“Your birthday party,” Danny announced with glee, making everything in her go still.
“Oh, god,” she mumbled weakly because she’d actually forgotten about her birthday.
Nodding, Danny said, “I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t answer your phone, so now, I’m here to let you know that you’re expected for dinner at six tomorrow night. Act surprised.”
With that, he let her go with a satisfied sigh, leaving her laying there, knowing that it was useless trying to get out of this now because it was already too late.
When she heard the traitor chuckle, she turned her glare on him. “I don’t know what you’re laughing about, Chuckles. If I have to go, then so do you.”
Chapter 21
“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Sloane said with a hopeful smile only, to begin worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she mumbled, “Yeah, this was definitely a bad idea.”
And although he wholeheartedly agreed that bringing him here was a mistake, Chase couldn’t help but notice just how adorable Sloane was as he transitioned himself to his wheelchair since she was busy throwing the large house decked out with balloons and streamers another nervous glance.
“Definitely a mistake,” she mumbled absently as he adjusted his legs only to look up when she added, “Oh, god…”
That was followed by, “Wait! We can talk about this!” when five large men, all of them had dark hair like their sister, headed in their direction. Before they reached her, Sloane was crawling onto Chase’s lap and wrapping her arms around him as she squeezed her eyes shut and yelled, “No, wait! He needs me!” making them pause.
Eyes narrowing on the woman clinging to him, Chase asked, “Did you bring me here just to use me?”
“Yes!”
Nodding slowly, Chase shifted his attention to her brothers, who were watching her every move, looking for a way to extract her. “She’s all yours.”
“What? No! Don’t listen to him! He’s mute!” Sloane rushed to explain only to gasp when Danny, who couldn’t stop smiling, grabbed hold of his sister and pulled her off Chase’s lap. “Damn it, Chase! Use your fireman skills and save me!”
“I would,” Chase assured her with a sympathetic wince, “I really would, but I want to see how this is going to play out.”
“You bastard!” Sloane gasped in outrage as her brother carried her toward the house.
“I’m Tristan,” one of her brothers said, offering his hand.
“Chase,” Chase said, returning the handshake.
“You hungry?” Tristan asked, gesturing to the house.
“I could eat,” Chase said, chuckling as they followed the rest of her brothers as they carried Sloane inside the house, down a long hallway and into a large kitchen and onto the pool patio where an insane amount of people were waiting, making him realize that this was the first time that he’d been to something like this since the accident.
When he felt the familiar panic crawl up his spine, Chase stopped, not sure that he could do this. He slowly exhaled as he took in the large party as he moved to push his wheelchair back only to feel something inside of him relax when he heard Sloane laugh.
“Are you okay?” Tristan asked, shooting him a questioning look.
“Fine,” Chase said, nodding as he forced his hands to roll him forward.
When they reached the pool, Danny shifted Sloane over his shoulder only to groan when an older man grabbed her before he could throw her in.
“Thank you, Daddy!” Sloane said, smiling hugely as she stuck her tongue out at her brothers.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” her father said, making his daughter look really fucking relieved.
That is, until her father tightened his hold around her, shot her a wink, and said, “Happy birthday,” as he jumped in the pool, taking a laughing Sloane with him.
“Birthday tradition,” Tristan said, chuckling as he handed Chase a beer.
Chase accepted the beer as he said, “That explains a lot,” while they watched Sloane climb out of the pool, looking adorably pissed.
“We each get a turn,” Tristan said, watching Sloane grab a towel from Danny as she walked over to Chase, grumbling the entire way before she plopped down on his lap, instantly soaking him.
“We are no longer on speaking terms,” she informed him as she stole his beer.
“That should be easy with me being mute and all,” he said with a teasing smile that had her lips twitching.
“You would think so,” she said with a pointed wiggle, trying to thoroughly soak him.