Page 85 of Call it Reckless

“Dad, when are we going to plan my birthday?”

“When’s your birthday?”

“In two weeks.”

I looked at her dad. “And you haven’t planned it yet?”

“What? We still have two weeks.”

I shook my head. “But you need to let people know, like yesterday.”

“Bri, no one here is that busy. This isn’t the big city where you need a save the date announcement before you even send an invitation.

“Still, you need to have a plan.” I looked at Lexi. “What do you want to do?”

“I’m not really sure.”

“What about one of those bounce house things?” her dad suggested.

Again, we stared at him. Was he really serious?

“Dad, I’m not five. I’m turning ten. I’m more than halfway to becoming an adult.”

I had to slap Reid on the back as he choked on his beer.

“How about a tie-dye or a jewelry-making party?”

“Oh, that might be fun.”

Another thought struck me. “Or, what about a spa party?”

“What’s that?”

“Maybe you could come to Head to Tow and have manicures and pedicures for your friends.”

Lexi’s eyes lit up. “That would besocool!”

“We could have a station where everyone could make their own bath oils or bath bombs.”

Lexi bounced in her seat. “Yes!”

I was getting into it, thinking about what I’d seen take place on Paige’s side. “You could even get everyone slippers to wear. I can ask Paige if she has any other ideas.”

“That would be so much fun.Noneof the other girls have done anything like that.”

Our pizzas arrived, and I realized Reid hadn’t commented.

Oh, no. I’ve overstepped.

“If all of that’s okay with you, that is.”

Reid sat beside me, one arm stretched behind me along the booth. His eyes looked content as he smiled at me.

“Sounds great to me,” he said. He played with a strand of my hair. I loved that touch. It was intimate without being overt, and I’d started leaving my hair down more since we’d been together, rather than pulling it back in a ponytail like I used to.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take over,” I told him, feeling guilty.

“I love that you want to be a part of it. I would have never come up with those ideas. You made my daughter happy. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

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