“What are you doing here?”
“Are you mad?”Marlee returned quickly instead of answering my question.
“No, just surprised.”
Marlee turned her head and grinned, telling Miranda the coast was clear because I wasn’t mad. Miranda hugged me like she hadn’t seen me in years. It kind of felt that way because god I’d missed them.
“We thought you would be angry. Ryland reached out and invited us here for your birthday. I told him you didn’t do birthdays but didn’t tell him why. He wouldn’t let up and said he wanted you to have the people you care about here for the weekend. So I agreed but told him if you were pissed, he would have to fix it,”Marlee signed, speaking the words for Miranda.
I glanced at the door, which was still open with no signs of Ryland, and my mother walked up, hugging me equally as tight as Miranda had before she signed,“He’s hiding to make sure this goes well before he comes in here to face your wrath.”
“I’m not that bad…”
Marlee and my mother both narrowed their eyes in challenge and I rolled mine.
“Okay fine, but for good reason. I’m glad you’re here.”
I hugged Roland and Orlando before my mother moved closer, signing as discreetly as she could.“Are you sure? We can leave if it’s too much. I know birthdays aren’t your thing.”
“This kind of birthday is definitely my thing. Look at this house,”I signed, then flicked my hand in the air.“And I missed you. I’m glad you’re here.”
Her expression softened. She had her arms around me again, pulling back seconds after to sign,“I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.”I grinned at Roland.“So we’re traveling as a couple now?”My brow inched up just a little.“This is really a thing then?”
Roland stepped closer to my mother, hooking an arm around her and smiling like a man who was claiming whatever they had going on as he nodded.
“I’m glad. It’s been too many years of her pretending she wasn’t feeling you.”
Roland chuckled and my mom rolled her eyes.“Mind your business.”
“I sure will because you’re finally minding your own so I don’t have to,”I signed with a smug grin.
Ryland came through the door with our luggage and surveyed the scene before his gaze met mine.“I already had it planned before I knew you didn’t celebrate. It was last minute getting them here but I figured you would want to spend this weekend with the people you love.”
People I love?
I guess that has a double meaning because spending it with you is definitely turning out to be a highlight…
“Thank you. This is perfect.”I lifted on my toes and kissed him while Ryland hooked an arm around my waist, pulling me in to hold me hostage before dropping his head and his eyes locked on mine, speaking privately. “You sure?”
When I grinned and nodded, he dropped another kiss then went to greet everyone. This man was determined to surround me in love and wasn’t selfish about how I received that love. He brought my family here to celebrate with me.
“Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Can I put my swimsuit on? Miranda said she will take me to the beach.”Rylee was all in with this trip, but more due to having access to the beach than my birthday.
“Yes, let’s find our rooms and get you changed.”I tapped her nose and Ryland grabbed our bags so we could have a quick tour and get situated in our room. The open area of the living room and kitchen separated the space into a split level on both sides.
Marlee, his parents, and my mom and Roland were on one side, while me, him, and Rylee had the other side. Our bedroom was at one end of the hall with the one Rylee would be occupying on the other, just like at his house in Crescent Falls. After I got Rylee changed, she was on her way to the beach with everyone while Ryland hung back to check in with me.
He sat on a pale yellow scalloped chair near the corner of our room, and when I stepped between his legs, he motioned for me to sit down. Once I was facing him on his lap, his hands were moving.
“Now that there’s no audience, is there anything you want to say?”
“Are there any more surprises?”