Page 26 of On the Rocks

“I’m not ignoring it,” Dee argued. “I just haven’t done anything about it yet.”

“Well, I don’t think this is just going to go away,” I said softly. “Maybe it’s time to see a doctor?”

“You promised to tell me if it got worse,” Trent said. “This is worse. I think Aiden’s right.”

“It’s notthatserious,” she tried to insist.

“Dee, we’re all here and we’re telling you it is,” Vincent said. “Will you please do this for us? I can’t handle more stress than a new baby and a wedding.”

“Oh, all right,” Dee huffed. “I’ll make an appointment tomorrow. But in the meantime, how about that cake?”

“Yes!” Hailey announced. “Let’s have cake!”

“I guess we’re helping with the cake,” Dominic said as Hailey ran for the kitchen door.

“I’ll help,” Piper added, getting up.

“Me too.” Chloe stood. “We’ll see if there’s enough room for all the candles we need.” She nudged Trent teasingly as she passed.

“Har har,” he said.

“I could have done it,” Dee said, but she didn’t argue as we guided her back to her chair. Maybe the fall had scared her more than she was letting on.

By the time the girls and Dominic returned with the cake—a towering red velvet slab covered in cream cheese frosting and way too many candles—Hailey was practically vibrating with excitement.

“Hurry up,” I told Trent as we finished singing “Happy Birthday.” “I think Hailey’s been patient for long enough.” She looked up at him with big brown eyes.

He laughed and blew out his candles in one go. “Who wants the first slice?”

Hailey’s hand flew up in the air. “Me!”

“I never would have guessed.” Trent cut and divvied up the cake and we tucked back in.

“So?” Dominic said, turning to Trent. “Best birthday ever or what?” He asked us all that same question every year.

“All in all,” Trent said. “Not bad. Though I’m a little disappointed Aiden didn’t end up in the pool again.”

I laughed, forever grateful I was able to spend time with these people who meant so much to me.

“There’s still time,” Vincent said. “The day is young.” He checked his watch. “You know how things start to get wild at four p.m. now.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were hanging out that late,” Trent teased.

“Yeah, you’re about to be a dad,” I said. “You better go home and nap while you can.”

“A dad who can still drink you under the table.” Vincent picked up Trent’s birthday present and set it down in front of me, smirking the entire time. “C’mon, Cocktail King. Pour.”

7

AIDEN

As it turned out, neither Vincent nor I were interested in drinking the other under the table, which meant I returned to work on Monday without a throbbing headache.

Always a bonus.

I climbed into the elevator, checking the calendar on my phone as I rode it up. My stomach sank immediately. My first meeting of the day was with Cora. I’d forgotten I’d penciled that in last week. Was it too early for a drink?

Actually, if I tried that, she’d probably just tell me I’d used the wrong ingredients. I exited the elevator and nodded to Connie, my personal receptionist. She was a no-nonsense woman almost twice my age. In a lot of ways, she reminded me of Nana Dee—which was probably why I’d hired her. I’d never had a single reason to regret it.

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