“Luke,will you get Charlie and move all the goody bags to the picnic tables outside the barn? And then I might need your help with the balloon arch.”
I frowned down at the enormous array of balloons in Drew-approved colors. Caden and Grae had come to pick him up first thing this morning for a birthday breakfast and to get him out of the way so the party could be a surprise.
“Where did I put the coolers for our drinks?” I mumbled, spinning around.
Charlie laughed at the sight. “They’re right behind you, silly.”
Luke caught me by the shoulders. “Breathe, Hallie. It’s already the best birthday Drew’s ever gonna have.”
“Bruh, you got fancy potties,” Charlie said, throwing his hands wide.
I blinked at him. I had, in fact, gotten fancy port-a-potties so people wouldn’t have to trek from the barn to the house to use the restroom. They were heated and had stocked vanities. “Did you just call me bruh?”
He grinned his gap-toothed smile. “I’m playing Drew today!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “How about you play helping Luke get all those goody bags to the barn?”
“Do I get one?” he asked hopefully.
Luke ruffled his hair. “You’re not a party guest, doofus.”
“I am so,” Charlie argued.
“You both get goody bags. Violet, too,” I told Luke with a wink.
Violet had been spending quite a lot of time at our house over the past few days. Even though the Bible preached turning the other cheek, Reverend Hooper wasn’t quite on that train when it came to his daughter. When he found out that Luke had decked a boy to protect her from an assault, he’d become Luke’s number-one fan. Their whole family was coming to the party today.
Luke’s cheeks pinked. “She’ll like that. She likes the little things.”
I grinned at him. “Sometimes, the little things are the best.”
Charlie made a gagging noise. “Gross. I saw them kissing on the front porch yesterday.”
Luke’s face reddened, and he dove for his little brother. “Shut up, Charlie!”
I grabbed Luke by the back of the shirt. “No, no, no. No broken bones before the party.”
“What about at the party?” Luke grumbled.
“Not there either.”
“Did someone say broken bones?” Lawson muttered as he wandered into the living room. His gray sweatpants were slung low, and his hair was in haphazard disarray.
The sight made me swallow hard. “No broken bones. I promise.”
“What time is it? I feel like I got hit by a Mack truck.”
Charlie laughed. “It’s almost eleven. You sleptall day, Dad.”
Lawson’s eyes went comically wide. “Eleven? I set my alarm…”
I winced. “I turned it off this morning.”
Lawson had been burning the candle at both ends, trying to find something,anythingthat would get him a break in this case. But he wouldn’t get anywhere if he didn’t get some rest.
“You turned off my alarm,” he echoed.
I nodded, biting the corner of my lip. “You needed sleep. You’ve gotten what, a couple of hours the past few nights? You aren’t going to be any good to anyone if you don’t recharge.”
