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“I’m not going to force you to talk, I’m happy to just hold you, but I’m here if you want to.”
She nods her head and that’s the last thing she does before soft snores fill the air. I hold her a little closer and breathe a sigh of relief. I never want to let her go.
Chapter 31
Macy
It’s been almost a month since Dad had dinner with Cord and I for the first time. We’ve made it a weekly thing and I look forward to it now.
He’s not the monster I still remember, he’s the dad I forgot I once had. He’s not afraid to be transparent and emotional with us and I love it. But it’s making me a little more emotional too.
“Why are there so many cars on the street?” I eye the cars as we pull into Cord’s gated driveway and into the garage.
“I think Shirley said she was having a party today. I don’t know, her parties get out of hand every time.” He waves me off as he climbs out of his car and comes around to my side to open my door.
“Can you open the door for me? I need to get those cases of wine from my trunk.”
“Why are we getting cases of wine for Wyatt?” I ask as I unlock the door to the house.
“Wyatt said Charlie’s almost out and I told him I was stopping at the store to get more wine today. He asked me to pick up a few cases.” He shrugs his shoulder as he squeezes past me and stops right inside the door to toe off his shoes.
“I think Charlie has a problem if she needs this much wine.” I roll my eyes and move further into the living room. “Wyatt better keep an eye on her.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, babe.” Cord chuckles. “Can you put on the game while I set these in the kitchen?”
“Yeah.”
“SURPRISE!”
I shriek and stumble back a few steps as people jump out from behind the couches and every other place they can possibly hide in this house. My gaze travels from one face to another and I blink in shock.
Cord wraps his arms around my waist from behind and rests his chin on the top of my head.
“Happy birthday, beautiful.” He presses a soft kiss to my cheek and I can tell he’s smiling. He’s so proud of himself.
Everyone is here. Liam, Miranda, Noah, Frankie, Levi, Kitty, and all the kids. Owen, Carrie, Luke, Avery, Parker, Logan, and their kids. Every person from Mulberry Lane. Every player from the Pit Bulls. And standing right in the center of everyone, is Dad. He’s smiling from ear to ear, looking so happy to be here. To be included in something as simple as a birthday party for me.
“Happy birthday, princess.” He’s the first person to step forward and give me a hug.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I don’t have a drinking problem,” Charlie grumbles under her breath as she steals me out of Dad’s arms. “It’s for your party.”
“I was a little worried.” I chuckle, making her laugh.
I spend the next thirty minutes moving from one person’s arms to the next. Everyone is so loving and happy to share my day with me. This is so much more than I expected for my birthday. I thought Cord and I were going out for a fancy dinner alone, but this is so much better.
I smile when Liam’s kids run over to Dad and give him a big hug. His eyes fill with tears and I wonder if that’s going to happen every time he sees us. Is he going to get used to it sooner or later, or will he consider it a huge blessing forever?
Cord hands me a glass of wine and a bottle of water to Dad. He smiles at my boyfriend and nods his head in thanks.
“Alright, I want to say a few things about this beautiful woman,” Cord says loud enough for everyone to hear him.
It gets eerily silent as every eye falls on us. I love the attention and couldn’t care less, though I know most people would be squirming right now.
“Mace, I’m fairly certain I’ve been in love with you since the day I met you. You were this loud mouth who demanded attention… and you haven’t changed.”
Everyone laughs and I stare up at Cord with the biggest grin. I'm so lucky to have him in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without him.
