“I’malwaysnice, babe.” He slapped my ass as I rose from his lap.
I strode to my door and laughed at the sight when it opened. Josh clutched a package wrapped in Wonder Woman paper under one arm and a bakery box in the other.
A wry grin curved my lips. “How the hell did you find Wonder Woman paper?”
“Wasn’t easy.” He winked before following me inside.
Josh set the packages down on my couch and pulled me into a bear hug. “Happy birthday, Cupcake.” He gave me a loud kiss on the cheek before letting me go.
“Hey, Scott.” Josh offered his hand as he strode over to Scott. “Nice to see you.”
“You too,” he replied as he drew me to his side. I suspected Scott would be just this side of possessive tonight, but I understood where he came from. If a best friend who happened to be a woman breezed back into Scott’s life, I’d be a tad leery myself. But I would trust him and do my best to get used to it. I hoped tonight would put us on that path.
“I think I outdid myself with the cake.” Josh’s mouth split into a huge grin as he handed me the string tied bakery box.
My eyes rolled as I turned to Scott. “He’s a little full of himself,” I said in a loud whisper as I threw a smirk at Josh. I took the box into my kitchen to cut the string off. I gaped at Josh when I lifted the top of the box.
“You found a cupcake cake? Like, the whole thing?” It was an entire cake shaped like a Hostess chocolate cupcake. I clutched my chest in awe with one hand as I dug for a knife in the utensils drawer with the other. “Can one of you get the plates?”
“It’s even got the cream in the middle. Now, now.” Josh grabbed my knife and he shook his head. “Presents before cake.”
“Not with my girl,” Scott snickered. “It’s cake before everything.”My girl.
Josh’s smile faded into a hard line. I ignored the gut feeling that this was hopeless and plastered on a smile.
I glared at Josh as I tore the package open.
“A Wonder Woman bike helmet? Are you serious?”
Scott’s brow crinkled as he looked between us. “Bike helmet? You never had a bike for as long as I’ve known you.”
Josh strutted over to me and took the box out of my hands. “That’s because Brianna doesn’t know how to ride a bike.”
“Who doesn’t know how to ride a bike? That can’t be true. You never told me that.” Scott scoffed from behind me.
“No,” I sighed. “It is. My dad thought since I was so clumsy, getting me on a bike, other than the big hot wheels I had when I was four, was too dangerous. Josh tried to teach me, but I was too scared and embarrassed to have training wheels as a teenager.”
I slapped the box into Josh’s chest and laughed. “Good one. Give it to someone else who actually owns a bike.”
“Youown a bike. It’s in my car. Every Saturday morning, I’m taking you to the bike track at the park until you learn.” A wide smile spread across his lips.
I gaped and vehemently shook my head. “Um, no. You of all people know what a disaster that was. It was sad to learn how to ride a bike at fifteen. At twenty-nine, I don’t think there’s a word to describe quite how pathetic it is.”
“She is pretty clumsy.” Scott motioned to me with his chin. “She could get hurt.”
“I won’t let her get hurt,” Josh answered with a smile, despite the obvious clenching of his jaw.
I eyed my new helmet—in adult size. “Again, where the hell did you find this?”
He shrugged. “The Internet and free two-day shipping are beautiful things. C’mon, Cupcake.” He took my hand and squeezed. “You won’t fall, I promise. And no one will laugh at you with a tatted-up punk holding the back of your bike.”
I burst out laughing. “Okay. We’ll try once, and if I fall we’re done.” I poked a finger into his chest. “Got it, Falco?”
A smirk slanted his lips. “Got it, Cupcake,” he whispered.
I laughed until I turned to a dejected look on Scott’s face.
“Hey, why don’t you come, too?” I rushed over to Scott. “You’ve seen me fall on my face enough times; now you can see me do it on wheels—”
