“All right, enough crying!” I declared. “This is a celebration! Music! Dancing! Cake!”
I hit play on the sound system, and Kaori linked arms with our girl.
“Come on,” she said. “Mrs. Wentzel’s cake is a masterpiece, and you have to cut the first slice.”
Mrs. Wentzel beamed with pride as they approached the cake, and that almost set off another round of tears, but Seri kept it together as she took the knife and made the first cut while we applauded.
As the party progressed, our guest of honor moved from person to person, her face glowing as she accepted congratulations and praise. Cas stayed close to her, although I noticed him relaxing incrementally as the evening wore on. Ko alternated between engaging in serious conversation with Kaori about the implications of Seri’s ward, and staring at Seri with that soft, besotted expression he got whenever she did, well,anything.
Then our beloved clapped her hands in delight, her eyes shining with happiness as she looked around at all of us.
“This is the best night! Thank you all so much.”
“Don’t thank us yet,” I warned her with a wink. “The night’s still young, and it’s time for the games to begin!”
“Please don’t,” Cas said without any real hope of being heeded.
The cannon chose that moment to activate. Glitter. Everywhere. Chaos Level:Apocalyptic.
#
“Next up: Floatie Race!” I yelled.
“Ko! Shouldn’t you be keeping this guy in check?” Foster grabbed a glass from the drinks table, smirking at me over the rim.
“Let me have my fun, Fozzy Wozzie! And while you’re at it, prepare to be crushed by the Fuzz Squad, you loser!”
I crammed a piece of cake into Brumster’s mouth, grabbed another for myself, and led the charge to the far side of the dock.
“Ready to race?” I shouted. “Every swan on the lake is in play. First pick of party favors for anyone who beats me back here!”
“Addy, you’re with me!” Foss-man yelled, already crouched in run position.
With a grin, Ko teamed up with Seri despite Cas’ muttered, “Don’t encourage him, Serafina.”
Oh, Fuzz Squad wasfullyencouraged. Brum-Brum barked in excitement, and I barked with him.
Everyone participated, even old Mrs. Wentzel, who teamed up with Kaori. Only Sir No-Fun and Father Frostbite stood on the dock with crossed arms and watchful eyes, a resemblance neither wouldeveracknowledge.
We stayed on the water until moonrise, then it was back to the dock for another round of drinks before more games, including a gummy worm scavenger hunt by headlamp. It helped that The Darkling’s Regret was much stronger than anticipated.
Koa waited until we’d all drifted back toward the food, then said the thing he was best at saying: Just enough.
“Nothing’s better than seeing you happy,” he finished.
All right, one point to him,I decided graciously.
More cake. More drinks. More hugs. Then the evening settled into its final act as the sky deepened to indigo, stars pricking through the darkness like tiny diamonds.
I signaled the DJ—okay, it was just a playlist on my phone, but I liked to pretend—to transition to slow dance music. The lively pop beats were replaced by the gentle strains of a string quartet that floated across the lake like a dream.
It was, if I do say so myself, romantic as hell.
“Who’s ready for some awkward swaying to emotional music?” I clapped my hands together.
“Must you describe everything in theleastappealing way possible?” Cas shot me a look.
“It’s a gift,” I replied with a shrug.
