“Oh, I know you are. That was Cole’s biggest promise,” Tobias said while crossing his arms, making the muscles in them bulge. Josh wondered how often his shirts ripped open when he flexed.
“For someone who makes as many messes as Cole does, he’s surprisingly courteous about cleaning up after himself,” Riley added.
A voice shouted from across the room, interrupting them.
Abby’s sister, Alyssa, was standing on a chair as she said, “Everyone, gather ’round to watch Abby and Emilio open their presents!”
The three of them made their way over to where Abby was sitting in front of a table filled with small gifts, Emilio seated next to her. No one could get them anything too large since they were going to have to travel with everything.
“Noooo, in front of everyone?” Abby complained.
“I thought in America someone was supposed to jump out of a cake,” Emilio said.
“I never understood that,” Hailey said. “It’s either a waste of cake if they’re using real cake, or there’s a giant fake cake sitting there?”
“I think people liked what popped out of it,” Riley said.
“What popped out of the cake? Candy?” Colin asked, causing everyone to share panicked looks until Cole redirected them.
“So much candy, Colin! Beautiful candy with really big… balloons,” he said.
“Mommy, can I have a cake that candy pops out of for my next birthday?” Colin asked Alyssa, who was now holding her son on her lap.
“Sure, baby. Okay, open some gifts, please,” she begged, and Bri giggled beside her.
Abby and Emilio opened their gifts, mostly travel and influencer accessories and gift cards. They both loved the logo Josh and Riley had designed for them.
Abby was bright red as she peered into the next gift bag on her lap.
“Oh my God, Cole,” she said, flustered. “My whole family is here, I’m not opening this.”
Emilio grabbed the bag and peered inside, a smug smirk taking over his expression.
“Seriously? A twenty-five pack of condoms?” he asked.
“Sul serio?Are you serious? I got him the exact samething!” Emilio’s grandmother shouted over everyone’s giggles.
“Did we just become best friends?” Cole asked, making Camila laugh. He turned to Riley and Josh and muttered, “If I asked her if she wants to go do karate in the garage, do you think she’d get the reference?”
The likelihood that Camila had seen the movieStepbrotherswas pretty unlikely. Riley put an arm on his shoulder and looked at him with as much intensity as he could command. “No, Cole. I don’t think she will.”
“I’m going to do it anyway,” he said and turned to Camila. “Do you want to go do karate in the garage?”
“No, but I could teach youParanza Corta. It’s Sicilian knife fighting.”
“I’m in,” Elena said, and Cole visibly swooned. At Camila or Elena, he wasn’t sure.
Probably both.
When Abby and Emilio were finished opening gifts, Abby’s mother demanded a group photo with everyone. Cole was prepared for the request and gathered everyone between the big wooden boxes they used for box jumps.
He set his phone on a table, propped against a half-filled beer bottle, and turned to the group. “I have a remote clicker for the camera so I can take the photo when we’re all set,” he shouted and ran over to join the group. Josh had his arm around Riley on oneside and Avery on the other as they awaited Cole’s instructions.
“Okay, on three, everyone say, ‘We’ll miss you Emilio and Abby.’ One, two, three!”
“We’ll miss you Emilio and Abby!” they all shouted, holding out the Y in Abby’s name until a loud bang made everyone jump.
A confetti cannon on each side of the group exploded, and large colorful pieces of confetti rained over everyone, causing cheers and laughs to echo throughout the gym.
