Chapter 21
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
HUNTER
“Is everyone ready?” I yell from my truck, tapping my thumb on the steering wheel.
Nerves simmer under my skin as I check the time on my phone. We’re already twenty minutes behind. Asher and Halle are halfway to Ashfalls by now, and we’re meant to be not far behind.
Halle has no clue that we’re surprising her at the arcade.
As far as she knows, we all forgot her birthday today.
I gave everyone strict instructions not to text her this morning to wish her a Happy Birthday.
It’s the only way this whole plan works.
She needs to believe the only person who remembered is Asher.
“I ready, Uncle Hunt!” Remi shouts from his car seat.
I lean over and ruffle his hair. “You’re the bestest, buddy.”
“We’re coming, we’re coming!” Sarah calls, half jogging down the porch steps, Remi’s bag bouncing against her hip.
Connor and Madi follow behind her.
My gaze hooks on Madi. Her denim shorts sit high on her hips, hugging her curves just right, and that strapless yellow top makes her look like she walked straight out of my summer dreams. She climbs into the back seat next to Sarah, beaming at Remi when he holds up his hand for a high-five.
“Tess and Jace are on their way,” Connor says as he slides in beside me, phone in hand.
I start the truck and glance in the rearview mirror. “You guys good back there?”
They both nod as I hit play on the playlist I queued up for today. The car buzzes with excitement as we pull out of the driveway. My nerves take off like they’ve been waiting for this moment. Today’s going to be fucking epic, I can feel it in my bones.
I just hope Halle feels the same.
We spot Halle and Asher waiting by his truck as we pull in three spots down. Her eyes fly open, bouncing between all of us. The second I stop, Madi shoves the door open and takes off, squealing as she runs straight for her.
“What the hell are you guys doing here?” Halle shouts, turning to Asher with a sharp glare.
He lifts his hands, grin stretching wide. “Hey, don’t look at me, sweetheart. This is all your brother.”
I help Sarah with Remi, grabbing his bag as she unbuckles and lifts him out of his seat.
Connor pulls his stroller from the back and snaps it open.
Once we’re all set, we walk over to them.
Tessa and Jace pull up seconds later, and Halle’s brows pinch, her gaze moving from their car to me, confusion clouding her eyes.
“Can we?” Tessa calls, practically bouncing over to us.
“Not yet.” I shake my head, fighting a grin as I turn to Halle. “Come on, lil sis. I have a surprise for you.”
Her eyes widen instantly as she looks to Asher, threading her fingers through his. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze and smiles reassuringly at her.
“Go with Hunter, sweetheart,” he says, nodding toward me. “This is his day, your day together. We’re just along for the ride.”
I clap him on the shoulder, appreciation tightening in my chest.
“Did everyone here forget how much I hate surprises?” Halle grumbles under her breath.
Madi snorts behind us, and I pin her with a warning look over my shoulder.
“Aunt Hals no like surprises. Why? They the bestest,” Remi pipes up, completely serious, and the whole group laughs.
“Oh, I remember,” I say, draping my arm over Halle’s shoulders, pulling her into my side.
“And yet here you are, surprising me.” Her eyes narrow to slits, lips pursing.
“Trust me, yeah?” I murmur.
I guide her across the parking lot, my hand tightening on her shoulder. The nerves I had earlier spark back to life, fusing with a buzz of excitement so strong, it vibrates through me.
“I’m gonna cover your eyes for a second. Don’t freak out, okay?” I tell her.
“Hunter…” she warns, but she doesn’t stop me when I slide my palm over her eyes.
The bold block letters spelling ARCADE above the door are sun-faded, the blue paint chipped, and one of the bulbs in the letter A flickers like it’s grasping for life.
“Mind the step,” I warn her as we step inside.
I remove my hand and watch as her jaw drops instantly.
She takes in the whole place. From the riot of colors to the noise. Every corner pulses with neon lights, kids race between the machines with fistfuls of tickets, their parents watching them from afar with a drink in hand, hot, greasy fries in the other.
Halle’s breath catches. Her hand flies to her chest, gripping her shirt tightly as her eyes shimmer.
“Okay, now!” I call over my shoulder to our crew.
A chorus erupts behind us.
“Happy birthday, Halle!”
“Appy birfday, Aunt Hals!”
“Happy birthday, Halle baby!”
Their voices echo through the arcade, bright and full. For a split second, I can’t help but glance up quickly, hoping like hell that our mom is here somehow, seeing this, seeing us. Seeing how far we’ve pulled ourselves from the mess we grew up in.
“Happy birthday, lil sis,” I say, voice low, and pull her into me. My arms wrap tight around her. “Told you one day I’d have all the money in the world, and we’d come back to the arcade to play as many games as we like for as long as we want.”
Her arms loop around my waist, and she fists the back of my shirt, shoulders trembling, and when I look over her shoulder, I find the two people who matter most watching us—Asher and Madi—eyes full of pride, love, all of it. My chest tightens.
Fuck, I hope this isn’t too much for her.
Panic starts to crawl up my spine, and my mind spins into overdrive, whispering every worst-case scenario. Then Halle leans back, raises her fist, and before I realize the shift in her expression—
THUD.
She punches me dead in the arm.
“Ow, fuck,” I snap, grabbing my bicep. “What was that for?”
“Pay up!” Connor yells before she can even open her mouth.
He sticks his hand out, waving it side to side. “I told ya’ll she’d hit him inside and before the claw machines.”
Madi groans, digging into her purse and slapping a note in his palm. “I thought it was going to happen in the parking lot when she saw us all.”
“That,” Halle cuts in, bringing the attention back to her, “was for surprising me, you idiot. I hate surprises.”
Asher steps up behind her, hands raised. “I told you—”
“And you,” she snaps, spinning and punching him in the arm, “were in on it. Knowing I hate surprises.”
“Yeah, but I’m making up for it with burgers and milkshakes and—”
“Do not finish that in front of my brother and nephew,” she cuts in, shooting him an eye roll.
Tessa bounces on her toes, clapping her hands together. “If we’re about done here, can we please go have some fun now? I haven’t been to an arcade in years.”
“Car, car, car,” Remi chants, pointing to the row of race cars.
“Come on, buddy, I’ll race ya.” Connor laughs, taking off with him.
Sarah, Tessa, and Jace chase after them in a blur of chaos and laughter, leaving me with Halle, Asher, and Madi.
“So,” I nudge Halle’s shoulder, “what do you want to do first?”
Her eyes ping around the arcade, and the air around us shifts to something thrilling, something nostalgic. Only this time, there are no rules, no curfews, no one to be scared of back home. It’s just us, our people, and all the lights, noise, and games to lose ourselves in.
“Everything,” she says, a huge smile lighting up her whole damn face. “I want to play every single game.”
The edge of panic loosens in my chest, and I release a long breath.
Halle grabs Madison’s hand, and they take off toward the glow of the arcade floor, weaving through kids and parents.
Lights strobe across their faces—pink, blue, yellow—catching their wide smiles as they point at games and claw machines all around them.
Watching Halle like this hits me harder than I expected. She’s finally free. Finally happy.
“You did good, my man. She’s lucky to have you as her brother,” Asher says, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
I shove him off me, smiling. “Ten bucks says I beat you at the basketball hoops.”
“Oh, you’re on.” He laughs, sprinting ahead.
A lady behind the counter hands me our stack of prepaid cards, and I quickly chase after everyone, handing each of them out.
The basketball hoops glow ahead, and I dodge a teen who barrels past me with a fistful of tickets, shouting at his friend that he won.
The air is alive with chaos. Buttons being hammered, coins clattering, laser zaps slicing through explosions from the shooter games sound all around me.
I reach Asher just in time to see him rolling his shoulders like he’s preparing to win a fight. He swings his arms, cracking his neck side to side like an idiot.
A laugh tears out of me. “You stretching because you’re scared I’m gonna kick your ass?” I ask, swiping the card through the machine.
The countdown flashes.
Three… Two… One…
“Loser also has to work the closing shift tomorrow night,” I call, snatching the first ball that drops down.
“Deal!” he fires back, grabbing his own ball as the clock starts.
We both start shooting, and my eyes flick between my hoop and Asher’s. Balls go flying, bouncing off the rims, rattling the chain baskets. Every time Asher sinks one, he lets out a grunt that’s half effort, half victory. Every time I sink one, I make sure he hears my smug, low “yes” over the noise.
A small crowd starts gathering, watching us as we sink, miss, and overshoot. Tessa and Jace are the first to push through, cheering obnoxiously loud.
“Come on, Hunter! Use those muscles,” Tessa yells.
Asher’s next ball hits the backboard and ricochets straight into my zone.
“Ash, man, you’re embarrassing yourself,” Jace calls to him, and Asher flips him off mid-shot without looking.
Sweat slides down my temple, and my arms burn, but I don’t stop. I keep firing, even when my biceps tremble. Grab, shoot, grab, shoot. Shot after shot, I sink.
By the time the timer blares, we’re both breathless and sweating. I look up and stare at the scoreboard. A slow smile tugs at my mouth as my number flashes one point higher.
“Yes!” I fist pump the air.