wrapping paper and found a black tank top with pink letters emblazoned across the chest that read BIRTHDAY GIRL and beneath it, also in pink, was 29! She lifted the tank top out of the box, revealing a pair of skimpy black boy shorts that had SWEET CHEEKS printed in pink across the ass.
Her heart went crazy as she undressed, quickly freshened up, and put on the birthday shirt and shorts. She hurried out the bedroom door to look for Justin and found the hallway decorated with more balloons and streamers. A birthday banner was thumbtacked to the wall, and a funky birthday hat with foam candles sat on the floor. She put on the hat and followed the scent of something sweet toward the kitchen, stopping cold when she got to the living room. Last night she’d given Justin the memory board she’d finally finished making for him, and now it was hanging above the mantel like a piece of art. As she walked closer, she noticed a new picture attached with a tiny metal clip. It was a picture of her sleeping on Justin’s chest. She had no idea when he might have taken it, but it made her all kinds of happy as she read what he’d written across the top in black marker: My girl, my future, my life.
“I’m not as skilled at that as you are.”
She turned at the sound of Justin’s voice, emotions clogging her throat. He stood at the entrance to the kitchen wearing nothing but his black boxer briefs and holding a lopsided cake with pink icing and so many lit candles it looked like an inferno. It—he—brought tears to her eyes.
“I’m also not very adept in the baking department,” he said as he carried the cake to her.
“It’s the…” Too choked up to get the words out, she cleared her throat to try again. “It’s the most perfect cake I’ve ever seen.”
“My singing is not so hot, either, but you’re going to have to deal with it, babe, because I’m afraid it’s going to be an annual thing.”
He sang “Happy Birthday” in his deep, raspy voice. She couldn’t stop smiling as he sang it all the way through, each word more beautiful than the last.
“Make a wish, sweet thing.”
Nervous laughter bubbled out as she said, “How can I wish for anything when everything I want is standing right in front of me?”
“Everybody’s got to make a birthday wish, darlin’.” His eyes turned seductive and he said, “Close your eyes and think long and hard. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
She laughed again. “You are a dirty boy.” She closed her eyes and wished for a lifetime of birthdays just like this, and then she blew out the candles. “Thank you. I can’t believe how much you did for me.”
“You only turn twenty-nine once…a year.” He winked, and she followed him into the kitchen.
A gigantic vase full of irises sat in the center of the table. There were two plates filled with heart-shaped pancakes and strawberries. Beside one plate was a small gift box with a red bow tied around it. Justin handed it to her and said, “For you, baby.”
“Justin…This is the best birthday I’ve ever had. You’ve already done too much.”
He put his arms around her and kissed the tip of her nose. “This is only the beginning, and this gift is for me as much as it is for you.”
“Now you’ve piqued my interest.” She pulled open the bow and lifted the top off the box. Inside was a key on a key chain with a little house charm dangling from it.
“It’s to this house,” he said, bringing her eyes up to his. “I know how hard you worked to buy your cottage and how much it means to you, so if you’d rather we—”
She silenced him with a hard press of her lips. “I want the key,” she said breathlessly. “Before we got together, I spent my life ticking off boxes, gathering all the things that I thought would make a happy home and a happy life. But I had the pretty cottage and the nice furniture with matching curtains and walls full of family photos. I had all the things I thought I needed, but I was still searching, using those stupid dating apps, trying to find what was missing. And then your sister asked me to meet her at the Salty Hog, the one place I never wanted to go again. But I would have done