Page 56 of Blueberry Cake
“I haven’t even thought about my birthday.”
“It’s only three weeks away.”
“I don’t usually do anything major.”
“You don’t have to. It can just be the two of us for a weekend if you want something small.”
Queenie shook her head, resting against his arm. “I like your idea. I would love that very much. And I would like your friends to come too, unless that’s too many people.”
“No, it sounds like a fun day.” Boyd hooked his finger under her chin, turning Queenie’s gaze to his. “I don’t want you to lift a finger for this. You let me do all the planning.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.” And with his brows fused, he added, “That feels too easy.”
“Well, arguing won’t get us anywhere, so I’m just going to let you do you.”
“Good—no going behind my back either!”
Damn it, plan thwarted. “As you wish.”
He stole a kiss before they walked a little farther down the beach. As predicted, Beatrice had already startedcooking dinner by the time they returned. Queenie was handed another glass of wine and sent outside to enjoy the sunset.
Boyd
While Queenie sat outside enjoying her wine and the sunset, Boyd stood between his mother and son, helping the two of them prepare dinner. Queenie had wanted to join them but unlike them, she’d been working all day. She deserved a break.
Boyd finally broke the silence. “Queenie’s birthday is coming up and she’s agreed for me to host a party for her.”
“Because you throw the best parties.” Luka grunted at the elbow to his ribcage by his grandmother. “So violent.”
“Your father will do wonderfully,” Boyd’s mother scolded.
“Yes, of course. It’s going to be miles away from being a disaster,” Luka teased further.
He rolled his eyes and ignored his son. “We’ll have it here with her friends and family.”
“And yours too!” Queenie called from the porch.
“You see how he excluded us from the fun? That was way too eas—ah!” Luka yelped with another elbow thrust from his grandmother.
“We would be delighted to celebrate Queenie alongside everyone else.”
Throughout dinner, Queenie was subjected to the thirddegree on her favourite foods and colours. Although Boyd already knew most answers, he made sure to file away anything new. After his woman had insisted on clearing the table he watched her return to the beach to get her toes in the sand once more.
Boyd took the seat next to Luka, blurting out the secret he’d kept all night. “I’m going to propose to Queenie.”
His mother gasped and then squealed with excitement. “Yes!”
But his gaze lingered on his son, who seemed surprised at first, before his features softened. “You two work well together.”
“So, you’re okay with it?”
“Yeah.” But then Luka’s brows fused. “Does that mean I’ll be a big brother at some point?”
Boyd could only laugh, shaking his head. “Absolutely not. Queenie doesn’t want children of her own, nor am I ready to go back to diapers and bottles.”
“Shame,” his mother frowned. “But it goes to show you two have talked things over in a great deal.”
