Page 78 of My Favorite Sin

Everyone helps clean up, stacking plates and carrying them through to the kitchen. Within five minutes, we all return to our chairs and there’s a mound of presents in the center of the table.

“Okay, open your present from me and Josh first,” Mom says, leaning over the table to hand me an envelope. They gave me a present on my actual birthday. It was an expensive bottle of champagne with a Mozart label, imported from his hometown. I suppose its purpose was achieved, to prevent any suspicion of an upcoming party.

Inside the envelope, there’s a gift voucher for a weekend away at an island resort, along with two plane tickets. “Wow. Thank you. I love it.”

“So romantic.” Violet winks at me. “I know the perfect guy for you to take.”

I shake my head, laughing at the meaning behind her words only I understand.

“We thought you and Violet could have a fun girls weekend away,” Mom says. “But of course, you can take whoever you please.”

More presents come my way. I open each one, receiving athlete grade running shoes from Killian, theater tickets from Tyler and Harper, a bottle of absinthe from Felix, whichhe insists we’ll drink together now that I’m legal, and sheet music from Daxton and Jordan. Violet passes me her gift, and I give her a massive hug when seeing she’s bought us ballet tickets to an upcoming production ofThe Nutcracker.

“Liam’s present is next.” Mom slides forward a tall and narrow present, about two feet in height.

I glance at Liam, shocked. “The fair was your present. You didn’t need to get me anything else.”

“I know I didn’t need to. I wanted to.”

I unwrap the present and the box inside, pulling out a bouquet of roses constructed from sheet music. “Liam, this is incredible.” I give him a quick hug, beyond impressed. Since inviting Liam back into my life, he’s done one thoughtful thing after the next, crafted to my interests. “What song is this?”

“A serenade by Mozart.”

“Did you fold the roses yourself?” Harper asks.

“Yeah,” Liam laughs. “Took a while. Got a few paper cuts.”

“It’s amazing. Thank you,” I tell him.

“Liam, you are so sweet.” Mom passes me a small box. “This is the last present. Dan, I’m guessing this one is from you?”

“Yeah,” he mutters beside me.

I feel strange opening Dan’s present, given our situation. We haven’t had a chance to speak much. Things are tense between us, regardless of how pleased I am that he’s here tonight.

Dan’s gaze softens. “Happy birthday. You going to open the present or just hold it?”

I glance around the table, realizing everyone is waiting on me. I unwrap the present, finding a small velvetbox, and when I open it, there’s a gold necklace with a heart pendant inside.

“Dan… it’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“The heart is a locket. Open it.”

As soon as I unclasp the heart, a lump forms in my throat and tears well in my eyes. Staring back at me is a copy of the misplaced photograph of my mother and father holding me as a baby, shrunken down to fit inside.

“Oh my gosh, Dan, how did you find this photo?”

“What photo is it?” Mom asks. I turn the box for her to see. She raises a hand to her mouth and her eyes become pools of tears. “We have been searching for years. Dan, this is the most thoughtful present.”

“You did good, son,” Josh says, wrapping an arm around Mom. Everyone sits in silence. The party is so quiet that all I can hear are the waves crashing in the ocean beyond this dining room.

“Where did you find the photo?” Mom asks.

Dan rubs the back of his neck, his voice low and reserved, like this is an awkward conversation to be having with an audience. “I took a day trip up here recently while you were all at work and searched the attic for hours. I’d already turned the Manhattan apartment upside down searching for the photo. The only other place it could have been was here. I made a copy for the necklace. I can get the original back to you.”

Tears fall down my cheeks. “This is the most amazing present anyone could have given me. You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I do.” His voice drops even lower, almost to a whisper, just for me. “I spent ages thinking of something meaningful I could get you for your twenty-first. Nothingfelt right except for this. I knew you’d been searching for it over the years.”

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