Chloe heard the front door open, and footsteps thundered down the hall. “What is going on?” she asked as Harper, Daphne, Emery, and Tegan ran into the room.
“Oh no!” Daphne exclaimed.
The back door flew open and Zeke and Justin walked in. Justin was leading Sampson on a leash.
“The canopy is all set—” Justin stilled, meeting Chloe’s confused gaze. Cosmos ran to Justin, and Sampson pushed his big nose against the little barking dog, shoving him halfway across the floor.
Serena ran over and said, “I tried to stop her, but you’ve created a spontaneous monster. She wouldn’t listen. I’m sorry.”
Cosmos sped past Serena as Zander and Dwayne popped up from behind the piano. Preacher appeared from behind a chair, and Madigan stepped out from behind the curtains, sending Cosmos into a zigzagging sprint from one person to the next. Dean and Rick stood up behind the other couch as Gavin and Andre came through the back doors laughing.
A lopsided grin spread across Justin’s face as he went to Chloe and said, “Hey, beautiful. I thought you were having lunch with the girls.”
“I was. Am. What is going on?” Chloe asked.
Justin looked around and said, “We were all just, uh—”
“I’ve got the birthday cake and the banners! Sorry I’m late!” Reba’s voice sailed through the air.
Cosmos darted down the hall, and Sampson broke free, galloping after him. Reba shrieked, and then there was a loud thump.
“Oh shit,” the guys said at once, and everyone ran into the hall.
Reba was lying in the middle of the floor with cake all over her. Cosmos was standing on her chest, licking frosting from her face, and Sampson was gobbling cake off the floor. Reba laughed and said, “I think Cosmos and I are going steady now.”
Relieved laughter floated around them as everyone went to help her, but Preacher was already by her side, shooing Cosmos away. “Get outta here, pooch. I’m the only one that gets to lick this sexy gal.”
“Wow, I had no idea we were playing kinky cake games at this party,” Violet said as she and Desiree came down the stairs.
Justin laughed and swept Chloe into his arms, grinning like a Cheshire cat, or rather, like the gorgeous, thoughtful fiancé he was. As the others tried to stop Cosmos and Sampson from tracking cake and frosting all over the house, Chloe wrapped her arms around Justin and said, “Mr. Wicked, what have you done now?”
“Just living up to my promises of making all of your days special.”
Violet sauntered over in her cutoffs, black bikini top, and biker boots, and said, “Just don’t start talking about your naughty nights or Desiree might go into labor.” She kissed Chloe’s cheek and said, “Happy birthday and congratulations, Chloe. You’ve got a good man on your hands.”
Chloe grinned at Justin and said, “I’ve got a wicked good man on my hands, and I love him that way.”
DESPITE CHLOE’S STUMBLING into the setting up of her surprise party and Reba’s unfortunate cake spill, the party was a smashing success. They spent a wonderful day with friends and family on the beach celebrating Chloe’s birthday and their engagement. Serena made a big SHE SAID YES! sign with an arrow pointing to the side, and they’d taken dozens of pictures for Chloe’s memory books. When evening rolled in, they grilled food for dinner and built a bonfire.
Now the moon hung low over the bay, and the lights they’d set up on the beach twinkled against the night sky. Justin stood by the roaring fire talking with Mike, Preacher, Gavin, Tank, and Blaine as Zander and Drake played their guitars and Gunner chimed in with his harmonica. Baz and Zeke were flirting with the book club girls by the dessert table, and Sid and Evie had found new friends in the couples from Bayside Resort and Summer House. Justin looked past them all at Chloe, chatting with Ginger, Serena, Reba, and Madigan. Sampson was leaning against Chloe’s legs, and she’d kept her hand on him all evening, as if he were a child. She looked gorgeous wearing the black sweatshirt Serena had given her for her birthday with GIRLFRIEND FIANCÉE written across the front. She’d shown off her ring and told everyone about the morning, recounting every moment from the second she’d seen the balloons to the moment she’d said yes.
Justin had thought she’d never looked happier than when she’d seen the cake he’d made, but when he’d given her the key, she’d put that