Page 16 of My One Rule

Chance murders me in the two games we play. I tell myself it’s because I loaded my plate with too much pasta and sausage and scarfed it down too fast. Who carbo loads before a big event? Only idiots like me.

Maggie and Oliver end up quitting halfway through the first round because Chance and I are competing so hard. I think they disappear back inside after the first game entirely.

By the third game we’re both feeling green and call it a truce when we’re tied halfway through.

“I want a rematch,” I grumble as I grip his shoulder hard.

“Oh so you’re a sore loser too, huh?” He teases, his blond hair drenched with sweat.

“I guess so,” I say, letting him go.

We do a fist bump then find our partners in the crowd.

How are there so many damn people here still? And I don’t recognize over half of them.

It doesn’t matter. It’s for Oliver.

That reminder does the trick and I’m in good spirits when I find Oliver in the kitchen talking to Martha.

“Ace, I never thought you’d have a party here again.”

Oliver looks at me with shock. “Again?”

“It wasn’t me who threw the party,” I grumble.

I can see his wheels turning in his head. He’s probably thinking about some ex of mine. “It was Hannah.”

I put my arm around him and pull him close. “You’re worth it,” I say, to squash any concerns he may have.

“Plus you didn’t invite anyone crazy like I did,” Hannah chimes in, walking over to us.

“You gotta tell me all the stuff that happened.”

“Sure,” I say reluctantly.

“After cake,” Hannah adds.

“Cake!”

There’s that bright smile again that I love so much.

Six

Oliver

The beautiful cake with my name in cursive writing is massive. Rightfully so, the number of people here in Ace’s house is shocking…

When he asked what his number one rule was, all I could think of was sex. It had nothing to do with how our relationship works.

No parties. That was his first rule when he hired me as a house pet. I had only one friend. I had no one to party with. And Chance basically lived with us from the beginning. Almost a year later, everything’s changed.

Ace is right by my side as everyone starts singing happy birthday to me.

It’s as if time moves in slow motion, I can’t get over how many people are here singing to me. And they look happy to be here.

Ace releases his arm from around me and when the song ends, I blow out the candles, unsure of what to wish for, because everything I’ve ever wanted is right here.

Cake is passed around by Ace and Chance while Hannah, me, Maggie and Lilla chat about the weekend away. Lilla makes me show off my ring and tell the story about proposing.

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