Page 97 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
“They’re almost too pretty to eat,” Lawson said.
All three women looked at him.
“No cupcake is ever too pretty to eat. Especially when you’re pregnant.” Kat looped her arm with Micah’s, who was standing beside her now. “Besides, I can’t wait another second to find out what kind of baby we’re having.”
“Hopefully a human one.” Lawson grinned at Ben, seated in his wheelchair at the table. He was going to be a big brother to a little girl or boy. That’s what they were all here to find out. Beside Ben, Sabrina squirmed in her chair, eyes fixed on the cupcakes. Julie could already imagine the fight she’d put up tonight when it was time for Beth to put her to bed.
Setting the tray on the long rectangular table, Val cleared her throat. “Sit down, everyone.” She looked at Kat and Micah. “Not you two. You two stand, so we all have a clear view when you take that first bite.” She lifted a cupcake and handed it to Micah. “You’re supposed to feed it to her. Kind of like a wedding cake.”
“And the cake will be blue or pink?” Kat asked.
“That’s right.” Val rubbed her hands together.
Julie reached for Lawson’s hand under the table. She really didn’t care if she was getting a niece or a nephew, as long as the baby was healthy, and happy, which it would be coming into this growing family.
“Here we go.” Micah lifted the cake to Kat’s mouth and Kat took a large, messy bite, leaving frosting on the top of her lip. Everyone laughed and then there was a collective “Awww!”
“It’s pink!” Ben announced loudly. “I’m getting a sister!”
Julie stood and threw her arms around Kat’s neck. “I’m getting a niece! Congratulations, big sister!”
There were tears and laughter, and excited chatter.
Val joined them in the group hug. “And I’m getting a mini-Kat. I can’t wait!”
They ate their meals after that and just before Julie was ready to nudge Lawson out the door, a waiter walked in holding another tray with a large chocolate cake and flickering candles.
“Not so fast,” Lawson said, tapping a spoon to his glass. No one else seemed to be surprised. Only Julie.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Did you think we’d forget your birthday?” Lawson said.
Julie lowered her voice. “I thought we were having a private celebration later.”
“We can still do that. It’s your night and you get what you want.” He winked at her and all her feelings came bubbling to the surface along with tears in her eyes. “But first you get cake. It’s half chocolate, half vanilla because a woman gets to choose on her birthday.”
Julie laughed, pushing back memories of her last birthday when she’d had no say in her cake. She turned to look back at Kat. “But this is your party.”
“We’re family. We share things.”
There were more warm feelings, lots of them. The candles of the cake flickered in front of her, inviting her to lean in and prepare to blow them out.
“What are you going to wish for?” Lawson asked, wrapping an arm around her.
“I have everything I could ever wish for,” she said, meaning it. There wasn’t one thing she could think of that she wanted right now. Cliché as it sounded, she had it all.
Leaning forward toward the cake, she closed her eyes and wished that everything would stay this perfect forever. It was an impractical wish, not one that could be wrapped up in brightly colored paper and a bow. She took a deep breath, slid her eyes toward Lawson, then blew out the thirty candles on her cake, hoping with every cell in her body that her wish would come true.
“I have another present for you when we get home,” Lawson said as the cake was cut and passed around.
She looked at him. He’d already given her too much.
“It’s hidden somewhere on my body,” he said, teasing her. “Or you could just look in my shirt pocket.”
She noticed a piece of paper folded there now. “Can I have it now?” she asked.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot that you’re not much on surprises.” He pulled it out and held it for a long moment. Looking at her, he said, “You have changed me, Julie Chandler, in all the best ways. I love you. I thought it might be time to take the next step in our relationship.”
