Blake nods, because of course he knows exactly what’s in the drink. He’s probably torn apart every single one Shannon has brought over all night. Poor girl.
“Shannon has one for all of us. Blake and Austin were thinking about making them part of the menu as a tribute to the Dream Team. Isn’t that cool?” MJ smiles widely, pride for her friend radiating off her.
“Very cool.”
I drink and pull out my phone to text the guys theidea I just had. After our date night on Saturday, the guys and I worked out a plan for MJ’s birthday. They closed on the building and are graciously allowing me to use it to host a small gathering for my girl. Nothing big, but Blake is going to make some food, and these drinks would be an amazing touch.
“Care to share with the class?” MJ calls me out after hearing Blake and Austin’s phones go off in unison.
I lean into her space, kissing her forehead and murmur, “Don’t worry about it, baby. I’ll tell you later.”
I catch Shannon’s eye and nod to her to bring some more drinks over for the table. Hopefully a few more drinks and MJ will forget what I’m supposed to tell her later.
Chapter 27
MJ
July 27
Mac picks me up just before six, and I’m already waiting outside, too excited for whatever he has planned. My parents were buzzing around the house like usual on a Saturday evening, but I feel a bit on edge. Honestly, I’m always hopeful someone will throw me a surprise party, but I’m usually too afraid to get my hopes up.
The muggy air makes me thankful I opted for the short, flowy dress and sandals. Seriously, it should be illegal to wear clothes during monsoon season in Arizona. The rumble of an engine catches my attention and it’s quickly accompanied by the sound of gravel crunching under tires as I see Mac pull up in his Chevelle. He parks and I walk to the car, ready to hop in and head out, but Mac gets out, running to the passenger side to open the door for me.
“Hi, baby,” he breathes, kissing my cheek as he holds the door open for me. I scoot into the car, noting the soft towel on the seat. He watches me buckle my seatbelt, buzzing with excitement. I can’t help but smile when he gets backinto the driver’s seat.
“Hi, honey. How was your day?”
“Not too bad. Just busy at the shop, like always.” He pulls away from my parents’ house and heads to Main Street. Instead of turning left onto the freeway toward Cedar Bend, where I assumed we’d be going for dinner, he makes a right.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
Continuing down Main Street, Mac shakes his head but doesn’t answer. My mind swirls with possibilities. When he pulls into the shop’s driveway, my curiosity peaks. While I would love a night in, I hoped we’d be going out for my birthday.
I take a moment to shake the curiosity, trying to go with the flow and appreciate Mac’s ass in his clean jeans as he runs around the car to help me out. His clean, dark jeans might be new, and I admire the navy Henley hugging his muscular arms. My eyes continue to peruse him, and I also notice he’s freshly shaved and his hair looks styled. He put a lot of effort into his appearance for a night in.
Mac takes my hand and instead of heading into the shop, he leads me down the street back toward the center of town.
“Okay, seriously, where are we going?” I ask again.
Mac shakes his head, and I huff out a breath. My curiosity is going to get the best of me. We approach the building Blake and Austin took us to a few weeks ago where they want to open their restaurant and Mac knocks in a pattern—knock, knock, pause, knock, knock.
What the fuck?
The door opens and Blake is standing there with hisarm out, guiding us up the stairs. Mac takes the lead, and I follow behind him, trying not to trip but also looking behind me to give Blake a questioning look. He avoids my gaze, looking down at the stairs that creak beneath our feet the whole way up. We hit the top of the steps and Mac pulls me in front of him just as Taylor Swift’s “22” starts filling the space. My eyes go wide as I take in the room in front of me.
A row of tables lines the wall to my right, draped in a pink tablecloth and covered with plates of foods. I guarantee Blake made mac and cheese and mashed potatoes—my favorite comfort foods. There’s also chips and salsa, along with other snacks that I love. Martini glasses filled with something pink cover another table.
Pink and gold streamers hung from the walls, and pink and cream balloons float along the entire ceiling. My eyes roam across the space, and I spot Shannon standing with her parents. Austin is with Beck, Sophie, and Noah by the large windows overlooking the creek. Another table covered with a gold tablecloth near the far wall by the windows is stacked high with presents.
I turn to Mac with tears in my eyes and he smiles softly.
“Happy birthday, baby.” I throw my arms around him and kiss him, trying to put all the joy and happiness into the kiss. He groans, grabbing my waist.
“Come on, we can do more of that later.” He nips my bottom lip and then guides me deeper into the room.
We greet our friends, and Mac reveals how everyone pitched in to make the space as perfect as it is. I thank them all and then work around the room saying hi to everyone who showed up for me. One more reason I love Oakridge is the community. The good people who show up for those they care about.
Mac leans against a beam that divides the space, talking with Charlie and looking annoyed, but he catches my eye and winks. I’m surprised to see Charlie here, but chances are, he wasn’t actually invited, and no one wants to take the time or energy to kick him out. He really is harmless, just annoying.
