“Everything okay over there?” Mary called over.
“Yeah. Just getting the dessert,” Samira yelled back, reaching up into the shelf for the dessert plates and to block Andy and the cake from view as he lit all fifty-five candles.
She held the stack of plates and walked with Andy as he carried the cake over and started singing Happy Birthday. The others joined in, and Elizabeth looked as if she wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or be annoyed. In the end, her lips curved into a smile before she let a laugh bubble out.
Eddy was laughing the hardest. “Hurry up and blow out those candles before the fire department shows up.”
Elizabeth cut her eyes at Eddy but followed his suggestion. She closed her eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath and blowing out the candles.
Chapter 10
Andy watched Samira as she loaded the last few dishes into the dishwasher. He had already put the food away and taken down the decorations. The night was a success. His mother didn’t seem as down as she usually did when spending birthdays without his father. She was probably too busy trying to figure out what Samira was doing there.
“Have I thanked you for coming?” Andy asked as he made his way over to her.
“I think so. But one can never feel too appreciated,” she said with a smile.
Andy stepped closer when she backed all the way to the counter. He gave her a chaste kiss and then stepped back. Her lips were soft and inviting and he wanted to let the kiss last longer, but he was afraid she would run.
“Why don’t you stay a while? It would be nice to relax for a bit and unwind without everyone else here. I don’t know how you are, but I need some time after hosting a gathering, no matter how small,” Andy suggested.
Samira chewed on the inside of her bottom lip. “I guess I’m not in a hurry.”
Andy took her hand and led her to the sofa near the wood stove. It was an unseasonably cool night. They usually made it later into the fall before the nights got cold enough to turn the heat on, but he had a feeling he would need to do just that. He reached for the gray blanket on the back of the couch and covered them both up.
“I’m glad my mom seemed to have fun. She gets pretty down around her birthday. She used to bake a cream devil cake and Dad would surprise her with a different arrangement of flowers every year. I always try to do something special for her to cheer her up,” Andy explained.
The cream devil cake was just a chocolate cake with a fudge-like vanilla frosting, but it was mostly reserved for birthdays and special occasions. Even though her spirits had been lifted by the party, it still didn’t feel quite like her birthday without her baking that cake.
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “That’s really sweet. Your parents are lucky to have you.”
Andy knew Samira must have missed her parents. “No. I’m lucky to have them.”
Her stricken expression told him he had said the wrong thing. He wasn’t sure how to fix it other than to change the subject. “So, tell me about your week. I haven’t really talked to you since dinner last week.”
“Work has been good. Andrea was on vacation this past week, so I was very busy. I loved it. Each day went crazy fast. How was your week? Did you get to the shop at all?”
Andy could listen to her talk all day. He didn’t know anything about the business, but he didn’t miss the way her eyes lit up when she talked about work. It was hard for him to even remember a time when he felt the same way about being on theboat. He loved the tranquility of being on the water, but his true happiness was in the shop. Unfortunately, he only managed a day or two at the shop doing what he loved.
“I spent this morning at the shop. There was a pretty large custom order, so I’m glad I made it in to take on part of the workload. I always feel bad that I can’t be there more,” Andy answered.
Samira looked at him closely. He could tell she was debating on what she would say next. Her honey brown eyes were serious as she looked into his.
“Is there someone else who could take over your dad’s business? I know it’s important to you not to let him down, but you should really live your life doing what you love.”
“If only it was that simple. You know how complicated families can be,” Andy said.
“Yeah. I know. It’s so hard to figure out what’s right. Tonight, I realized what I’ve missed out on by staying away, but that maybe it’s not too late. Thank you for that.”
Samira moved closer to him on the sofa. He put his arm around her and held her close. He knew he must look like a coward. She had moved away to live her own life, and he was still there, right where she left him. He was sure she regretted not having the chance to mend things with her parents, but ultimately, she made the decision to live her own life. No one could have predicted the loss of her parents, and it could have happened even if she hadn’t moved away. He hoped she realized that.
The gentle brush of her hand on his face brought him back to the present, and he stilled when she slowly leaned in for a kiss, her lips soft and yielding. When he pulled back to look at her, she was smiling up at him.
“What was that for?” he asked.
“You looked like you needed it.”
Pulling her close, he kissed her again. This time the kiss wasn’t friendly or comforting. When she teased his bottom lip with her tongue, he eagerly responded, his body heating from the contact. He no longer felt the chill of the cold, autumn night as her warm body pressed against his. He lost himself in her taste as his tongue continued to explore her willing mouth.
