P.S. I got up early and hadto bribe Cole not to “give you a birthday morning you wouldn’t soon forget.”
P.P.S. You’ll have to break the news to him that this is my job now. Or will be, this evening.
I hurried out of bed and got ready as quickly as possible, thankful Ireland had left the crutch out for me. My ankle wasn’t hurting, per se, but it was tender despite how careful I’d been while we were busy being…notcareful.
A wall of sound crashed over me when I stepped out of my bedroom door with my boot back on. Cole and Delly were standing in the living room as if they’d been waiting for me, huge smiles on their faces as they yelled all kinds of birthday wishes. Delly elbowed Cole aside viciously to get to me first.
“Happy Birthday, big brother,” she said, this time at a normal volume, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Happy Birthday, little sister,” I said, hugging her back.
She snorted. “We’re not doing that dumb joke still.”
“Sure,” I said with a smile and a shrug.
Cole squeezed me next. “Happy Birthday, best friend.” His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was a mess, half pulled back with strands poking out in every direction.
“You didn’t sleep, did you?”
He scoffed. “Sleep is for the weak. But I did listen to some great podcasts while I worked. With my big headphones. Over my ears. At maximum volume. So, yeah, I?—”
Cole grunted as Delly elbowed him again, cutting him off.
Glancing past them and ignoringthat, I found Ireland leaning on the opening between the living room andkitchen, barefoot and arms crossed over her chest, a tiny smile on her face as she watched us.
“I didn’t miss your visit to Beck, did I?” I asked, stepping around Delly and Cole. I hadn’t even looked at the time. She could’ve left that note a while ago, taking the decision out of my hands.
She shook her head.
I let out a relieved breath, then glanced at Delly, who was in her scrubs for work.
Right. If she was still here, that meant it was stillearlyearly.
My gaze flicked back to Ireland, raking over every inch of her. At the smooth skin I’d touched and the hair I’d washed and dried. The body I’d held all night. She was in her usual dark jean shorts and a sleeveless shirt today, tattoos I’d traced with my tongue on display. Her hair was down, one side tucked behind her ear, an arc of earrings on display.
As she tipped her head toward the kitchen table, I followed her gaze and found a stack of presents there.
Cole and Delly stood on either side of me, and I wasn’t sure whose hand pushed me toward the table, but I went.
“I need to get over to work,” Delly said, pulling out a chair and guiding me to it. “So, let’s save mine for tonight. Happy Birthday again,” she said, bending down and hugging me once more. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Want me to drive you over?” Ireland asked my sister quietly, but she shook her head.
“It’s a nice day. I’ll board.”
I smiled as I watched them, pleased that Ireland was comfortable driving my car and thoughtful enough to make sure Delly was taken care of.
“Mine is kinda tied in with your girl’s,” Cole said,patting me on the shoulder. “But I’ll give you my other one tonight, too, babe, so don’t worry. Aaaand, okay, yeah, I’m starting to see sound, so I’m gonna go crash for a bit.”
He waved over his shoulder as he sauntered right into my bedroom, closing the door with asnick.
I wondered what sound looked like to him as I stared at the presents because it was a better idea to muse on, maybe, than the implication that he knew my bed was a safe spot for him to nap.
Ireland brushed a hand over my shoulder and leaned down to plant a sweet, lingering kiss on my lips. I breathed into it, grasping her jaw and holding her there for a moment longer.
“Here,” she said, handing me a heavy, wrapped package after one more kiss. “There’s another thing later, but this is the one Cole was talking about.”
