Page 46 of Butterflies and Hazel Eyes
Honey, Lucy, and I broke into a fit of giggles while the three men herded us back inside the noisy restaurant toward the bar and buffet. Never in my entire life had I been hugged so many times in a row with so much love surrounding me. The hugs, smiles, and birthday wishes I got from everyone on the way to the buffet were real. The people here cared. Sure, there was someone out there who didn’t, I thought, rubbing my temple, but most of the people in Plentiful cared about me. Tonight, they were all here to celebrate with me on the one day a year I thought no one cared that I was in this world. Did that make them my tribe? Was that an actual thing in a community like this? A place where people cared about each other and took care of each other not because they had to but because they wanted to?
Honey grabbed a plate for me, and Mathias held Gulliver’s while we pointed out what we wanted to eat. Gulliver, unable to carry his plate, and me, unable to reach the buffet because of my height, were being helped along by two people who didn’t expect anything in return other than us to enjoy our night. Honey smiled at me, pointing out her favorites and encouraging me to try the chicken, steak, and burgers because you only have a birthday once a year.
You sure do, and in Plentiful, they never let you down.
CHAPTER 14
I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my belly. I was stuffed, but it was the best feeling in the world. “You weren’t kidding. The food here is delicious.”
Gulliver ran a hand-cut steak fry through a dredge of ketchup, popped it into his mouth, and chewed. After he washed it down, he leaned back to give his belly some extra room too. “You see why Laverne calls it the Cattle Hand and Ranchers Extravaganza. I want you to know, not just anyone gets this kind of spread for their birthday,” he said, winking.
“I had no idea Laverne worked at a second business. Is she the manager here or what?” I asked, sipping my drink.
He picked up his glass and took a drink too. “Remember when we talked about people having multiple jobs here in Plentiful?”
I nodded my answer as I was swallowing.
“Well, if they’re in hospitality, they often have multiple businesses.”
“Laverne owns the campground and the Apple Orchard?” I asked incredulously. “How does she do it all?”
“She’s Wonder Woman?” he asked with one brow in the air.
I almost choked on my drink. I swiped at the liquid that escaped my lips with a napkin. “Thanks,” I said, laughing at myself. “I wouldn’t have come up with Wonder Woman on my own.” I winked to show him I was kidding.
He tipped his glass toward me. “The truth is, Laverne has a big family, and together they run both businesses successfully. Her daughter, Ava-Grace, manages the restaurant, but Laverne’s here often.”
I smiled lazily from the food and drink. “This has been the best birthday ever.”
“You haven’t even had the cake yet. Just wait, it’ll get better. I haven’t given you my gift either. I want to wait until we’re alone before I do that.”
I tipped my head, and I patted my chest, searching for the necklace. “You already gave me this beautiful necklace and flowers. Not to mention this party,” I said. “I know you’re behind it, even if you’re blaming Laverne.”
Gulliver smiled that naughty smile of his and blew me a kiss. “You deserve so much more than this, but I didn’t have much time to plan something. We have twenty-six years of birthdays to make up for tonight.”
I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. “Tonight is better than if I’d had twenty-six birthday parties as a kid. Tonight means the world to me. I never had anything in my childhood, and I’m not talking about gifts, food, or clothes. I’m talking about people who cared about me and did things to help not because they felt obligated but because they wanted to. Growing up, no one spent time with me because they wanted to. They spent time with me because they knew my father was going to kill me if they didn’t. There’s a difference. The people here have invested a part of themselves in me tonight. Whether they just wished me a happy birthday or when they spent all night cooking a spread like that buffet. I’ll never forget tonight because I shared it with you, but also because of all those other people out there.”
He kept hold of my hand, and his lips brushed across my knuckles. “My evil plan is in full swing,” he said, winking once. “I’ve been working hard to make sure you struggle with leaving our little town, and me.”
This felt like dangerous territory, and I knew I’d better change the subject fast. I couldn’t stay in Plentiful, even if the romanticized idea of it on a warm summer night was leading me down that path. In the end, I’d still break his heart when I left, whether it was next month or next year. Eventually I’d leave. I always leave.
“Hey, I have a question about this necklace,” I said, holding it up off my neck.
He brushed his lips across my knuckles again and set my hand back on the table. “I probably have the answer, so ask away.”
“I was reading in your book that glasswing butterflies are from Central America. How did you get it if they’re not in the US?”
His lips flipped up into a cagey smile, and he shook his finger at me. “I picked up that little butterfly when I visited Costa Rica in my final year of college. It was even better than British Columbia, Charity. I can’t begin to describe to you how beautiful the butterflies are down there. I would love to write a book about butterflies from South America, but I’d have to go back and do more research first.”
I let the necklace fall to my chest. “Really? How do you keep a butterfly wing for years?” I asked, surprised. “Wouldn’t it just rot away?”
“It would, yeah,” he agreed, biting his lip uncomfortably at my question. “But I made the necklace as soon as I got back from Costa Rica. I tucked it away and planned to give it to a woman when the time came.”
“A woman?” The way he worded the sentence gave me pause.
He twirled his glass on the table without making eye contact. “A woman I cared about,” he finished.
“Which means you’ve held on to this necklace for a decade,” I whispered.
