“You betcha,” I respond.
“What was your sixteenth like?” Her tone is conversational. She has no idea that I want no reminder of that day. But of course, it floods back into my mind now.
It was huge, held in a ballroom. Part of the celebration, of course, was Piero getting down on one knee and proposing to the delight of my parents and their friends who were there. We were married one week later. Everything had already been arranged, and I was the only one who knew nothing about it.
Tight-lipped, I answer her. “I got an engagement ring from Piero.”
“Oh fuck, sorry.”
I force a smile. “Yeah, that’s all in the past. We done here?”
Her chin raise confirms that we are. I leave the kitchen to go greet my men. Then, we leave to go home.
We’ve been back at the house for almost a week, having returned just after the rest of the chapter got back from California. While I was glad to be home, I no longer minded going to the clubhouse. The men seem to have settled into a more comfortable relationship with me. And Freak, well, the first time Piston planted a kiss on my cheek for a particular meal I’d cooked that he’d enjoyed, I expected my man to explode. Instead, he just smiled lazily, then, when we came home, reminded me exactly who I belonged to and why.
Today, when we get in through the door, Freak and I try to act normally, while both of us are anticipating Ace’s reaction to his present and party tomorrow. As luck would have it, Ace had got a new game he wanted to try, so after dinner, he’d disappeared to his room, where we knew he’d be locked away for hours. I’m surprised and pleased that Freak seems so excited about tomorrow. I didn’t expect him to be so enthusiastic. Maybe he knows this year’s going to be special, when up to now he hasn’t treated Ace’s big day as anything particular tocelebrate. He was even tossing and turning all night, as if he was having trouble falling asleep.
The plan was for Dee to drive Ace’s car up to the house early the next morning. When I awoke and looked out the window, I could see that the prospect had done well. Not only was the car on the drive, but there was a huge red ribbon he must have somehow managed to place around it, topped off with an enormous bow.
Ace is a teenager. He sleeps in late. Freak and I admired the car, then twiddled our thumbs waiting for the star of the day to awake.
When, at last, there was movement from upstairs, I was ready and waiting as he wandered into the family room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. When I launched myself at him, hugging him tight, his eyes widened as though he was wondering what all the fuss was about.
“Happy birthday, son,” Freak barked, holding out his hand to be shaken.
“Er, thanks?”
Fuck, this kid who’d never really celebrated his birthday before didn’t seem to know how to take it.
“Here.” Freak pushes him toward the front door.
Ace hangs back. “I haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“Just come on.” Freak sounds as impatient as I feel. Both of us are anticipating Ace’s excitement when he sees what’s been bought for him.
The present is obvious. You can’t hide a cherry red Hyundai Tucson, even without the huge bow the prospect had fixed around it. Ace comes to a full stop, and his eyes go wide. His head shakes in disbelief. “This is for me?”
“Your sixteenth birthday present.” I knew Ace had applied for his driver’s permit six months ago along with the others of his age in his class, and had passed the knowledge and visiontests with flying colours. But he’d not been interested in driving Freak’s truck. It was far too big and powerful for him. The small SUV, though, was exactly right, as I could see from the gleam in his eyes.
Unable to hold back, when Freak passes him the keys, he steps forward, walks all the way around the outside, then opens the driver’s door and slides in. Freak sits in the passenger side and starts talking to Ace about the features.
Leaving the men to it, I step back into the house and go to prepare breakfast. All Ace’s favourites are, of course, on the menu. I’m partway through cooking when the phone rings.
“What do you want, Pippa? Need me to pick something up for this afternoon? Or has anything happened? Have the out-of-towners arrived?”
“Cool your tits, woman.” She laughs. “Everything’s all ready here. We’ve got the clubhouse and the tent decorated. The brothers stepped in to help.” She chuckles. “You should have seen them blowing up the balloons. You’d think they were a bunch of kids as they were letting them off half inflated just to hear the farting sounds.”
She can’t see me, but I suspect she knows I’m rolling my eyes. “I was going to come in and do it…”
“You don’t need to now. Believe me, they’ve smashed it.” I’ll have to take her word for it, but I’d like to check for myself. “Hey, I know you’re going into town to pick up the cake. How about I come and pick you up? I have an appointment at the hairdresser’s, and I booked one for you as well.”
“What?” I don’t know whether to be indignant or amused. “Way to tell me I look like shit, woman.”
“Just thought you might like to look your best for Ace’s special day.”
She has a point. The last few weeks have been hell, and while my bruises have almost disappeared now, styling my hair hasbeen at the bottom of my priorities. The thought of making a good impression, the first time I’m being introduced as Freak’s old lady to the visiting Kings, does go through my mind. The last time they saw me, I was in barely there shorts, a cropped top, and heavy makeup.
“If you’re sure everything’s ready there…”
