But, when I secretly called No Sweat to speak with him about helping me arrange Gabe’s surprise party, he warmed up to me.
I couldn’t dwell too long on Preston as I ran around the bar, ensuring the lights were low and the music was up high, so Gabe wouldn’t suspect anything before he entered. I’d told him to meet me at The Rustic for a round of pool that night.
My phone buzzed.
“He’s here,” I whisper-yelled around the bar, motioning with my arms for everyone to get low.
My heart beat out of my chest. I’d had my doubts about throwing the party at the bar. My ex and my parents all made it clear they wanted their birthdays to be extravagant events. Celebrations had to be on a yacht or at five-star resorts with plenty of photos taken.
If I dared spend anything less than six figures on their birthday, they took it as a personal insult.
Gabe wasn’t them, though. Preston and Micah reassured me that Gabriel would appreciate a surprise party thrown at his favorite local hang-out with all of his family and friends in the building more than anything.
Joel stood on my left and Micah to my right with Jodi. A few feet behind me was his middle brother, Ace. He was the brother I wondered about. At times, even when he smiled, there was a sadness in his grey eyes.
After dinner at Joel’s a few months back, Gabe told me that Ace still was hung up on some things in his past, but he didn’t elaborate.
“He’ll have to work that shit out himself,”Gabe had said.
Finally, there was one person who couldn’t be there that I knew still held a piece of Gabe’s heart. But I’d brought something of his mother to this surprise party. I hoped that when I revealed it to him, he wouldn’t hate me for it.
“That’s him,” I whispered loudly when his shadow passed by the window.
I held my breath as I waited for the door to open.
“One … two … three …”
“Surprise!” we all yelled the last word as soon as Gabe pulled the door to the bar open.
Gabe threw his hands up in a defensive stance, his face contorting into a scowl before he realized what was going on. I burst out into laughter.
He looked over at me and dropped his guard, and a wide grin spread across his lips. Before I could yell ‘happy birthday,’ he wrapped his long arms around me, pulling me into a hug.
My forehead tingled when he brushed his lips against it.
“Happy birthday,” I said into his chest before pulling away and lifting onto my tiptoes.
He kissed me once and then a second time and then granted me a full kiss. I sighed into his mouth.
I had to pull away to let the rest of the guests greet him with hugs and birthday well wishes.
“You did all of this?” Gabe asked, taking my hand in his after everyone came up to hug him.
“With some help. Were you surprised?” I asked. “I figured you wouldn’t want anything too extravagant for your birthday. Preston also agreed when I asked him to help me plan it. But we had to celebrate your big day, somehow. I mean, you know, you told me when you were a kid you looked forward to your birthday more than you did Christmas. And so …”
I trailed off when I realized that I was rambling.
Gabe’s eyes shone with amusement.
“I wanted your birthday to be special,” I finally said.
Cupping my face, Gabe pulled us closer. “It is,” he murmured before kissing me. “Thank you.” His deep voice rumbled through me as it reached inside of me and gently stroked the part of my heart that I thought I’d sealed off to anybody.
“I …” I paused. “I have something to share with you.” My voice was a whisper, barely audible, but Gabe’s eyebrow quirked.
Ace interrupted us before I could tell Gabe what I had on my mind.
“Happy birthday, kid,” he said, extending his arm. Again, while there was a smile on Ace’s face, there was a sadness in his eyes that he tried to mask. “I’ve got a training flight in the morning.”
