Fighter (Outsider Series) (31 page)

“Thanks,” he murmured, flicking a piece of hair out of his eye. “We’ll have this ready for you tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much,” I smiled brightly.

“I can check you out down there,” he motioned to the registers and then the shopping cart.

Charlotte and Chris followed along behind me. I handed over the stuff and the guy scanned and bagged it.

I handed him the cash and he dropped the receipt in the bag.

“Have a nice day,” he winked before handing me the bags.

In the parking lot, Chris dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Oh my God! That guy has a serious crush on you.”

“He did not,” I opened the trunk of my Honda Pilot.
“Married, remember?” I held up my left hand.

Chris wiped tears from her eyes. “I don’t think that mattered to him.”

“Eeeewww,” I shuddered. “He was more than likely checking one of
you
out,” I looked between Chris and Charlotte before I slid into the drivers’ seat.

“Nope,” Chris said. “It was you. He must have a thing for brunettes.”

“I’m going to hit you,” I warned her.

“No, you won’t,” Chris smirked.

“Wanna bet?” I challenged.

She eyed me. “Uh, maybe not.”

“Good answer,” I laughed. “Want to get something to eat while we’re here?” I motioned to the various restaurants surrounding us.

“I’m starving,” Charlotte said from the back.

I pulled into the parking lot of the Texas Roadhouse.

“Is this place okay with you guys?”

“Hell yeah,” Chris said, already out of the car.

Luckily, the place wasn’t super busy and we got seated right away.

I immediately dig into the rolls.

“Geez girl, slow down,” Chris laughed.

“Sorry,” I swallowed, “I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”

“Just… slow down a bit,” Charlotte giggled. “People might start staring.”

I lowered the roll and dropped it onto the plate. I grabbed up the menu and decided not to eat any more rolls until I ordered my food.

The
waitress came to get our drink order we went ahead and ordered our food. I got a salmon meal, Charlotte got steak, and Chris ordered ribs. I was really looking forward to Chris looking like a mess.

It was really nice being out with the girls. It had been far too long. I resolved to have more ‘girl’ days with them. I needed to get out of the house more often.

“So,” Chris nibbled delicately on her BBQ slathered rib, “what did you get Caeden for his birthday?”

“Just clothes and some odds and ends things.”

“That’s it?” Chris raised a brow.

“Well, there’s something else…”
I said.

“What is it?”
Chris practically shrieked.

“It’s a surprise,” I grinned.

“Tell me! You have to tell me!” Her eyes practically bugged out of her head as she begged.

I laughed. “No way. You’ll find out what it is tomorrow, just like everyone else.”

“Fun sucker,” Chris mumbled under her breath.

I laughed. “I just want it to be a surprise.”

“At least tell me, you indulged yourself in some sexy lingerie for the birthday boy,” Chris smiled.

I sputtered and nearly spat out my water. “I think I have plenty of
that,
thanks to you.”

“Yes you do,” she waggled her eyebrows. “Have you tried out the crotch-less panties?”

“Oh my God!” I slapped my hands over my ears. “I can’t believe you just said that in the middle of a restaurant!” I hissed.

Chris
laughed and looked me straight in the eye. “Crotch. Less. Panties. See, I said it again,” she smirked.

I looked to Charlotte for help
, but she was too busy giggling.

“I am never going anywhere with you ever again!” There went the notion of more ‘girl’ days. My poor heart wouldn’t be able to handle any more of Christian.

By some miracle, we managed to make it through our meal without being asked to leave.

*
* *

“Don’t leave,” Caeden wrapped his arm around my torso and pulled me back down onto the bed. He burrowed his face into my neck.

“I have to go get your stuff for the party,” I said.

“Let me go with you,” he begged.

“I don’t think so, mister. I have to get something while I’m out, that you definitely can’t see,” I wiggled, trying to get him to let me go.

“Fine,” he released me. “At least give the birthday boy a kiss before you leave.”

I was more than happy to oblige him and
he
was more than happy to take the kiss up several notches. If he kept this up, neither one of us would be leaving the bed today.

“I’ve really got to go,” I pulled away.

“I know,” he ran his fingers through his hair. “Hurry back?”

“Of course,” I smiled. “And Caeden?”

“Yeah?”

“Happy Birthday.”

He grinned. “Thanks babe.”

Before he could talk me into not leaving, I jumped in the shower. I knew there wouldn’t be time for one when I got home.
I dried my hair and pulled it back into a sloppy ponytail. I dressed in some black yoga pants a loose white t-shirt before pulling on my new tennis shoes.

Caeden was back asleep and both the dogs had climbed in the bed.

I smiled at the peaceful vision of my little family.

* * *

A different person was working at the party store today, but as promised, my order was ready.

The woman helped me carry all the balloons and banner to my car. We stuffed the balloons in the trunk and I thanked her.

I headed over to the Target next door, to get my last minute item.

It didn’t take me long to locate it and I also grabbed up some wrapping paper and a box while I was there. I had used up the last of the
wrapping paper on Caeden’s other presents.

I drove home and found Gram’s car in the driveway along with Amy’s.

I pulled into the garage and bounced into the house. “Hey, Amy! Can you help me with something?”

“Of course,” she came from the kitchen.

I motioned to the trunk of my car. “Can you bring the balloons in and hang the banner while I take care of this?” I lifted the Target bag.

“Sure,” she smiled. “Take your time, I’ve got this covered.”

“Thank you so much!” I hugged her and ran in the house and up the steps.

I grabbed some scissors and tape before barricading myself in the bathroom, so that I could take care of Caeden’s last present.

I disposed of ‘the evidence’ and put some makeup on before changing into jeans and a flowery top. I let my hair down from its ponytail so that it hung down my shoulders just the way Caeden liked it.

I grabbed the wrapped boxes from my closet
, the shirt I had bought Nolan, and started down the steps.

“Whoa! Let me help you with that!” Nolan said, as he passed by below. He hopped up the steps and took the teetering stack from me. “I don’t think
the birthday boy would be too happy if you dropped all of his presents.”

“No, he wouldn’t,” I laughed and tucked the small box in my back pocket.
“I got this for you by the way,” I held up the tiger shirt.

He threw his head back and laughed. “That’s the coolest shirt ever.”

“Glad you like it,” I smiled and draped it over his arm.

The Happy Birthday banner hung from the archway of the family room and I saw that everyone else had arrived as well.

Amy had tied the balloons in different places throughout the room and they bobbed whenever someone passed them.

Gram came over to me and patted my cheek. “Hey Gram,” I hugged her. “I’ve missed you.”

“Not as much as I’ve missed you,” she squeezed me back.

“Thank you so much for making Caeden’s cake on such short notice. With everything going on, it just slipped my mind.”

“Don’t worry about it. I left the cake in the kitchen though. I think Amy said something about you wanting to do the cake first and then presents, but I doubted you wanted the cake in the family room.”

“You know me so well,” I smiled and kissed her wrinkled cheek.

“Where do you want me to put these?” Nolan nodded his head down at the presents he was holding.

“Oh, sorry! Just put them on the ottoman.”

I saw Caeden talking with Bentley and headed over to him.

Kissing his cheek I said, “Are you ready for your cake, birthday boy?”

“Oh yeah,” he patted his stomach.

“Everyone!” I had to yell to get their attention. “Let’s head to the kitchen for cake!”

The shifters practically ran
to the kitchen when I said cake. 

I laughed and Caeden took my hand. “They better not eat all of my cake,” he grumbled. “I
want at least one piece left over.”

“Don’t worry,” Gram said, from the archway. “I made you an extra one and put it in the refrigerator.”

“Ah, Lucinda, you’re the best!” Caeden hugged her.

“I try,” she smiled.

“Hurry up!” Bryce called from the kitchen.

“We better get in there,” I laughed.

I grabbed up the boxes of candles I had bought the day before and proceeded to stick nineteen in. I pulled a lighter out of the drawer.

Once they were all lit
, I started to sing Happy Birthday and everyone joined in.

“Make a wish!” I said before Caeden blew out the candles.

He promptly blew them all out and grinned like a little boy. “Now, cut me some cake.”

I laughed and grabbed the cake cutter. “Alright
, birthday boy, which piece do you want?”

He pointed to one of the end pieces that had the most icing. “That one.”

I cut him an extra big slice of cake and stuck a fork in the middle of it before handing it to him.

“Who’s next?”

“Me! Me! Me!” Bryce shrilled.

Once everyone had a piece
, I finally got to enjoy mine. Caeden was on his second slice.

“Happy Birthday, Caeden,” my dad told him.

“Thanks,” Caeden said with a smile.

“We’re so happy that Sophie has you,” my mom chimed in.

Caeden’s cheeks colored. “I think I’m the lucky one.”

And I think that I just swooned.

“Hey Lucinda!” Caeden called.

Gram lifted her head from her own plate. “The cake is delicious! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Gram said.

“Are you guys done?” I looked around at all the empty plates. When they nodded I pulled out the trashcan from its hidden compartment in the cabinets and pointed. “Trash goes in here, not scattered around my house,” I warned them.

“Does this mean, present time?” Caeden asked, grinning.

“Yes,” I laughed and rolled my eyes.

“Woohoo,” he ran to the family room.

Amy laughed with me and said, “We better get in there before he rips them all open. Sometimes, I think he could give Bryce a run for his money with his exuberance over presents.”

I sat beside Caeden on the couch, where he was shaking a present. “Which one can I open first?”

“Whichever you want,” I said.

He ripped it open.  It was the wallet.

“Thanks babe,” he grinned.

“Don’t thank me yet. There’s more.”

Next he opened a present from Bryce. It was an Xbox game. “Thanks Bryce!”

“I bought that with the intention that you’d invite me over to play,” Bryce said.

“Sure, sure,” Caeden chuckled.

“I mean it,” Bryce warned. “Don’t make me take it back. You know I will.”

Caeden chuckled. “I promise to let you come over and play it.”

“Thank you, that’s all I ask,” Bryce relaxed.

Caeden looked over at me and rolled his eyes. “Bryce always buys presents with… ulterior motives.”

Bryce stuck his tongue out. “What’s the point in buying someone a present if I’m not going to benefit from it?”

Caeden shook his head and grabbed a present that was from my parents. “You guys really didn’t need to get me anything.”

“We know,” my dad said, “But we wanted too.”

Caeden lifted the lid off the box. An assortment of gift cards for all different places were scattered around the box. “Wow! Thank you!” he leaned over and hugged my mom
. “Here, babe, hold onto these. I don’t want to lose them.”

I laughed as he grabbed another box. This box was huge and really long.

“I have no idea what this is…” he tore the paper off. “Holy shit! Mom! You didn’t!”