General Joe (Magnolia Ridge #2) - Alexa Riley Page 0,17
I just have to wait?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Oh, there’s no way in hell I’m ruining this for Kayla or Barbara. They’ve given me strict instructions.”
I nod as I get in his truck and we drive towards downtown. Shaw called me last night and said he wanted me to check the security in the back of Barbie’s bookstore for him. Shaw was the one that had it installed, so I knew there was no real reason for me to go with him other than an excuse to get me out of the house.
When we pull up to the front of the bookstore I jump out and see the place has all the lights off. “Shouldn’t we go around back?” I ask, and Shaw winks at me.
“Nah, we’ll go in the front.”
He unlocks the door and walks in first. I follow in after him and just as I step inside, the lights come on and everyone shouts “surprise!”
I’m shocked for a second because I don’t see Kayla, but I do see a ton of the guys I served with in the Marines.
“Jacob?” I call out and he comes running up to me and we hug. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Your wife, man, she got all of us together.” He turns around and I see our whole group of friends from across the country made the trip just for this and I can’t believe it.
“Ramon, no way!” I hug him too, still not believing that they’re all here. “How the hell did my wife get you out of that cabin in Alaska?”
“She didn’t give me an option,” he says, slapping me on the back.
One by one all the guys give me hugs and I realize the bookstore is packed with people who have meant so much to me. Shaw and Barbie are over in the corner and he tips his beer to me as I’m swept up in another hug.
Of course Kayla didn’t just throw me a surprise party. She got everyone here from all over the world just for me. Damn, that wife of mine and her sneaky ways. I keep looking around to find her, but before I can, the crowd parts.
Just then a giant cake is pushed through the rows of books and I shake my head. She did not do what I think she did.
Everyone starts singing Happy Birthday and just as they finish, the cake stops in front of me and out pops Kayla from the top with her arms held high and a smile on her face.
I stand there and hold up my hand and crook a finger at her. “Get your ass down here.”
“Not until you make a wish,” she sasses back, knowing she’s going to get it.
“I wish you’d get your cute ass down here so I can kiss you and tell you how much I love you.”
“Well, in that case.” She jumps out of the cake and into my arms and the crowd cheers. She’s laughing as I kiss her and she wraps her legs around me. “Happy birthday, babe.”
“I’ll be sure and thank you properly when we get home.”
“I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it.” She reaches over and swipes some icing off the cake then licks it off her finger.
“You’re trying to get me to bend you over right here, aren’t you?”
She shrugs. “We’ve had some pretty good times here in the storage room.”
I look around the room and see the guys all hanging out and catching up and I can’t believe she did all this.
“How?” is all I manage to say.
“It’s easy when you love someone like I love you. All I had to do was tell them what I was up to and they were all in.” She leans in close and whispers in my ear. “You can have me for as long as you want later. Take some time and hang out with your friends.”
I feel her lips press against my neck and I squeeze her ass. “Just remember payback is coming.”
She wiggles in my arms and smiles. “That’s what I’m betting on.”
Epilogue
Kayla
A few weeks after that…
I stand in front of the mirror, staring at myself with my robe hanging open. My hair is still wet from my shower as I trail my fingers down my stomach, looking at the marks my children have made. It’s been a few years since we had a baby and our youngest is off and running. She has a personality all of her own