Page 116 of Lee

Opening her eyes, she glanced at Lee, then smiled at the girls before taking a deep breath and blowing out the candles. She didn’t know how many there were, but she got all but one.

“Well, that’s a good sign,” Jackson said as she blew out the final candle.

“What is?” Rori asked once it had been extinguished.

“The number of candles still lit after your first blow at your candles is how many boyfriends or girlfriends you have.”

“Oh.” She looked over at Lee, who was still standing with his guitar, and he winked at her. “Then I guess that was accurate.”

They hadn’t labeled themselves yet, but in her heart, she considered Lee her boyfriend, and from the look of things, he didn’t mind that.

As Charli removed the candles from the cake, Rori leaned forward to look at it. There were flowers piped on the top and a scalloped border, along with Happy Birthday, Rori in script across the top.

“We helped Grandma Denise make it,” Amelia said, pointing to the cake.

“You did a great job,” Rori told her. “Thank you so much.”

While Charli cut the cake, Lee disappeared with the guitars, but he wasn’t gone long. When he returned, he sat in the chair next to hers and took the plate with a piece of cake on it that Charli held out to him.

He leaned closer to her and said, “You doing okay?”

Once again, his concern for her brought her emotions to the surface again. She wished that she could feel his arms around her again, to experience the comfort and reassurance his embrace offered.

Despite her self-doubts, she was coming to under that she had his unwavering support. He never made her question her own worth while with him. In his presence, Rori had found a safe haven, a sense of security she had never experienced before.

She trusted him entirely, knowing without doubt that he would always do what he could to protect her and never cause her harm. She’d never felt that with anyone before, and she prayed she would always have that with him.

“I’m great.” Everything good about that moment fueled her smile, and when Lee returned it, Rori could see the relief in it. He’d been worried about her. Would she ever be able to put into words how much he meant to her?

They’d just finished when the girls and Charli once again disappeared into the house.

This time, when they returned, the girls carried a large wicker basket between them. Charli moved the TV tray with the remnants of the cake out of the way so the girls could set the basket in front of her.

“These are for you,” Amelia announced. “For your birthday!”

At the sight of the wrapped packages, Rori felt tears rising once more. She’d thought those overwhelming emotions had settled, but she’d been wrong.

She looked over at Lee, helpless against the feelings that threatened to swamp her again. He leaned close and put his arm around her. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, drawing in deep breaths and taking solace in the familiar scent of his cologne as she tried to calm herself.

“Doesn’t she like presents, Uncle Lee?” Amelia asked.

“She does, Berry,” Lee assured her, his deep voice rumbling in Rori’s ear. “But have you ever been so happy that you felt like you had to cry?”

“Yep. When Daddy told me that Layla was my sister. I was so, so, so happy that day, I cried.”

“See. You were happy but still cried. Not all tears are sad.”

“Okay. But do you think she’s going to cry after each present?”

Rori gave a choked laugh at Amelia’s question, and it helped her regain control.

“I don’t know. But even if she doesn’t, that doesn’t mean she isn’t happy with them.”

“Okay. I want her to open mine first.”

“Just give her a minute, and I think she’ll be ready to open it.”

Rori appreciated Lee stepping in for her, giving her a safe space to deal with her emotions while heading off his niece’s questions. He’d done a better job answering them than she could have done.

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