He kisses me before saying, “You better not, I have big plans for you and you better not argue about it.”
“Trust me, I won’t.”
His words have me toppling over the edge and this time when he mumbles “good girl” my body tightens around him even more, as if it’s telling him he’s mine.
Thirty-Two: Noah
Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift
Iset the table for her, knowing that she'll be home any minute. I’m hoping she’ll enjoy rewriting history. Her mom kept all the decorations from her seventeenth birthday so it looks like pink unicorns threw up in the house right now. Her mom even sent me some of Audrey’s old posters so it feels like we’ve gone back in time. I know she was sad when she left this morning, when all I left her with was a quick, “Happy birthday” and a forehead kiss. But I was a man on a mission.
Music plays from the speaker as I mix a salad for us.
The front door opens and closes and I hear her gasp. Flashing her a wide smile, I move towards her, picking her up into my arms before singingHappy Birthday. She’s crying and peppering kisses all over my face.
“I can’t believe you did all this for me! I’m sorry I’m home late, Poppy and Daisy had a gift for me.”
I look at the clock and laugh. “Audrey, you’re home an hour earlier than usual. You’re definitely not late. Now come on, dinner’s ready.”
She smiles up at me like I’ve hung the moon. “I’m so lucky to have you, Noah. This is all so sweet.” She motions around the room.
A bottle of wine sits on the table and she eyes it with a laugh. “This isn’t some cheap-ass rosé, Noah Benson.”
We both laugh as a memory dances in my head.
“Audrey, you can have one drink, that’s all,” Connor states with a firm voice, as if he’s doubting his decision.
Audrey looks between the two of us. “You won’t tell Mom?”
“We won’t.” I reach onto the counter behind her, grabbing a half empty bottle of wine. “I assume you’d prefer sweet over bitter?”
“Probably. I don’t know?”
“Jesus, Noah. That's not some bottle of cheap-ass rosé, that's my parents' expensive shit!” Connor huffs out.
“It’s her birthday, she deserves something good for her first taste of wine, especially if she’s not a fan of beer.”
“This is what I get for letting you two ‘babysit me’ on my birthday.” Audrey rolls her eyes, taking the bottle from me.
“Whatever, I’m grabbing a beer. I’ll be right back.”
Audrey pours some wine into a glass with shaky hands.
“What if I throw up? Or get a hangover.”
“Connor and I are here to take care of you Auddie, I’ll make sure you drink enough water,” I reassure her, fighting the urge to reach out and hold her hand.
She looks around the room before sniffing the glass. “Why do people like this stuff so much? It smells like rotten fruit.” Tipping it back, she takes a small sip, closing her eyes, as if savoring her first drop.
And I savor the fact that I get to be part of yet another milestone moment in her life.
Three hours later, Connor is passed out on the couch and Audrey and I sit on the front porch, closer than usual.
She’s giggly and I’m not sure if it’s the high of the evening, but she’s got her hand on my thigh as she shoves a jelly bean in her mouth.
I don’t blame her for being hungry because the cake Connor and I made her was severely undercooked.
“Why do you like jelly beans so much?” I ask her as fireflies dance around the front yard.
