Grant sets her down and she immediately runs to join the other kids in the pool. He shakes my hand. “Happy birthday, man. Forty. How’s it feel?”
“Like I’m responsible for too many people.”
“Welcome to the club.”
Jess and Lucas arrive moments later with their boys, Finn and Theo. Finn makes a beeline for the pool while Theo, being three, needs more convincing.
“Come on, buddy,” Lucas says, crouching down. “You love the pool.”
“Want Daddy to come,” Theo says, grabbing Lucas’s hand.
“Okay. Let’s do it together.”
I watch Lucas walk his son to the shallow end, patient and gentle, and think about how far we’ve all come. Lucas went from being the guy who never wanted kids to being completely wrapped around his sons’fingers.
Jess joins Natalie and Sophia on the patio, and within seconds they’re deep in conversation. Probably about work. Jess’s podcast is bigger than ever, Sophia’s production company just green lit three new projects, and Natalie’s in post-production on season five ofSpellbound.
“Food’s ready!” I call out.
The kids descend like locusts. Isla leads the charge, wrapping herself in a towel and getting in line. Ruby’s right behind her, with June and Violet close behind. Sloane needs help, so Natalie scoops her up, toweling her off while she chatters about her swimming.
We fill plates, find spots around the yard. The adults cluster on the patio while the kids spread out on the grass, a mess of wet bathing suits and ketchup-covered faces.
Wyatt raises his beer. “A toast. To Jake. Forty years old and still somehow younger-looking than me.”
“That’s because you have three daughters,” I point out. “They age you.”
“Fair point.” He grins. “But seriously. To Jake. Best friend, coworker, fellow exhausted dad. Happy birthday.”
“To Jake!” everyone echoes.
I look around at all of them. My friends. My family. The people who showed up when Natalie went into labor early, who helped us move in together, who’ve been there for every birthday and holiday and every milestone since.
Natalie appears beside me, sliding her arm around my waist. “Good birthday?”
“The best.”
“Wait until you see what I got you.”
“Is it another tie?”
“It’s not another tie.” She leans up and kisses my cheek. “But you’ll have to wait until later. When the kids are asleep.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
Isla runs up, still dripping. “Daddy, can we do the cake now?”
“Let people finish eating first, pip.”
“But I’m done eating.”
“You had half a hot dog.”
“I’m full!”
Natalie laughs. “Why don’t you go play with Ruby for a few more minutes? Then we’ll do cake.”
Isla considers this, then nods and runs off.
