Page 67 of Comforting the Grump

“Bring it on.”

Taking a deep breath, I followed him into the fray of the party, bracing myself for an evening of battling my growing feelings for this frustrating, complicated, utterly irresistible man.

I started making the rounds, greeting everyone who’d shown up, and to my surprise, Marnin stayed by my side. I’d expected him to leave me on my own as soon as he could, but he stuck with me, ignoring the whispers and glances.

Once everyone had arrived, we gathered my parents, and the crowd erupted into a chorus of “Happy Birthday,” the joyful sound rising to fill the room as Dad stood before his beautifully decorated cake, a wide grin splitting his face. Brianna, who owned a bakery in town and had been in the same graduating class as Marnin and my brother, had truly outdone herself. The cake was a masterpiece of snowy white frosting dusted with edible glitter, adorned with intricate fondant snowflakes that glimmered in the soft light.

As the song ended, Dad picked up the silver cake knife, pausing to survey the smiling faces surrounding him. His eyes landed on me, and I felt a lump form in my throat at the pride and affection shining in his gaze. With a decisive motion, he sliced into the cake, the blade sinking through layers of moist vanilla sponge and rich buttercream. Brianna stepped forwardto help him serve, her freckled face flushed with pleasure at the appreciative murmurs rippling through the crowd.

Marnin’s hand found the small of my back, a subtle touch that sent warmth flooding through me. I glanced up at him, my heart stuttering at the softness in his eyes.

“That cake looks almost as good as you do,” he murmured, his voice pitched low for my ears only. “I don’t know whether I want a slice or a taste of you more.”

My cheeks heated, desire coiling hot and tight in my belly. “Behave,” I whispered, fighting the urge to melt into his touch. “We’re in public, remember?”

“How could I forget?” His hand slid lower, fingers grazing the curve of my ass before falling away. “But later, when it’s just the two of us…”

He let the unspoken promise hang in the air between us, a tantalizing hint of pleasures to come. I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like my skin was two sizes too small. He was flirting with me. In public. Where everyone could see. What did that mean?

Before I could formulate a response, Dad’s voice cut through the chatter filling the room. “If I could have everyone’s attention for just a moment…”

The conversations died down as all eyes turned to him. He reached for my mom’s hand and together, they faced the crowd.

“I want to thank you all for coming out to celebrate with me today,” he began, his usually even voice thick with emotion. “Seventy-five years…it’s hard to believe sometimes. I’ve seen a lot of life in those years, and I’m grateful for every minute of it. It makes a man look back and appreciate what he has.”

His gaze drifted to me, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I’m especially grateful for my family. Cora, I’m so grateful to have found you and for the joy you’ve brought into our lives. Auden and Ennio…I couldn’t ask for two finer sons.You two make me so proud. And, Ennio, the food you made for today is absolutely fantastic. You worked your butt off, and it shows. I’m a lucky man to have a chef like you in the family.”

Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, and I rapidly blinked them away, not wanting to make a spectacle of myself. Hearing Dad single me out, voice his pride in me so openly in front of everyone… It meant more than I could put into words.

“More than anything else, looking back has made me realize that family isn’t always forged by blood…but by love and choice. It has blessed us with a bonus son, whom I love as if he were my own…” He looked pointedly at Marnin, whose soft, shocked gasp didn’t escape me. “With a wonderful son-in-law and daughter-in-law…” He nodded at Keaton and Tricia because, of course, he would include Auden’s ex-wife as well. “And with the four smartest, kindest, and most amazing grandkids a grandfather could have.”

Auden and Keaton pulled their kids close, and the moment of love they shared made me tear up all over again.

“So if you ask me what I have learned these seventy-five years, it’s this: love matters more than anything else. As the Bible says,love is patient, love is kind.It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

The room was dead quiet, everyone listening with rapt attention to my father’s rich baritone. He had such a commanding presence, yet it was based on respect and kindness, not on fear.

“Thank you all for coming. I appreciate it more than words can express.”

As soon as he was done, I crossed the room to him, wrapping my arms around his still-broad shoulders in a fierce hug. He smelled like the same spicy aftershave he’d used my entire life, a scent that spelled home, safety, and love.

“I love you, Dad,” I whispered, my voice cracking on the words. “Thank you so much.”

His arms tightened around me, one weathered hand coming up to pat my hair just like he used to do when I was a little boy. “I love you too, kiddo. More than you know.”

We held each other for a long moment, the rest of the party fading until it felt like just the two of us. My heart swelled with a deep affection for this man who, despite our differences, had always been my rock. But most of all, I felt a profound gratitude for this moment, for the reminder of how much my father truly cared. No matter what else happened, I would always have the steady foundation of his love to stand on.

Finally, reluctantly, I pulled back, swiping surreptitiously at my damp eyes. Dad cleared his throat gruffly, but I caught the telltale glimmer of moisture in his own gaze before he blinked it away.

“Enough of this sappy stuff,” he said with a chuckle, giving my shoulder one last squeeze. “Let’s eat some more of that delicious-looking cake before Brianna thinks we don’t appreciate her hard work.”

Laughter rumbled through the room, and just like that, the heavy emotional moment passed, replaced by the cheerful buzz of conversation and the clinking of forks against plates as Brianna dished up more generous slices of her cake.

As I watched Dad, now holding court in his armchair and soaking up the good wishes of his friends and neighbors, a profound sense of contentment settled over me. No, my relationship with my father would never be perfect. We were too different, our personalities destined to clash at times. But thatdidn’t change the deep well of love between us, the unshakable bond of family.

Marnin appeared at my elbow, two plates of cake in hand. Wordlessly, he passed me one, his fingers brushing mine and sending sparks skittering over my skin. “You okay?” he asked quietly, studying my face with those keen eyes that never missed a thing.

I leaned into him, just slightly, savoring the solid strength of his presence at my side. “Yeah. I’m good. Better than good, actually.”

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