would utter the dreaded L word.” Brian has a smile as big as The Cheshire Cat as he waves Mason’s money around.
“Well, what the fuck? I mean this shit was like night and day. One week he is screwing anything with a goddamn hole and the next he strapped on a ball and chain. I need a damn drink. Another brother down.” He turns away from the group and starts to talk to the waitress.
“What was that all about?” I ask Hunter, semi-confused.
“Mason being Mason. Anti-love; girls, relationships, and anything other than booze, work, and us.” He shakes his head as he watches Mason.
The waitress comes up to us to take our order and before I can say anything Jules shouts, “She’ll have a margarita!”
I can’t help but laugh and nod at the waitress letting her know that’s fine. We sit down and I notice the table isn’t a normal table. “Is this a hibachi?”
Hunter nods. “Another first for you, cupcake.”
Jules sits next to me and we start talking about how Hunter called her in a panic this morning and tried to plan stuff before I came out of the room. “Did you give him the ideas for today?”
“Oh no, girl. He knew exactly what he wanted he just needed me to orchestrate getting everyone here. I don’t know what the hell you did, but he is like a completely different person.”
I take in what she says. He has changed a lot, but so have I and that is because of him. My confidence has improved so much since I met Hunter. He showed me that I don’t need to change for anyone.
Dinner is amazing and we spend the whole night laughing and talking. I turn to Hunter as they are clearing the table. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had. Thank you for everything you did today.” I kiss him, needing him to feel me.
Ryan comes up behind us and whispers something into Hunter’s ear. He nods at him before turning back to me. “When we leave here, we are going to meet Ryan at my house. He says he found some stuff he wants to talk to us about.”
My stomach drops. Ryan has been looking into my stalker. Did he find something? I’m lost in my own thoughts when I hear clapping and everyone starts to sing Happy Birthday. I look over and the waitress is walking in with a cake full of candles. As I glance around the room at everyone singing, I can’t help but smile. I have a family now; they may not be blood, but that doesn’t matter. They are my family.
The waitress places the cake in front of me and I blow out the candles. Everyone cheers and I start to remove the candles.
“What the hell kind of cake is that?” Brian says from behind me.
“It’s a cupcake cake.” Hunter replies, his eyes on me the whole time. I blush, thinking of the significance that no one else knows.
We all eat cake and then Hunter and I say our goodbyes. We walk out of the restaurant hand in hand and when we get to the car, I stop and wrap my arms around his waist. “Thank you for being so amazing. I will never forget this day and how special you made me feel.”
I think back to our relationship the first few days he worked for me and how far both of us have come. He has shown me such a different side to him. He smiles down at me. “You can thank me later,” he says with a wink before pinching my butt and walking around to the other side of the car.
And he ruined it.
I laugh as I climb into the car. “You just had to kill the moment, huh?”
“Hey babe, I can’t be soft all the time. I have a rep to protect, you know.” He smirks at me as he pulls out of the restaurant.
“A rep? What are you, the Godfather?”
“No, but you can call me a God if you want. I’m sure that’s what you’ll be screaming later.” He reaches over and trails his hand up and down my thigh, sending sparks through my body.
“You are so full of yourself.”
“You’re about to be so full of me.”
“Oh my God! Do you ever not have a comeback?” I nudge his shoulder with my hand.
“No, but if you want, later I can come on your back.”
“Enough!” I raise my hands in surrender. “I give up. You win. Just please