“For being here, loving me, and making me feel like I matter.”
I stop walking, forcing her to stop too, and frame her face with my hands. “Tessa, you’ve always mattered. Long before I came along. But I’m honored to be here to remind you of it.”
She rises on her toes and kisses me again, soft and sweet this time.
“All right, lovebirds!” Miles shouts from his truck. “Save it for later! We’ve got a party to get to!”
Tessa laughs against my lips, and we break apart, jogging toward my SUV.
As I help her into the passenger seat, carefully taking her diploma so it doesn’t get crushed, I catch her eye one more time.
“Ready?” I ask.
She grins, radiant and free and so damn happy it makes my chest ache. “Ready.”
The Firehouse is packed by the time we arrive. Our usual spot—the bar where the team has celebrated everything from Cup wins to birthdays to engagements—has been transformed for Tessa’s graduation party. Emerald-green streamers hang from the ceiling, balloons are clustered in the corners, and a banner that reads “CONGRATS, TESSA!” stretches across the back wall.
“Oh my God,” Tessa breathes beside me, her hand tightening on mine. “You guys did all this?”
“Penny and Iris did most of it,” I admit. “But we all helped.”
Her eyes shine with unshed tears as she takes it all in—the decorations, the crowd of familiar faces, the cake on the bar with “Social Worker Extraordinaire” written in green frosting.
“I can’t believe this,” she whispers.
“Believe it,” I say, pressing a kiss to her temple. “You earned it.”
The moment we step fully inside, the room erupts in cheers. Music is blasting from the speakers, and Finn starts chanting, “Tessa! Tessa! Tessa!” until the entire bar joins in.
Tessa laughs, covering her face with her hands. I pull her close, grinning.
Joyce and Bob are already at the bar, ordering drinks. Apparently, they closed the coffee shop for the day just to be here.
“We hired another girl in addition to Billy,” Joyce explains when Tessa asks about it, handing her a glass of champagne. “Her name’s Jane. Sweet girl, but…” She exchanges a look with Bob.
“Not very competent yet,” Bob finishes diplomatically.
“Neither of them are,” Joyce admits with a laugh. “We figured it was better to just shut down for the day than risk them burning the place down.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Tessa says, clearly touched.
“Of course we did,” Joyce says, pulling her into a hug. “You’re family, sweetheart. We wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
Layla appears with a tray of shots, her grin mischievous. “All right, graduate. Time to celebrate properly.”
“Layla, it’s three in the afternoon,” Tessa protests, laughing.
“And?” Layla raises an eyebrow. “It’s your graduation party. The rules don’t apply.”
She has a point.
We all take a shot of tequila, and Tessa coughs immediately after, her face scrunching up. “God, I forgot how much I hate tequila.”
“You’ll learn to love it,” Finn says, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “Stick with us long enough, and you’ll develop a taste for it.”
“Or a drinking problem,” Miles adds dryly.
“Um, I’m thinking neither.” Tessa chuckles.
