Still, showing up now, alone, feels kind of weird. Or maybe that’s just the reality of being unsurprised for your own surprise party. Dex starts clapping as I approach. “Welcome to thirty, brother.”
“Thanks, I think.” We go in for one of those man hugs, complete with a couple of back slaps, then I nod at the door.
“Are we doing this thing on the street tonight, or what?” I smirk. “That reallywouldbe a surprise.”
“Nah. The ladies will be meeting us soon. I asked you here early so we could grab a drink first. Just the two of us. But not here.” He jerks his chin to indicate a spot farther down the street.
“Uh.” My brows pull in. “So we’re gonna go grab a drink before we go to a bar?”
“Pretty much.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets. Looks at his shoes.
Fishy.
But as I already established, I’m not the guy who ruins a plan. “Lead the way, partner.”
We head down Maple, then make a right. Two blocks down, we pass the spot where Loren and I parked the night of our joint bachelor and bachelorette party. I gave her that new wedding dress at the curb right there.
Her face floats up into my memory, her shocked smile, those blue eyes shining in the moonlight. But I’m here to grab a drink with my boy, not get all mushy about my wife.
So I clear my throat and glance at Dex. “Any hints where we’re going?”
“Come on. You know me, man.” He punches my the shoulder. “I’d never ruin a surprise.”
“Right.” I’m still chuckling when I look up and note the sign at the end of the street. And I get ideas. “Dude.” I grin. “Are we going to Chop?”
Dex lifts his palms. “Busted.”
Chop is a brand-new steakhouse I’ve been dying to try, but the place just opened during the weeks of well … during my weeks of Loren. So it’s too bad Dex and I are only going here for a drink here tonight.
I sure do love a good ribeye.
Inside, Chop is exactly what I’d imagined. Rich woods.Leather seats. Pendant lights illuminate the entryway. I make a mental note to return here as soon as possible with Loren. As it turns out, in the whirlwind of this month, my wife and I have never been on an actual date.
At least not officially.
The place is packed tonight, no surprise. Dex nods a greeting to the hostess, then continues to the bar across the main dining room. But instead of stopping to look for a couple of stools for us to grab a drink, he veers left.
I follow, confused.
And that’s when I see it. Seethem.
Not just Loren and Sayla. But a dozen people standing around a long table in the corner. There are balloons, a birthday banner, and a ridiculous party hat with the number thirty flashing on top. Plus a cake. Not a tampon in sight.
All right, folks.
Thisis a surprise.
Over the next half hour, I’m swarmed by hugs and well-wishes from Dex’s entire family. His parents and his three sisters all showed up. Kendal’s husband, too. And Landry’s boyfriend. JoJo is still single, but maybe not for long. She’s definitely got eyes for Noah. The fact that Loren invited him is, sort of strangely, a comfort. Clearly, she sees him as a friend. Part of the family. And I do like the guy. He takes good care of Harlan.
And that’s good with me.
Am I shocked to see Rosalind here too? You bet. Then again, she did decide to stick around through the weekend so we could talk more about future business plans. We’ve got some promising stuff on the horizon already.
Since there’s no Ritz-Carlton in Harvest Hollow, she’s slumming it over at the Maple Tree Inn. But she seemed legitimately excited about the free breakfast. As it turns out, she’s about as down-to-earth as an heiress can be. Inever wanted to marry the woman, but I like her as a friend.
An extremely wealthy friend with a very good heart, who also happens to be her own trustee.
Thirty minutes in, we haven’t even sat to eat yet, which is fine by me. I’ll take any excuse to catch Loren’s eye across a room and see that smile play across her face. My insides heat at the sight of her. Every time.