Page 115 of Lee

Everyone turned to look at them, and for a moment, Rori wanted to flee the attention and retreat back inside the house. But before she could move, Charli handed Shiloh off to Janessa and headed their direction.

Charli might not be biologically related to Lee, but her worried brown eyes looked very much like his. “Are you okay? We didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m okay,” Rori reassured her. “You didn’t upset me. At least, not like you mean. It had just been the first time I’ve had a birthday party. I’m super touched.”

Relief eased the tension in Charli’s features. “I’m sorry to hear you’ve never had a party. We’re definitely going to change that. Hopefully tonight will give you some good memories about the day you turned…?”

“Twenty-five.”

Charli glanced at Lee, then smiled. “Well, let’s get this party started!”

Though that was the end of the discussion about her breakdown, Rori was pretty sure that it wouldn’t be forgotten.

Layla and Amelia both came over and gave her hugs before leading her to the table so she could load up her plate. In addition to the pizza that night, there was fried chicken and potato salad. It all looked and smelled delicious.

“Thank you for having a birthday, Rori,” Jackson said with a grin. “Because of the party, Misha’s mom made her wonderful fried chicken and potato salad.”

Rori turned to Misha. “Your mom helped with this?”

“Oh yes. There was no way she wasn’t going to pitch in to help.”

“Why didn’t she stay?” Rori asked.

“She meets with some of her crafting group on Friday nights.”

Rori made a mental note to write the woman a thank-you card for her part in making her birthday dinner such a special one.

She’d just set her plate down on the chair she planned to sit on when Carisa approached her. Without warning, the other woman gave her a tight hug.

The woman’s hug took Rori aback, but she returned it and let Carisa decide when it was over.

As she let go, Carisa stepped back and smiled. “Happy birthday, friend! I’m so glad I could be here to celebrate with you.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Rori told her, and that was one hundred percent the truth.

She and Carisa couldn’t be more different in their upbringing and lives, but Carisa’s friendly nature helped to overcome all those differences. And now that Rori knew without a doubt that Lee wasn’t interested in the other woman, Rori could accept Carisa’s overtures without reservation.

As the evening passed, Rori realized that whatever dam had broken to allow her emotions to flow out earlier was also allowing things in. The conversations, the laughter, the music, the joy… All of it surged into her and filled a part of her that she hadn’t even known was empty.

Lee stuck by her side for most of the evening, though he did leave to play the guitar with Jay for their time of singing around the fire pit. At one point, even though they were still singing, Charli got up with the girls and disappeared into the house.

When they finished the song, Lee leaned over to say something to Jay as he continued to lightly strum on his guitar. Then, he began to play specific chords, though he didn’t say what song was next.

Lee’s gaze was on the back door, and when Rori turned, she saw Charli carrying out a cake that had candles flickering on top of it.

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Rori! Happy birthday to you!”

Everyone sang with great enthusiasm, some of them decidedly off-key, though Rori thought it was probably on purpose. Regardless, it was a moment—among many others that evening—that she was never going to forget.

Charli and the girls came to a stop in front of Rori’s chair and someone produced a TV tray for Charli to set the cake on. Glancing around, Rori saw that several phones were aimed in her direction as they waited for her to blow out her candles.

“Don’t forget to make a wish,” Amelia said.

“But don’t tell anyone what it is, or it might not come true,” Layla added.

Rori closed her eyes. I wish for Lee to fall in love with me. And that we live happily ever after.

It was a fanciful wish, but for the first time in her life, Rori felt that there was at least a passing chance that it might come true.

---