Page 86 of Make You Mine

The sound of the old jukebox filled the air, but all I could focus on was the hope that Piper would arrive soon.

“Ren,” Paige rushed to my side to hiss in my ear. “I’m going to warn you that there is a tiny surprise party in the back room—nothing to be alarmed about. But I knew you would hate it, so I'm here, letting you know in advance. Act surprised when you get back there. Okay?”

I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head at her. “Like this?”

“God, you’re bad at this.”

“What, being human? I know.”

Shaking her head, she hugged me. “Happy Birthday,” she whispered. “There will be chocolate cake. I promise you it will be worth it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Be happy. Go to the back. Don’t worry, they kept it real small, you’ll be okay.” She grinned at me.

“Ren!” Noah rushed out from the swinging doors that led to the back of the bar. “Happy Birthday, Mom said to bring you a beer the second we spot you.” He handed me a frosty mug, and I took a hearty sip.

“Thanks.”

“You still look grim,” Paige observed. “Smile, it’s your dang birthday.”

“I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed,” I confessed. “If I try to smile, I’ll end up looking like a weirdo.”

“I get you. Drink that beer and I’ll bring you another. It’s your birthday, time to get drunk and forget you’re a year older.”

The familiar warmth of the bar wrapped around me as I took another sip of beer. Paige and Noah had already disappeared back into the throng of people, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The room buzzed with laughter and chatter, the clinking of glasses and the shuffling of feet on the worn wooden floor.

I found a spot to sit, closing my eyes for a moment to try to soak in the atmosphere and shake off the lingering sadness. It was hard, though, with memories pressing in from all sides. I hadn’t seen Piper since I’d dropped Cody off, and even though she wasn’t really gone, and all I had to do was wait, I still missed her.

Paige returned with another beer, pulling me from my thoughts. “Here you go. Drink up, birthday boy.”

I smiled, a genuine one this time, and took the beer from her. “Thanks, Paige. Is Piper coming?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes, she is. But you need to go to the back. Seriously, it’s just Jake and Violet. I told you it’s small. Almost like they know you, huh? They’re waiting for you.”

“Okay. In a minute.”

Just as I took a sip of my beer, I saw Jake weaving his way through the crowd. His face lit up when he spotted me, and he raised his hand in a wave. “Come on, we’re in the back room. Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks,” I said, returning his grin. We hugged briefly, the back-slapping kind that Jake was fond of.

He pulled away, his eyes sparking with mischief. “Can’t believe you’re another year older. How does it feel?”

“Honestly? Just another day.” I shrugged, though I knew he’d see right through me.

He chuckled. “Yeah, I get it. Come on. Violet has our table. She’s waiting.”

I followed him through the crowd, making my way through the clusters of people talking and laughing. I was glad to see business had picked up for Paige.

The back room was dimly lit, with a warm, intimate atmosphere. Violet spotted us and waved, patting the seat next to her.

“Hey, birthday boy!” she greeted me with a bright smile, leaning in for a hug once I’d sat down. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks, Vi. You know, you didn’t have to do all this,” I said, gesturing to the festive decorations around the room.

Streamers and balloons hung from the ceiling, and a large banner that read “Happy Birthday” stretched across one wall.

“Oh, hush, it’s your special day and your first birthday in Honeybrook Hollow, we wanted to make it memorable.”

---