish towel.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” I grabbed two glasses from the shelf, inhaling his masculine scent as our arms brushed. “Mmm. You smell like the forest.”
His lips tilted in amusement. “Are you drunk already?”
“Nope. Just…happy. It’s been a nice day. Thank you.”
We stared at each other, and yeah, we were probably standing too close. I wished I could kiss him or touch him. But this was good too.
Cooper stepped aside to pour the wine. “You’re welcome, but…truthfully, I didn’t do much. It was all Ivy.”
“I’m honored. Truly.” I clinked my glass to his. “Her mom must have had a few questions.”
“Oh, she did.” He gave a humorless half laugh and sipped his wine. “Sarah thought it was sweet, but…definitely odd. She’s worried the kids are becoming too attached to my new neighbor.”
“Ouch. Did she tell them that?”
“No. That was aimed at me.” Cooper worked his jaw angrily but seemed to swallow his angst, his features evening to neutral.
Look, I didn’t know enough about Cooper’s situation with his ex to weigh in or—
No, scratch that. I didn’t know anything about them.
He’d inferred a communication breakdown of some kind. However, he’d never shared specifics and I hadn’t pressed. I could argue that made our dynamic a bit one-sided, but I wouldn’t snoop.
Okay. That was a lie. I’d tried to snoop. I’d asked the occasional question about Sarah and Frank, how he felt about his ex remarrying, what he thought of Frank’s relationship with Ivy and Chase. They obviously liked the guy—and that was a good thing, right?
Cooper’s replies were always vague and almost calculated. So much so that I didn’t dare ask the one thing I was dying to know. What had happened to his marriage?
He’d built a high wall around the subject and wasn’t willing to divulge any details.
On one hand, I understood. I’d been on the other end of those questions too, and hadn’t appreciated the scrutiny.
I mean, divorce was tough. With kids, it got even more complicated.
Ivy and Chase were incredibly well-adjusted, which probably meant that both parents worked extra hard to make living in two separate houses easier for them.
But I got the feeling, it came at a cost. A price only Cooper was paying.
“Oh. If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”
Cooper jolted slightly and pinned me with a shrewd stare. “I appreciate that, but…there’s nothing to talk about.”
See?
“Okay. Then get ready for me to kick your ass at Monopoly.” I pointed at the game being set up on the table in the adjoining dining room.
Cooper groaned, swiping the wine bottle from the counter. “We’re gonna need this. Let’s go, birthday boy.”
I licked frosting from my fork, admiring the cake once more before following him.
Life was funny. Not so long ago, my measure of a rockin’ birthday was the strength of the hangover I suffered the next day. I’d have laughed at the suggestion of a quiet night with homemade treats and a boardgame I hadn’t played in decades.
But this had been a good day. A great day. To wish for anything more would be greedy.
Yet somehow…I wanted more.