Page 192 of Built to Fall
And maybe she did.
All I know is that I’d do every single errand again if it means ending up right here—with her, on her birthday, happier than I’ve ever been in someone else’s company.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
LINA
“You know, usually when you show up to your own surprise party, you’re not supposed to know about it,” I whisper to Grant as we walk through the door of his house.
I’ve been teasing him about the fact that I figured it out all evening, and it still hasn’t gotten old.
You could say the balloons in the mailbox gave it away, or maybe the sidewalk chalk spelling outHAPPY BIRTHDAY LINAin Savannah’s perfect bubble letters.
When I first passed it all I could do was laugh. “Subtle.”
Grant winced and then said, “Yeah, the chalk may have been overkill.”
“Maybe,” I said.
Now, though, all I can think about is the fact I’m about to ruin my own surprise party.
I squeeze his hand before the door opens fully and the disco lights flick on.
“SURPRISE!”
It’s loud. So loud it echoes off the walls. There’s glitter in the air—or maybe confetti—and someone, probably Eden, yanks a party popper so hard it lets out a loudPOP!sound before ricocheting off the ceiling.
For a second, I pretend. I do the whole gasp-hand-to-my-mouth thing and even throw in a slight bend at the knees like I’m overwhelmed. And it’s not entirely fake. Just enhanced.
Because even though I knew it was coming, I didn’t know it would look like this.
The whole front room is decked out with streamers, and a hand-painted sign hanging across the living room says "LINA’S 21ST BIRTHDAY"in bold pink letters.
“Oh my god.”
Savannah rushes forward, phone already in her hand, recording me from an angle that’s definitely not flattering. “She’s not even surprised!” she yells to the room. “Look at her face! She already knew!”
“I knew it,” Eden grumbles, arms crossed. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“I plead the fifth.”
Grant grabs my shoulders, smiling as he leans down to whisper, “You’re a terrible actress, by the way.”
“I’m an incredible actress,” I whisper back. “You’re still convinced you can make me come. Aren’t you?”
Grant lets out a quiet laugh, the kind that’s low in his throat and far too confident. His fingers splay out against my hip, thumb brushing just under the hem of my skirt like he’s reminding me who exactly I’m teasing.
“Oh, pretty girl,” he murmurs near my ear, so low no one else can hear, “I don’t think you want to test me on that. We both know how that ends.”
I turn back to him, grinning. “With meacting.”
“Jesus, Lina, you’re not even drunk yet,” he mutters, but there’s a look in his eyes that says he’s enjoying this. Maybe more than he should in the middle of a room full of people yelling my name and shoving cupcakes at me.
“Would you rather I be drunk?” We both know it’d be easier for me to sleep tonight if I did, but at what cost?
“I give you full rein to be as crazy as you want, birthday girl,” Grant tells me, following me further into the party. “I’m staying sober. I’ll make sure you get home and into bed safe and sound."
“You’ll even take off my makeup?”
