Chapter 15
“Happy birthday, dear Alyssa and Shayna. Happy birthday to you,” all of our friends and family sing in unison.
I’m not the kind of girl who loves being the center of attention, but I love any opportunity to be surrounded by loved ones, so if that means dealing with everyone staring at me while they sing completely off-key, I’m here for it.
I close my eyes and make the same wish that I’ve made every year since I turned twelve: that Connor Porter will fall madly in love with me or that I’ll finally find a man who makes me feel more for him than I ever have for Connor. One of these years it’s bound to come true.
I squeeze Alyssa’s hand, and we lean forward and blow out the candles on our cake.
With our birthdays only a week apart, we’ve celebrated them together ever since we became best friends in middle school.
It’s made the day even more magical getting to share the celebration with her, and one of our favorite parts is picking out a new cake flavor each year.
With this being the fourteenth year we’ve celebrated together, we’ve already had a variety of flavors like white chocolate raspberry, triple chocolate, Funfetti, and lemon blueberry.
We’ve even had our fair share of ice cream cakes in our teenage years, but this time we decided on a berry Chantilly cake.
It feels like a more sophisticated choice as we enter our twenty-fifth year.
While everyone claps, I seek out Connor in the crowd.
My eyes instantly spot him. He’s my opposite in nearly every way, but just like two ends of a magnet, I’m drawn to him.
It doesn’t matter if we’re in a crowded room or the only two there.
It’s like there’s an invisible string that connects us, and I feel this gentle tug toward him every time he’s around.
This undeniable feeling of connection that ties him to me.
If only he saw it—felt it—too.
But, hey, maybe this will finally be the year my birthday wish comes true.
Either I’ll get over Connor once and for all, or he’ll open his eyes and truly see me.
This is the year of me chasing my dreams. While it would be amazing to have a man who loves me more than anything else in the world right by my side through it all, I’m still grateful to have friends and family who love and support me.
Kelsey grabs a knife and begins cutting the cake. She worked at a bakery for one of her many previous side jobs. She only lasted a month there, but she insists on cutting cakes at every event since she knows how the pros do it. And she does cut a pretty and even slice.
“Here you go, birthday girls.” She hands me and Alyssa plates and plastic forks.
We each scoop up a forkful and clink them together. “Cheers to twenty-five.” I take a bite, and it’s heavenly. The cake itself is light and, mixed with the sweet frosting and the berry jam, it’s the perfect harmony of flavors.
“Y’all have to try this,” I say around my mouthful. Everyone starts grabbing plates while I plop down on the couch, ready to go to town on this cake. There might even need to be seconds involved. It’s my birthday, after all—I can eat two slices of cake if I want to.
Connor approaches me right as I take another bite. “Is this seat taken?” I shake my head, and he sits beside me. He keeps glancing between me and his plate like there’s something he wants to say but is debating it.
I finish chewing, then say, “Whatever it is you’re thinking, you can just say it.”
“You have frosting on your lip.”
Well, that’s embarrassing. I rub at my mouth with the back of my hand. “Did I get it?”
He shakes his head and reaches toward me. “May I?”
The thought of his hands on my face—on my lips—has me speechless, so I nod out of fear that I’ll say something ridiculous if I attempt to formulate a sentence right now.
He inches toward my face in what feels like slow motion.
When his large hand cups my jaw and cheek, I can’t help but imagine that he’s grabbing my face for an entirely different reason.
I lean into his touch as my eyes flutter shut.
He gently wipes his thumb across the corner of my mouth, and my lips part out of instinct.
Connor sucks in a sharp breath and yanks his hand away. “Got it,” he mumbles.
I open my eyes, wondering if he’s feeling the same way I am. That quick little inhale has to mean that I make him feel something. Or I’ve simply reached a whole new level of delusion.
His face is as red as a fire truck, and Connor looks anywhere but at me. Maybe I’m not entirely delusional.
“Thanks.” I shovel another bite of cake into my mouth, trying to make this situation feel normal again. I gesture to his slice. “You’d better eat that before I do.”
The color on his cheeks begins to fade as he shakes his head at my antics.
Connor shoots me a wide-eyed look as he raises his fork and takes a bite.
I can’t help but stare at him as he licks a little bit of rogue frosting from his lips.
I’ve never once wished to be Chantilly frosting… at least, not until today.
He nods thoughtfully. “You’re right. This is good.”
Kelsey sits down on my other side with a slice of cake three times the size of mine. I look from it to her, and she grins. “I built up an appetite cutting all that cake.” She takes a giant bite and hums. “Definitely worth it.”
“That’s what I just said.” Connor takes another bite, and I can’t help but smile. It feels so right having him here.
Kelsey leans around me to look at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you willingly string so many words together.”
He shrugs but doesn’t respond.
She looks at me with a raised eyebrow that seems to ask What was that about?
I shake my head. I don’t know what to tell her. I know everyone seems to say that Connor is this quiet, grumpy guy who doesn’t say much, but he’s never seemed to have that issue around me. Yes, he’s a little reserved, but we’ve had plenty of conversations, especially recently.
“Present time.” Tess appears from the kitchen with two gift bags in tow. Everyone gathers in the living room as I finish off my slice.
By the time I’ve opened the majority of my gifts, I’m feeling extremely thankful for this community of people I have around me.
They know and love me so well, as evidenced by all my flower-themed gifts.
My mom always told me that if you tell people you like something, you’d better be prepared to get gifts revolving around it for the rest of your life.
I guess it’s a good thing that flowers are my life, because I’ll never get tired of people thinking of me when they see anything involving them. Everything from my clothes to my decor is always floral focused, and I’m here for it.
My lap and the floor in front of me are covered in things like a new dainty floral-print throw blanket, a check to buy more flowers from my suppliers and wrapping materials for the bouquets I’ll sell on the truck, and a hot-pink floral midi skirt Alyssa found at a boutique.
Spending time with my favorite people is enough of a gift in itself, but I can’t wait to put all these new items to use.
“I have a little something for you.” Austin crosses the room and hands me an envelope.
“Thanks.” I open the card and read the note inside.
Happy birthday, Shayna. I hope this year as a new business owner is the best one yet.
Hopefully your birthday present, a meeting with the best local small business lawyer I could find, will help you get ready to launch.
Everything is fully covered, so all you have to worry about is showing up and letting them do the rest. I can’t wait to see the finished truck. -Austin
Alyssa already told me that Austin had a birthday present that would help with the business side of things, but I thought he was going to connect me with someone, not pay for all the expenses that come with registering my business.
“Austin, this is too much.” I mean, I know he’s a famous MLB player, but it feels like a big gift for me to accept from a friend of a friend.
“Nonsense.” He hands me a business card so fancy it only has a name and phone number. “All you have to do is call her office to set up a meeting time that works for you.”
I’m trying to learn how to accept help that’s offered to me, so instead of arguing with Austin, I hop up from the couch and give him a quick hug. “Thank you so much.”
“I’m happy I could help.” Austin reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out another envelope, and hands it to Alyssa. “Happy birthday, Lyss.”
Her smile is shy as she carefully rips the envelope open. She reads the card, and her jaw drops. “Shut up. You did not.”
“I know it’s not Taylor Swift, but since she’s not touring right now, I thought this was the next best thing.”
Alyssa squeals and flings herself into Austin’s arms. “Thank you. This is literally the best present ever.”
“What is it?” I ask.
“He’s taking me to see the Jonas Brothers with Jesse McCartney as their opener.”
“Oh my word, talk about nostalgia.” I grab her arm and bounce excitedly in place with her.
Austin pulls four more tickets from his pocket. “Then it’s a good thing you’re going, too.” He hands me, Kelsey, and Tess a ticket, and the extra to Alyssa. “This one’s for Mallory. I figured a private box to dance with your best friends would be more fun than just going with me.”
Alyssa hugs him again. If she wouldn’t kill me, I’d yell, “Just kiss already!”
“You’re coming, too, right?” Alyssa asks him.
“I’d never pass up the chance to see the Jonas Brothers. They’re my favorite boy band.”
Tyler blows out a low whistle. “You’re a braver man than me. Come give me a visit if your eardrums can’t handle the decibel that will be reached in that box with all the Long Live Girlies.”
“Hey.” Kelsey pouts.
He leans over and kisses the frown right off her face. “I love you, Anderson. But you scream-singing at a concert with your friends is something I’m not sure I ever want to experience.”
She sighs. “That’s fair.”
“Remind me to bring my earplugs.” Tess laughs. “I will sing and dance my heart out with y’all, but your girl’s got older ears that will ring for days.”
“Oh, you’re only what?” Alyssa purses her lips like she’s doing the math in her head. “Seven years older than us?”
“And I feel it more every day.” Tess rubs her lower back. “But that could also just be from trying to keep up with Evie.”
“What do you mean by ‘keep up with me’?” Evie pops her head out of the kitchen where she’s eating her second slice of cake.
Tess shakes her head, wearing a soft smile. “You have fast little legs and lots of energy that I don’t have anymore.”
“Yeah, that’s because you’re old,” Evie deadpans, eliciting a lot of snickers from everyone in the living room. “It’s another reason I need you to find me a daddy. Clock’s ticking, Mom.”
Tess covers her laughter with her hand. She turns to us, shaking her head in bemusement. “Where does she come up with these things? I’d better go over there before she starts concocting a plan with Uncle Ty.”
I glance back at Evie to see that Tyler is now kneeling next to her chair as she whispers animatedly in his ear. “You’d better hurry.”
“Yep.” Tess moves across the room with the kind of speed only a mom possesses.
Connor clears his throat next to me. “Happy birthday, Shayna.” He hands me a box wrapped with floral paper and entirely too much tape. The fact that he thought to buy me a gift and spent the time wrapping it himself sends my heart racing before I’ve even opened it.
I offer him a shy smile as I rip off the wrapping paper.
It takes a little more arm strength to tear through the loads of tape, but I finally manage to remove it all and slide the lid off the box.
I can’t hold back my gasp when I see what’s inside—a yellow shirt that says Sunshine Blooms. It’s a beautiful font, and the o’s are even shaped as flowers.
I look at him with happy tears pooling in my eyes.
“I hope it fits. I asked Mallory for your size.”
“Where did you get the design?” I ask, running my fingers over the letters.
“I had a designer create it. Once you get your real logo, I can have another shirt made.”
“Can this be my real logo?” I hug the shirt to my chest.
He raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
“Yes, it’s perfect.”
Connor rubs the back of his neck, looking adorably shy. “I can send you the files if you really like it.”
“This was so thoughtful.” I lean over and throw my arms around his neck. “You’re the best. Thank you.” He’s as stiff as a statue at first, but after a moment, he seems to settle into the hug. His strong arms wrap around me as he returns the embrace.
Everything about this hug feels infinitely different than the one I shared with Austin minutes ago.
Being completely enveloped in Connor has my pulse skyrocketing.
Every breath I take in brings another whiff of the woodsy deodorant he’s used since high school.
With my head against his broad chest, I can hear the steady thud of his heart and feel the ridges of all the muscles he works hard for in all his training sessions.
“I’m here,” Mallory shouts as she walks through the front door. “Sorry I’m late.”
Even though I don’t want our hug to end, I pull back.
She drops her luggage in the doorway and runs to where Alyssa and I are sitting, pulling us into a group hug. “Happy birthday, friends.”
We thank her and squeeze her back. It’s a good thing Mallory is back from her trip to LA to serve as a hefty dose of reality.
Over her shoulder, I make eye contact with Connor. His gaze is unreadable. I can see the walls that seemed to come down when he hugged me rebuild themselves brick by brick.
I bite my bottom lip and grip the shirt he made me more tightly in my hand. I need to grow up and stop wishing on birthday candles and shooting stars. To stop thinking this is anything more than Connor helping out his sister’s friend because she asked him to.
But after spending so much quality time with Connor lately, this doesn’t feel like a childhood crush anymore. It feels like the real deal. So moving on is going to be a whole lot easier said than done.