Page 106 of Make Mine Sweet
“Best cake I ever had,” Griffin adds.
“Shall we sing for the birthday boys?” Mom says. I tell myself she’s just trying to keep the party going.
“One more thing.” I grab my secret stash and pass them around.
Ian exhales a playful groan when he sees the party hats. I secure one on top of August’s head and turn to him. “They’re part of the fun.”
He frowns, but his gaze is on my mouth. “I’m going to need more bribes.”
“I can do that,” I whisper, securing the elastic beneath his beard and settling the hat on his head.
I light the candles, and Ian hefts August onto his hip while we sing the birthday song to them. August tilts his head to touch Ian’s chin, smiling like a goofball and hamming it up for the phone cameras turned their way.
I take pictures too, but mostly, I just watch them. They’re so adorable together, soaking up the attention of our small group of friends. Ian locks eyes with me and winks. Pretty sure Wren and Hope hear my sigh. I am a hopeless case.
They each blow out a candle, my two birthday boys.
I slice the cake, and Wren passes out plates. My happy little heart goes on floating as everyone praises the Meyer lemon cake with strawberry cream filling.
“Oh my gosh.” Iris covers her mouth with one hand, her eyes wide. “Steven, I’m sorry. I’m leaving you to run away with this cake.”
Steven swallows his bite. “I knew a baked good would get between us one day.”
“Why aren’t these on Blackbird’s menu?” Jodi has no idea the weight behind her innocent question. “I haven’t even finished my slice, and I want another one.”
I stuff my face with cake, making eye contact with nobody. I’m planning to talk with Mom, but a joint birthday party really isn’t the time for me to put my foot down.
“We’re still working out her terms.” Wren’s saucy answer earns some laughs. “She demands a raise and a bigger workspace.”
“She deserves it.” Amy shoots a meaningful look Mom’s way.
Hope makes a strangled sound. “You’re not avoiding adding cakes to the menu because of me, right?”
Mom sets a hand on her arm. “We’re glad to have The Painted Daisy right where it is.”
Hope relaxes again and takes another bite of cake. “Thank goodness.”
She convinced Mom to sublet part of our bakery space to her a couple of years ago. Before Mom took it over, our shop was a restaurant, and the extra floor space made sense. But we never quite figured out a good use for so much room as a bakery. We’re not really an eat-in location, and so much empty space was honestly kind of dreary. Hope moving her gift shop in was the perfect solution.
Still. Sometimes it hurts that Mom believes in Hope’s small business dreams more than mine.
“Presents now?” August asks.
I wipe the chocolate frosting mustache from his upper lip. He only had a sliver of cake, but half of it made it onto his face. “Presents now.”
Mom helps me roll out the August-sized bicycle I’ve had stashed away in her garage for the last week. He puts his bike helmet with dinosaur overlay on immediately. He starts pedaling around the patio, thanks to the training wheels I had installed. Wobbling steadily from one side to the other, but he’s moving.
“That’s so perfect for him,” Wren says.
“Shepherd helped me pick everything out.”
She purses her lips, clearly torn on whether or not she still likes the bike.
August receives a few more gifts, including a giant T-rex from Ian. It roars and shrieks and even makes thudding sounds as if it’s stalking prey. He uses it to harass the squishy stuffed animal Hope gave him.
“Now Ian’s presents!” August's clutching the T-rex in one hand, the squishy in the other, still wearing his new bike helmet.
Ian tries to go all scowly on me, but it’s too late. Presents are happening whether he likes it or not.
