Walter sat in a place of honor on the couch, the room full of people. Keith, his wife, and daughter stood off to one side, while Lisa bounded after her toddler, who seemed hellbent and determined to catch Andro as he crawled across the floor. Lisa’s husband gave Keith a whole lot of stink eye. Oh, yeah. Break into someone’s house and they held it against you forever.
Couldn’t happen to a better asshole.
Tiny Mrs. Smith sat next to Walter, and Rett sat in the reclining chair, holding a sleeping Jenny while her son stroked Jenny’s hair, a look of wonder on his face.
Charlotte grabbed Lucky’s hand and led him to the free end of the couch, pushing him down once they got there. Dang, but the woman was strong.
“I am so happy to be out of maternity jeans,” she told him.
He glared at Rett until she surrendered Jenny. Jenny yawned and settled into the crook of Lucky’s arm. Rone crept over to Lucky to continue petting the baby like a puppy. At least he wasn’t hiding behind Rett all the time anymore.
Bo made a circuit of the room, shaking hands and giving out hugs. If Lucky had his way, he’d be inching into the kitchen. Parties meant cake.
He’d even pretend not to notice Jimmy holding Charlotte’s hand if it meant he’d get empty calories of the chocolate kind.
“It’s my birthday. Why don’t I have cake?”
“Yes, sir!” Ty saluted and disappeared into the kitchen, Chelsea on his heels. Keith’s laser vision might melt the kitchen door.
After enough time to find a plate in another state and cut the cake with a feather, Ty returned with what could only be described as a slab of heaven disguised as chocolate. “Cake first,” Lucky said, placing the plate on one thigh to eat one-handed while holding Jenny in his other arm. A mass stampede headed for the kitchen.
Bo took advantage of a suddenly empty couch and sat down next to Lucky. His eyes gleamed. “Can I tell them?”
Lucky stopped with a bite of cake halfway to his mouth. “You mean they don’t already know?” Hard to keep a secret around Lucky’s nosy family. A few of the people in the room could have had their intimate dinner bugged, and Walter, well, Walter Smith knew everything.
Bo shook his head, a smile playing over his lips. He scooped up a passing Andro and told Ty, “I got him. Go get cake.”
The crowd returned and Ty handed out gifts. Ty and Todd went in together with their Mom to replace the handgun Lucky lost in the car fire. Thank goodness it hadn’t been the .38 Walter gave him. He might have to go drag O’Donoghue back from Hell and kill him again for that.
Walter and his wife gave him gift certificates to local restaurants—ones far ritzier than Lucky’s normal hangouts—and movie theatres. “Lucille and I will keep the kids while you have a date night.”
Hell, Lucky’d just gotten the little tykes. Why did everyone think he’d want to pawn them off on someone else? He smiled and nodded. “Thanks.” See? He could be taught.
He ripped open the next package. Somehow Andro wound up with the bow stuck on top of his head. Rett and her son gave Lucky a new gym bag. She’d heard him bitch enough about someone taking his old one the night his car blew up.
The last shred of wrapping paper fluttered to the floor, to be pounced on by Andro and Lisa’s son.
Bo cleared his throat. “Can I have everyone’s attention please. I have an announcement to make.” He brought Lucky’s hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. “Earlier this evening, Lucky agreed to become my husband.”
Lucky had no idea what anyone’s reactions were, for he suddenly found Bo tongue-deep in his mouth. They broke apart to applause.