“No, I’m fine. Really. This is a perfect cake.” My voice is nasal, and I sniffle. “I’m just sotouched. That’s all.”
Bryce holds out a beautifully folded white handkerchief. I stare at it, unsure what to do. He sighs and tenderly runs it over my cheeks and chin, then places it on my nose. “Blow,” he orders me.
I hesitate, but he gives me a go-ahead look. I take the soft fabric and blow my nose daintily. It’s surreal to be taken care of like this. I realize then that I was never taken care of when I was growing up.
“Are you feeling better now?” Bryce asks.
My face heats with embarrassment. “Yes. Thank you.” I turn to everyone. “Thank you so much. I just got so emotional.”
“It’s just a cake,” Josh mutters.
“A perfect cake,” I say, then blow out the candles.
“Make a wish,” Jeremiah says with a soft smile. “A perfect cake might have more power than others.”
Bryce, Ares and Josh look horrified at their aunt’s statement.
“When did angels start possessing bodies?” Prescott says, staring at his sister like he doesn’t recognize her anymore.
Akiko shakes her head. “Don’t be mean, dear. Jeremiah’s right.” She turns to me with a motherly smile. “Make a wish.”
I nod and close my eyes. The desire to belong to the Huxleys forever surges, but I don’t dare ask for it. It’s too precious.Please protect and keep this family safe.
I open my eyes and smile. “Thank you. This is the best birthday celebration ever.”
“Better than the one I gave you before?” Bryce asks, eyebrows raised.
“That was different. It was just you and me. This is your family.”
His eyes soften. “It’s your family, too.”
I look at him silently. One heartbeat. Two… Three… I know he’s saying this for the sake of his family. He knows better than me that I don’t belong, but I desperately want to pretend for the evening. So I smile. “Yes, they are.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Bryce
The cake is delicious, but of course Akiko is an excellent baker. She could make a fortune with a bakery, but has zero interest in running a business.
Fiona’sreactionto the cake was a little shocking. Although… I think back to the belated birthday dinner I gave her while we were dating at Harvard. She didn’t cry, but she blinked a lot, and her eyes glistened quite a bit. So maybe she was holding back tears at that time, too…?
It’s almost as if her family never celebrated her birthday, but how could that be? Or did Aaron get extra nasty with her on those occasions? It wouldn’t surprise me a bit—he’s always been a complete asshole.
The way her eyes looked sad even as she smiled and said the Huxleys were her family, too… It made my heart clench, andI don’t like it. Her impact on my emotions is growing each day, while I’m nowhere near accomplishing my goal of getting her out of my system. Objectively speaking, I’m actually farther away from the target.
Still, damn it, I can’t stay unmoved when she sheds tears like that. Not sure why, because when women cry, I usually just look away and pretend I’m not there. Otherwise, I feel like I’m getting a brain tumor.
But now, in the car, Fiona is beautiful with her cheeks glowing, hereyes bright. When we finally arrive back at our place, she sighs. “Thank you. Your family’s wonderful.”
Her brilliant smile hits me like a wrecking ball. I can’t speak, so I do the next best thing—once we go inside, I pull out a box from the small gift bag hidden in a kitchen cabinet. I was going to give it to her before we left, but got distracted when she mentioned meeting Harvey.
She blinks, then flushes. “You didn’t have to—”
“It’s your birthday.” I push the box toward her.
She opens the lid, then gasps, her jaw going slack. It’s all I can do to suppress an urge to kiss her. “Ohwow…”
“It’s…” I shrug. “Whatever.”
