Very sweet and sassy and southern; however, I get the feeling she’s going to be just as welcoming to me in person as she has been over the phone.
“I’ll make sure to check on her sitch in the mornin’.”
I’m barely two steps into the house when my foot collides with a balloon, instantly dropping my jaw. “What the…”Continuing forward has me stomping through the assortment of them that are littering the floor. Some are solid colors. Some are polka dotted. There are ones with words. Ones with crowns. Music notes. It isn’t until I’ve arrived in the kitchen that I see my nickname spelled out in bright gold, fully inflated lettering, hovering near the kitchen island. “Ohmygod!”
“Perfect,” Thayne proudly sighs, collecting my stare. “Your reaction was.Absolutely. Perfect.”
It’s almost impossible to speak, “I…I…can’t believe you…did all this…”
“Baby, I would’ve done so much more if I were in town,” he proudly gushes. “The woman of my dreams bein’ born today is a celly that should end all cellys.”
Softly cooing at his retort barely has time to leave my lips.
“So, there’soneespresso walnut cream cupcake in the fridge for dessert – I let Bronskie pick that out – and it’s sittin’ next to a bottle of pink Moscato. I got the one you really liked that first night I met your parents.”
Additional awe appears in my gaze.
“That is to go with dinner from Baltywood which is scheduled to be delivered within the hour.”
My cracked jaw only becomes more so.
“You mentioned wantin’ to try their crabcakes, so I ordered you them and a wedge salad ‘cause I know how much you love the green but not how much you gotta shell out for it.”
Hunks of lettuce shouldn’t cost that much!
“Now,” he smugly smirks at the same time he drops onto the edge of his hotel mattress, found shoe in hand, “if would kindly allow me to escort you up the stairs to our bedroom, where the rest of your birthday surprises are waitin’ I would greatly appreciate it.”
“There’s more?!”
“Of course there’s more, Gillybean.” The phone gets dropped at his side. “This may be my first season as the man in your life, but it ain’t my first rodeo.” My frame spins the direction of the stairs, internally excited to wade through the balloons a second time. “I know a boyfriend should be good to his woman on her special day and a man determined to marry her should beplayoffgood, aye?”
More swoons slip loose and I don’t bother hiding them.
Why should I?
He’s earned them.
Every.
Single.
One.
Seeing him wiggling around allows me to catch a glimpse of his brightly colored foot covering as well as lovingly tease, “Nice ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Feetkini’.”
“Why thank you,” he loudly laughs while leaning over to give a view of his bright beam. “Unlike the song though, I do not plan to try to stay in the locker room.”
“The thought never crossed my mind,” lovingly gets softly spoken. “You in tonight?”
“I am.”
“Cali’s…what…fourth in the conference?”
“They’ll be fifth when we’re done with ‘em.”
“Love the rizz.”
“Hate how you sound like Bronny.”
