‘Evening. How’s the birthday girl?’
‘Fine, thank you. How was your biking?’
‘Great, thanks. Did I miss much?’ He nodded at the scene behind me.
‘No. We’ve been waiting for you to turn up. Charlie’s only just got here too.’
‘Oh, good.’
‘Thank you so much for the flowers this morning. They’re beautiful.’
‘My pleasure. I didn’t really know what to get you.’
‘You didn’t have to get me anything.’ I kissed his cheek and took his hand in mine. ‘Ready to come and meet everyone?’
‘Let’s do it.’
I smiled and began to turn. Alex tugged lightly on my hand. ‘Hey.’
I turned back.
‘Don’t I get a birthday kiss?’
I tilted my head at him. ‘But it’s not your birthday.’
‘That’s just semantics,’ he said softly, sliding his hand around my waist and pulling me to him. His lips were warm and soft as they touched mine and I felt myself move closer.
‘Who are you?’
Startled, we pulled apart and looked down in the direction of where the bold question had come from. Niall and Liam stood there studying us.
Alex flicked his eyes to me then back at the boys. I opened my mouth to speak but Alex beat me to it.
‘I’m Alex,’ he said, holding his hand out to them for a handshake.
Liam looked at it for a moment, then took it and shook it. ‘I’m Liam.’
‘I’m Niall,’ said Niall, who had chosen not to shake Alex’s hand but was instead winding his own into mine.
‘Nice to meet you, Niall, Liam.’
Liam considered him for a moment longer. ‘Are you coming to Auntie Libby’s party?’
‘I am.’
Liam looked at me for a moment.
‘OK,’ he replied, before wandering back to the table and taking an empty chair next to Charlie. Niall remained where he was, his big green eyes watching Alex.
‘Come on, Niall. Let’s go and introduce Alex to everyone else, shall we?’
Niall nodded and headed off towards the table, pulling me with him. I stuck out my hand and grabbed Alex’s before he got left behind, tossing a look over my shoulder as I did so. ‘Welcome to my family.’
Alex grinned and squeezed my hand in reply.
I’d seen Gina’s radar begin pinging the moment Charlie had walked in and now, with Alex attached to my hand, it was working overtime. I’d introduced Charlie to Dad, and Gina. Matt and Maria had already met him a couple of times now and had clearly got him relaxed and chatting by the time I got to the table, which I appreciated.
‘Everyone, this is Alex. Alex, my dad, Gina. Matt, my brother, my sister-in-law, Maria, and you’ve already met their boys, Niall and Liam.’
