“I will.”
“Just fall asleep right here.”
“No, I want to talk about today.” A grin appears on her face. “It was so fun.”
Sebastian nods. “It was. I thought we’d make no sales but people still came to our stall.”
I look up at Heath and smile at him.
He catches me looking at him and leans a little in my direction. In a quiet voice he says, “What?”
“You did great today.”
He stares at me for a moment. “You did great, too.”
I shake my head. “It was all you.”
“I don’t think so.” He tucks a few strands of my hair behind my ear. “When it got busier, you were packing those orders and even talked to people — which you hate. But I knew you could do it.”
I smile. “I felt safe because you were near me.”
“No, you just found the courage to face one of yours fears.”
That makes me stop and think about what he just said.
Strength always comes from within and somehow I was able to find it in me today.
I wonder if there is more of it in me.
“Hope, you said your birthday is in November.” Marie asks.
“Uh, yes,” I mutter.
Heath arches an eyebrow at me. “You didn’t tell me.”
I soften my gaze. “It never came up. Also, I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
Before he can speak, Marie jumps in. “We will celebrate your birthday this year.”
“For once, I agree with Blondie,” Heath speaks.
I can’t believe it’s November already and my birthday is next week. I was going to let that day pass but Marie remembers little things. I told her about it one time and looks like she’s been counting down days.
“I will make sure it is fun,” Marie chirps.
I frown. “You don’t have to do anything, Marie. It’s fine. I don’t want to burden — ”
“It’s happening!” She interrupts me.
“But — ”
“No buts.”
With a defeated smile, I nod and she grins. Sebastian steals her attention as he asks her about something. I’m too distracted by the hand rubbing circles on the side of my stomach to listen to their conversation.
“You didn’t want to celebrate your birthday, that’s why you didn’t tell me,” Heath says in a curt tone.
My stomach twists as I slowly face him and find him already looking at me with a sharp look.
