32. Asher
Asher
“Careful.” Noah looked down at Will from where he was standing on the ladder. “I wouldn’t look good with a broken nose.”
Will scoffed. “I can’t believe you’ve never had a broken nose.”
“Are you insinuating that I have the kind of face someone would want to punch?” Noah asked.
“No, but you grew up with Knight and Ash.”
“We were ending the fights, not getting broken noses,” Knight muttered as he finished tying the string on the birthday sign hanging in the living room.
“The faster you do that the faster you get down,” I grunted as I moved the balloons around. Will took that moment to give the ladder a little shake. Noah panicked, grabbing the corners of the ladder for dear life while Oli watched and laughed.
“You’re all the worst.” Noah frowned as he secured the last streamer quickly before climbing back down. As he walked past Will he used both hands to shove him before grabbing a bowl of candy and flopping down on the couch.
“How did you convince her to have this here?” Oli asked as he came over from where he kept rearranging the helium-filled letters forming the “one” behind Sophie’s highchair. We’d moved the kitchen table out of the way so that it looked better for photos.
“I just warned her that we would all show up at her place.”
“Then he texted Quinn and she called Sutton to offer to plan something way over the top so that Asher’s place was the best alternative,” Knight said.
“Now I’m just going to have to move here if you boys keep this up.” All of us turned to see Jane and Henry walking into the house.
This time it wasn’t a surprise since I’d called them and asked if they wanted to come. I got in trouble for even phrasing it as a question.
“Please, you wouldn’t leave your book club, Mum.” Noah moved to press a kiss to her cheek as we all said our hellos.
My phone beeped, and I pulled it out to find a message from Iris.
They were on the way. When Sutton had tried to convince me to let her help set up, I guilted her into dropping it by asking if she didn’t trust me.
Then when I’d said I was going to come pick her up, she threw the same question back at me.
And now here we were.
“You did a great job here, Ash.” Jane came up beside me with a pat on the shoulder, looking around.
“She chose the decorations.” I folded my arms over my chest. While that was true, she did send me what she wanted, I took it upon myself to order more.
It was a lot of pressure and I stayed up till one a.m. deciding what to add.
The party was animal-themed, since she loved them so much.
I’d even got a painting of a cartoon grizzly bear that I knew would make Sutton smile.
“Mm-hmm.” Jane had a knowing look on her face. “Whatever is happening here,” she waved a finger up and down and then around the room, “I like it for you, Asher.”
The doorbell rang, saving me from responding, but I let out a sigh. “Told her not to ring the bell,” I grumbled as I moved to let her in, the rest of the group shuffling behind me.
“Happy Birthday,” everyone yelled as I opened the door.
Sophie was on Sutton’s hip. She was wearing a pair of pink jean coveralls with a white T-shirt underneath with the bunny held against her chest. Her eyes widened at the noise but as she took in the now familiar faces, I saw her little body relax.
Then her eyes landed on me and she squealed, reaching out to me.
I took her from Sutton, stepping aside so she and Iris could make their way in.
“Hi, birthday girl.” I leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek and she giggled so I placed another kiss on her neck.
She patted my cheek and then started babbling.
I nodded along, encouraging her story as everyone gave Sutton a hug, and then we all moved back into the living room.
“Asher,” Sutton gasped as she looked around.
Noah got credit for the name of the party, Wild One, which was written in script on an elegant sign we’d hung on the wall.
There was green foliage and extra plants, making the main floor look like a jungle.
There were plastic lions, giraffes, and zebras around the picture background that Quinn had set up, along with more stuffed animals around the room, including monkeys hanging from the ceiling.
The cake was on theme, sitting on the counter with “one” in candles, with leaves made of frosting around the sides, and cartoon monkeys, elephants, and giraffes around the base and the top.
I didn’t think I’d gone overboard at all. My black card didn’t even get a workout.
“You only turn one once, Sutton. You both deserve to celebrate,” I said as I came to stand beside her.
“I…” She shook her head and looked over at me, wrapping an arm behind my back and resting her head on my shoulder, Soph still babbling on my hip. “Thank you, Grizzly.”
I didn’t bother replying, just leaned over and pressed a kiss to her head.
“Alright. Can I take the birthday girl?” Jane came up to us, a big smile on her face as Sutton and I untangled. Sophie didn’t reach for Jane but when I passed her over, she went without protest.
“Let’s go look at the bear.”
Sutton smiled and pulled out her phone. She spent the next hour taking hundreds of pictures. Each of the men got photos with Sophie and Sutton, and Iris and Jane wouldn’t stop talking. Laughter filled the house.
I stood there, taking it all in with the single beer I’d been nursing in my hand.
Sophie had been on the floor with Noah when she crawled over to the couch and pulled herself up.
When everyone clapped and cheered for her, she started shaking, almost like a little dance.
Will got on the floor with her and held her hands so she could keep standing.
When we’d sung her happy birthday, Sutton had cried, clapping her hands and giving Sophie kisses.
Iris had taken over as the photographer for that moment and I stepped in to take photos with them.
Seconds after the candle was blown out, Sophie grabbed a chunk of the cake and shoved it into her face.
She practically glowed under the attention of everyone’s laughter.
Quinn herded everyone back to the living room eventually to start opening presents. Sophie had taken her nap in my arms so I sat on the couch next to Sutton as she grumbled about people buying Soph things, but with each gift she opened, her eyes warmed and she gave a hug to everyone.
The last present she opened was from Jane. It was a bunch of wooden puzzles and a giraffe rocker that she could sit on.
I cleared my throat as she finished her hug with Jane.
“My present is outside.” She gave me a look.
I knew she hadn’t wanted me to buy anything but that was a stupid thought.
I would buy both my girls anything they needed, wanted, thought about once, or even looked at for more than a second.
What was the point of making all this money if I didn’t have people I cared about to spend it on?
Everyone moved outside, me trailing behind. Noah had covered Sutton’s eyes and Quinn guided her as we stepped out on the porch. Then, with a flourish and a “ta-da,” he removed his hands from over her eyes.
“I helped build it,” Noah said proudly.
“You didn’t do anything other than put in one of the screws.” Will shook his head as Sutton’s eyes ran over the new play structure we’d set up in the yard. It was a big space, perfect for this with plenty of room left for her to play around.
“I know it might be a while before she’s able to use it on her own. But I read that climbing is good for her motor skills. The ladder detaches so she can use it on the ground too.”
“You bought a playground for your yard?”
I frowned at her question. Shit, should I have bought her something she could take home?
Knight elbowed me, pulling my attention back to Sutton.
I opened my mouth to answer when she wrapped herself around me, careful not to disturb her sleeping daughter. “Thank you. She’s going to love it.”
I let out a sigh of relief that she wasn’t mad. That she didn’t mind the idea of her and Sophie spending time here. Of Sophie growing up here.
A few hours later, I’d just come back outside from using the washroom when I paused at the sight before me.
The men were playing on the playground, climbing up the slide and then going down, Sophie safe in Noah’s arms. She squealed as they went down and then she was passed off to Will who sat on the swing, moving gently while she clapped and giggled.
These men were the best people I knew.
Sutton was standing on the porch, watching it all with one hand on her heart and tears in her eyes as she took in their happiness.
I went behind her, wrapping an arm over her shoulders so I could pull her into my chest. Both her hands came to rest on my forearms. The warm July evening was perfect, the sky a brilliant blue and pink.
“Today was a good day,” I said as she leaned into me.
I pressed a kiss into the top of her head, inhaling her scent as I did.
“The best.” Her voice cracked as the sun set and we enjoyed the quiet moment together.