17. Surprise
Chapter seventeen
Surprise
Charlie
“Happy Birthday!”
“What the actual fuck?” I scream, waking up to the sound of Leon’s voice booming through my bedroom. Peaking over the covers, I only have my underwear on, and Leon is standing in my room, holding a bunch of balloons and a coffee.
“Charlie, I warned you I would surprise you.” He mocks, whipping the covers from the bed, and I feel the cold air hit me. Screeching, I scramble for them where they now lie on my floor. I watch Leon's face turn the brightest shade of red and he spins around so quickly, his huge body bumps into my dresser, knocking off my stack of books. He tries to catch them, his arms everywhere.
“Why the hell are you naked?”
“I’m allowed to be naked in my own bed, and I have underwear on.” I’m laughing hard. “Plus, why the fuck are you in my bedroom?”
“For the life of me, I’m never living this down.”
“Why, what have you done?”
“There are more people in the living room.” For goodness’ sake. Why, out of all the friends to make after Owen left, was I paired with this one?
“Leon! You have got to be shitting me!”
“Nope, Sorry. We wanted to really surprise you,” he admits, now facing the wall.
Grabbing my shirt from my chair, I pull it on, then drag myself back to bed. Pulling the covers over my legs. “I’m covered. You can turn around now.”
He spins around with his hand over his eyes. “You’re an idiot,” I tell him, as he lowers his hand down slowly.
“I know,” he says, his laugh is so deep it rumbles around the room. “Here.” He hands me a huge takeout coffee cup. “I brought you a coffee from Bruno’s and we have a breakfast spread being set up in your kitchen, courtesy of Millie and Annie. We all conspired against you.”
Walking out of my bedroom ten minutes later, I can’t help but smile when everyone greets me and wishes me a happy birthday.
Millie’s holding her phone up while Annie waves at me from the screen, laughing her head off. Jack’s not here, but Cole and Ethan stand on either side of Millie. I’m sure they have had their orders about making sure Millie rests. She recovered and is doing well, but Jack’s still being cautious about her every move.
Sitting around my dining table, I watch as everyone digs in and eats the assortment of pastries, cakes and fruit all courtesy of The Manor’s restaurant. I’m doing my best to catch up with Annie. I’ve propped my phone up against the jam jar, so she can see me and the table.
“Tell me some happy news,” I ask, as she sips her coffee. “I want to know what you’ve been up to.” Our calls have been getting less and less lately, the distance and our schedules just don’t seem to meet up for us to get together for anything other than a quick text, or a meme. This is the first time I have seen her face for over a month.
“Nothing to tell. Work sucks. I have no personal life, but I am seeing someone.”
Snickering at her, I reply, “so, you do have a personal life?”
“I guess I do?” She shrugs.
“What’s he like? Do I know him?
“I don’t think so. We met through… work.”
He must be new if I don’t know him, but then again, the building I used to work in was huge. There was no way I could know everyone who worked there.
“Tell me more.”
“Oh, you know. The strong silent type, muscles on muscles, fantastic in bed, which is where I like to keep him tied up.” Most of the table turns to look at me and my phone. Annie’s never been the type of person to be shy about her sexual experiences. “On that note, and on that great visual of my man handcuffed to the bed, naked, his big… cock on display…” Yeah, she said it . “I’m going to go. Have a great birthday, Charlie.”
“Ok, speak soon, ye—” She’s gone before I get the last word out.
“I guess we should tell you about the other plans we have for you today. I know you’re working all day. We thought we would chill at Mike’s tonight. They have the gin festival on, with street food and stalls,” Leons says, shoving more food onto his already full plate.
“You organised all this?” I ask him.
“Yeah, with help. Mike was doing it all anyway. We just tagged it as your birthday,” he declares, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, bringing me in for a bear hug and kissing the top of my head. “Plus, I like to see you smile.” My heart warms at the lengths he’s gone to.
“I think Leon has a soft spot for you, Charlie,” Cole jokes.
“I do,” Leon admits. “She’s like a little sister to me. You know, annoying, judgmental, needy, bossy.”
Jabbing him in the ribs, he doubles over, laughing.
“For starters, Leon, you’re the needy one. I’m the same age as you, so it's more of a twin thing. You’re the one who annoyed me this morning by waking me up on my birthday.” Taking a lung full, I add, “And as for judgmental, you asked for my opinion on that woman you were seeing so I gave you my honest answer. She was awful. You’re better off without her.” For that, he takes the last of my bacon, shoving it in his mouth.
“Yeah, she was pretty bad. You can do way better,” Cole and Ethan agree.
Even with the shock of being woken up, it’s turning into one of the best birthday mornings I’ve had in a long time.