Page 109 of Every Bit As Perfect
This moment was the latter.
Not until that exact moment did I know I’d been waiting for this day for more than a decade.
My arms shot into the air as I danced around my crocodile.“Have you got this?”I beamed at him, nodding to the table.“I’m going to dash over to see them really quick.”
“Go.”His eyes smiled, soft and warm, into mine.“I got you.”
Skipping around the table, I darted over.
Grabbing Noelle’s hands, I spun her around.“You look great!”
Dressed as Tinker Bell, with her long legs perfectly displayed by the flouncy skirt, tiny wings affixed to her back, and white puffs on the toes of her shoes, she looked every bit the part.
Hawk, with his perpetual toque, a red and white striped t-shirt, and ripped cut-offs made a rather well-built Mr.Smee.I opened my mouth, but my voice failed.Instead, I threw myself against his chest, wrapped my arms around him, and pressed my face into his chest.
His chest heaved beneath my cheek.
His mouth dropped to the top of my head.
And his arms tightened around me momentarily before releasing me with a small push.
I spun away from him, giving us both a moment to recover, and swiped beneath my eyes as I took Max in.
Max, sporting the goatee he’d grown especially for this occasion, put Killian of Once Upon a Time to shame with his sexy rendition of Captain Hook.
I slapped my hands over my cheeks.“Max!My God!The single ladies are going to fall all over themselves!”
“A fair few of the married ones, too, if I was to hazard a guess!”guffawed Susie from behind me.
Max blushed.
I laughed.
Noelle snorted.
Hawkley grinned.
And Susie slapped my ass as she passed.“Lookin’ good, kid.Where’s your mom?”
And Hunter, Hunter with his tiny green tights, his pointed slippers, tiny, belted tunic complete with fabric blade, and feathered hat made my heart sing.
He lay, despite the noise, fast asleep in his stroller.
“He’s so beautiful,” I cooed.
“You’re beautiful, Harley.”Noelle beamed.“I don’t know how you managed to make Wendy Darling look like a pin-up model, but you did it!”
“Well,” I chortled.“I filled out the costume in a way none of us could have predicted!”The scoop neck gathered bodice added a little extra up top while the wide blue ribbon around my ribs accentuated my smallest part.Beneath that, the flare of my hips completed the hourglass effect.“But I did wear slippers!”
She looked me over, admiration shining in her eyes.Raising a hand, she touched my hair.“This half up, half down, hairband style reminds me of teenage Harley.”She dropped her hand to my hip.“But this body is all woman!”
I smiled my thanks.“I’ve gotta get back to my crocodile before the kids overwhelm him.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said smiling.“He looks like he’s got it all together.”
I looked over to find Daire holding court, his face animated while he spoke to the kids surrounding the table.
“Yeah.He’s pretty special,” I murmured.
