127: Bonus Chapter: Sixteen…. No, Twenty–Three Candles Part 2
Luci
He’s loading things into the backseat when I find him. I let him help me in and we leave driving
to one part of Kenton I hardly ever go through. I read the sign as he takes a right turn before parking in the middle of a drive–in movie field. The lights are on, but it appears closed. “Wait here and no peeking.” He leaves and takes things from the backseat before I hear him
lowering the tailgate. I resist the urge to see what he’s doing. My door opens and he holds out his hand. I take it and start to get out when he just picks me up like normal. “Close your eyes.”
I do, feeling him lift me as he climbs into the back. “Open them.”
He’s standing on a thick sleeping bag and other blankets. There’s two battery powered
lanterns and a box there with two big pillows. “Sit back against those.” He sets me on my feet
and I look around. He pulls the box behind him as he turns away briefly, but I catch the flame
of a lighter. He hands me a box and then (5) reaches around to showcase a cake with
candles lit on it.
“Open the box first.” He’s pleased with himself which makes me happy. Those lips twitching
as he fights to stay serious.
I do and find a pair or my underwear in there. I stare at them for a second thinking and then
the cake. “Hmm are there sixteen candles on that cake?”
“Are you sixteen?” He counters. “Try twenty–three, sweetness. Now blow them out and make
the biggest wish you
can.”
“This reminds me of a movie I’ve watched a million times.” I tap my chin playfully before I lean
down and blow them out. “Easton aka Jake Ryan….”
“Maybe when I read the cliff notes version of the movie and it said he returns her panties with
a cake at the end, it seemed fitting to copy it.” He flashes me a half grin.
I laugh. “Didn’t even think about that, but she loses her underwear for a different reason.”
“Yes, she does. Not nearly as much fun as when you lose them. Those guys charging money
for the other guys to peek at them was not what I expected to see.” He rolls his eyes.
I let the way he phrased that filter through. “Wait….you watched it?”
He clears his throat. “I did. I think you owe me some compensatory rewards for that.”
“By yourself?” I think about their guys‘ night each week they have.
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127: Bonus Chapter: Sixteen….N…
“That’s for me to know and hold onto for blackmail purposes later on. Want a piece of cake before our movie starts?” He grabs a cooler bag, removing plates from it.
“Yes please. What kind is it?”
“Lemon cake with sour raspberry filling and cream cheese frosting.” He answers smugly.
“Did you go back to that restaurant?” This had been the cake I tried on our last family date
and I had declared it as my new favorite.
“They didn’t have it this week. Hopefully it tastes as good.” He frowns a little.
“You made it.” I watch his face as he barely nods.
“Cole and I. Baker helped me a little. If it’s not edible, I’ll buy you one from that restaurant
when they have it again.” That undercurrent of worry in his voice gets me.
I hurry to take a bite, my eyes closing as the flavors explode in my mouth. It’s delicious. He’s
staring at me intently when I open them. “It’s even better than the restaurant’s version. More
lemony which is perfect. You’ve got hidden talents I think. Now I’m going to ask for
homemade cake every year.”
He tries it too and nods in agreement. “If that will make you happy every year, I’ll make an
attempt.”
After we finish and he packs away the remaining cake, I glance around. “Is it closed tonight?”
“Yes to the public. You can rent it for the night, which I did for a movie.” He checks his phone. ”
In about ten minutes.”
I move to straddle his lap and give him a soft kiss. “Thank you. You made me a cake, watched
an old not–Easton–style movie, made breakfast, threw a family party and this….this might be
my favorite birthday I’ve had.”
“Then we gotta raise the bar for you Luci. This was not the best I could do, I think. And I know
Jackson did this back of the truck date already, but it was my idea and he had to borrow my
truck so I think this counts as a big green check mark in the ‘Easton can come up with
non–lame dates on his own‘ category.”
I laugh at him. He’s much too hard on himself. “Haven’t you figured out yet I don’t think any of your dates are lame? Simple is sometimes the best. Some people come up with elaborate dates and then they can’t even say two sentences to each other the entire time. I just like going out with you. You spending your time on me. Whether it’s a family date or the two of us
alone. You’re pretty amazing at choosing things for me; ways to show me how you put effort
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127: Bonus Chapter: Sixteen….N…
and time in. Those are the most important things especially to me. I wish you’d realize what a fantastic job you do with it and not be so hard on yourself in that category of yours.” I push his hair off his forehead. He swallows hard and that self–doubt he has flashes in his eyes; that vulnerability he hides from all but me. The one thing that Imogen broke within all of them that I was the angriest with her for. Leaving them all four in doubt they love enough or how to show someone they really love them. Making Easton wonder if he measures up when it comes to his emotions. I think without Cole the last few years he would truly have become a lost, cold
soul.
“I can’t help but worry if it’s enough. Only want the best for you, sweetness. Don’t want you
ever thinking you aren’t special enough for something elaborate. Or that I half–assed it to the
point it hurts you. Listening to you though…. f**k you really were made for me. Because you
think more of me than a lot would.” He wraps me in his arms and starts kissing me. “My
sweet Luci.” He mumbles as he kisses down my neck. “I love you so much it consumes me.”
“Same for me. I love you back ever and ever like Cole says. I will always be yours.” I whisper to reassure him before forgetting everything and focusing on him. I hear a noise like the movie is starting vaguely a few minutes later.
“What movie are we waiting for?”
“The Cutting Edge. Was in someone’s list of top five movies.” He says between kisses.
“About a hockey player who…. switches to umm figure skating and….” That’s all I can manage
to say.
“Having trouble sweetness?” He whispers with amusement.
“Yes. You distract me as you well know.”
“Part of my job. You’ll never get impatient waiting for the movie to start.”
“You have quite a memory.”
He kisses me slowly before drawing away and gripping the back of my neck. “Depends on
what I’m remembering and for who. Another reminder you are unforgettable my sweet girl.”
*Charmer with the flowery words. That was from our first date.”
He raises one eyebrow. “I had already lost the war by then. Didn’t know it yet. I should have
surrendered long before then.”
