He pulls back and I gape at him. “What surprise?”
“The surprise that made Julian act like a mad man today and try to lock me out of the house.” Christian gives me a look.
My brows furrow and I frown. “Don’t be mean about it.”
Christian grins and gives my ass a gentle pat. “Come on then.”
I take his hand and lead him out the back door, walking in front of him and then stepping aside as everyone suddenly yells, “Surprise!”
“Oh my god,” Christian drawls, feigning surprise. “I’ve never been so surprised!”
“Jackass,” one of the guys mutters.
“Uncle Christian!” Grace runs to him and he catches her in his arms.
“Hey, Princess.” He kisses her head then tickles her stomach. “Was this your secret plan?”
She laughs and shakes her head, Christian still tickling her for the truth. “No! No! It was Daddy and Auntie Lana!”
Julian snorts and I laugh. “Hey, that wasoursecret,” Lana whispers.
“Sorry,” Gracie whispers back. “Uncle Christian, I don’t know anything.”
Christian belly laughs, kissing Grace’s head. “Alright then, kiddo. I don’t know anything either.”
Gracie smiles at me and whispers, not well, “It worked.”
I grin and give her a thumbs up.
Laughing, Christian sets down his cute little niece who runs toward Natalia and Isa—her other best friends. Christian pulls me to his side and kisses my temple.
“Thank you,” he says in my ear.
My hand goes to his chest, palm resting over his heart as I peer up at him through my lashes with a small smile. “You’re welcome.”
“Shall we tend to the party?”
I smile. “We shall.”
I am at the point in the afternoon where I would usually regret having people over and wish I could be curled up with a book. But watching my friends have fun while we’re finally all together again feels too good.
The guys are off laughing and smiling in the corner drinking lemonade, soda, or water and snacking on the tiny sandwiches Isa made. Rowan and Natalia are behaving like children, poking and shoving at each other, arguing about who knows what now. They always look at each other with such intense gazes it frustratesme.Every time, I’m just waiting for them to kiss or something to get rid of the angst. But I think they secretly get off on it.
When I look away from them, I catch Isabelle staring at Nicolas while he’s laughing, snapping the picture with her new film camera. She’s been our photographer for the evening but her focus has been more stuck on her “secret” childhood crush.
She smiles at him even if he isn’t looking, the setting sun making her glow more than she already is because of his presence, and she takes another photo when he finally looks her way. The look in his eyes softens and that smile he has is just for her.
If it weren’t for Luca being protective over his fraternal twin, I know she’d ask him out—or vice versa. It’s the forbidden, brother’s best friend thing, but you can see it in the way they look at each other when they think no one is looking.
All of the unsaid words being spoken with each glance. How badly they want to reach out for each other. Their yearning can be felt from a distance, and it’s enough to remind someone of their own past heartbreaks. I remember when I used to look at Christian like that, and him me. The times our eyes would catch when we saw each other around, before weofficiallymet. But even more so after we met.
After we met, all of my sanity was thrown out the window and I wish I was ashamed to admit it. I looked at him all the time, and he looked at me. He saw me.
My eyes float over to Christian who has his annoyingly expensive sunglasses on top of his head and a glass of lemonade in his hand. The bright afternoon sun is shining down on him, and he’s glowing.
Literally and figuratively,glowing.
He looks better—healthier. He’s a better man and it radiates off of him, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. I didn’t think I could love him more, but here I am.
