Page 142 of Your Soul to Keep

Well, at least not by myself.

Within fifteen minutes, I’d showered, brushed out my hair, pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, and jogged down the stairs.

“Mommy!” Dylan raced over to me, slipping her little hand in mine, her big blues sparkling. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thank you, Dilly!”

With only two months until her fifth birthday, she was fully invested in planning her next birthday party.

With me.

“Daddy is in the kitchen!” she hollered over the music.

As soon as I cleared the doorway, Gabe set his hands on my hips and whirled me around in a wild dance while Dylan perched on a kitchen chair, leaning forward over the table on her little elbows, laughing.

She was in her princess era, wholly and completely in love with love.

When the song came to a stop, Gabe bent me back over his arm and kissed me hard. “It’s about time you got up. I was just about to wake you when I heard the shower come on. Everyone’s going to be here for your birthday party in ten minutes.”

My eyebrows shot up as I laughed incredulously. I was having a birthday party? “Are you kidding me? Who’s everyone and how did you pull this off?”

He grinned. “I may have had a bit of help.”

Maeve and Brian barreled through the door, laden down with brightly wrapped presents and casseroles packed with food.

My face flushed with emotion.

Next, Noelle and Hawkley arrived. Baby Hunter had found his feet while sweet little Christy, at barely five months old, was happiest nestled in her daddy’s arms. Much to Hawk’s smug delight, she didn’t have much interest in anyone else.

Harley and Daire came next. Eight-month-old Cami had her mother’s dramatic looks and her father’s charm. Not sure where she got her stubborn streak, but when asked, Daire and Harley pointed at each other. Cami was a delightfully plush baby. She had taken a shine to Gabe who teased Daire mercilessly about her budding penchant for tattooed bad boys.

Everyone else seemed to pile in all at once, including my sweet Bridge, and the food fairly flew off the table.

The house was full, brimming with life and laughter, every single soul there belonging to me in some way or another.

I stepped back.

It was almost too much to bear.

“Happy?” Gabe’s warm, solid, chest covered my back as he wrapped his arms around me and leeched the tension from my body.

Immediately, I breathed easier. “Ecstatic,” I choked out.

He chuckled. “Ready for cake?”

I snorted, attempting to find my equilibrium. “Am I ever not?”

Harley clapped her hands and rubbed them together.

Bridge rolled her eyes. “Cake and ice cream is not the best dessert, Harley.”

Wren looked at Max. “I don’t know, I’m pretty partial to chocolate croissants.”

“Oh, I bet you are,” Noelle teased, then slapped a hand over her eyes. “God! Why do I keep doing that!”

Maeve carried the cake in from the kitchen, holding it up high, while my friends, no, my familygathered around and sang to me, perfectly off-key.

Dylan shadowed Maeve, sucking a great dollop of bubble-gum pink icing off her little finger.

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