My husband gathers champagne flutes, and Oliver grabs a bottle of champagne and orange juice from the fridge. With supplies in hands, we stroll over to the living room where everyone has congregated.
“A toast before the circus gets here,” Carter announces with that suave grin that makes me molten every single time. It drives the old ladies at town council meetings crazy, too.
“Gotta listen to our mayor.” Keats smiles and helps distribute the glasses.
Bella stands to sit on the armrest of the couch and next to Esme who placed her son on the ground to play with Cassie.
“Not fair. I have to resort to orange juice.” Hailey is grumbly, and I’m positive she’s physically uncomfortable, too.
Carter holds up the bottle. “I know today is for our daughter, but we deserve to celebrate too for surviving three years of hugs, tantrums, and thrown toys. But you gotta love them.” He glances over his shoulder to stare down affectionately at our daughter who looks up at him with doe eyes full of wonder and a cute little smile while she holds her stuffed dog. “Yes, we do. We love you,” Carter tells her in his special voice reserved for our daughter.
“To good neighbors and friends. Thankfully no snowstorm, either. Thank you for being here.” I begin to feel warmth on my face and then a sting at the top of my cheeks as tears swell at the bottom of my eye. “Okay, I’m emotional. My little baby is three, and we’re all getting older, and I just want to down some alcohol.”
Everyone lets out a chuckle and smiles as we all raise our glasses.
“Thankfully we all live on Everhope Road?—”
Oliver intercepts Carter’s effort to continue his toast. “Which also means it would be awkward if we turned down the party invite.” My husband grins, because as much as Oliver is joking, he raises a valid point.
“As I was saying. To all of us. Thank you for being here and celebrating our daughter’s third birthday. Cheers.”
Everyone clinks their glasses with whoever is closest before taking a sip.
“Ooh, this is yummy. Where is this from?” Esme studies the liquid in her glass.
“From Olive Owl, it’s from my family. I had a crateful in my trunk,” Bella explains.
Before Esme can further their conversation, the sound of the front door opening and a herd of people entering the house causes me to down the rest of my glass in one go.
I love our families. I really do. But together? I need all of the strength. Our parents plus singing “Happy Birthday” with cake all over Cassie and everyone insisting on photos. It’s going to be a scene, for sure.
“Where is my little grandbaby?” I already hear my mom, as she must be getting her coat and boots off.
I notice that Bella has roamed to the corner of the living room near the windows. She seems a little lost.
Joining her, I nudge her shoulder. “You okay? You seem off.”
She smiles weakly at me. “Totally.” She brings her drink to her lips, and it seems to be more of an avoidance tactic.
“Could’ve fooled me,” I reply flatly. “Come on, what’s up?”
“Don’t you have guests to attend to?”
I sputter a laugh. “Please.They’re not here for me. Besides, when Cassie is in the room then it’s like they forget who even lives here with her.”
“It’s just… everyone is so happy and with someone. Me?” She blows out a breath.
I give her a hug. “Relax. Mr. Right will come.”
“All of our cousins will be married before me.”
I chuckle and smile at her. “We have a lot of Blisswood cousins, and to my knowledge, nobody currently has a riveting love life.”
Bella looks at me as though I’m crazy. “Are you kidding me? Gracie is pregnant with the hockey coach, not planned.” We both swing our gaze to the kitchen where she is chatting with my mom.
“Oh yeah. But still, don’t worry.”
She gives me a stern look and points her finger at me. “Fine. You’re right. Maybe one day. I mean, I might have kind of accidentally broken that no-fraternizing clause that I signed.”
