Page 68 of Rebuilding Friendship Inn

The song ended, and Matt set the cake in front of Asher and crouched in front of him. “Happy birthday, bud,” he said.

The boy looked at his daddy, confusion in his face. He reached for the candle, and Matt laughed as he brushed his hand away. “You have to blow it out. Watch.” Matt huffed on the candle and the flame flickered. He blew harder, and it went out.

He plucked the candle from the cake so it wouldn’t burn their baby, and AJ said, “Go on, Ash. It’s cake, and it’s yours.” She held her phone up, ready to take a whole series of pictures. Then a video.

“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Clara said, and AJ looked away from her phone and her baby.

Clara, Scott, and Lena bustled into the house, and Lena went right over to Asher. “Did he blow out the candle by himself?”

AJ smiled, because no, a one-year-old didn’t blow out their own candle. Lena looked around at everyone. “Did you sing?”

AJ didn’t want her to be upset, and Clara tried to get Lena to come stand out of the way.

“Nope,” Matt said. He flicked on the lighter again, and AJ watched as he re-lit the candle he’d stuck back in the cake. “You’re just in time.”

He beamed at Lena, who lit up as brightly as the sun. She sang loudly, and AJ couldn’t stop the smile on her face, nor the happiness filling her over and over again.

Matt put the cake on the tray again, and Asher looked at it again.

“You blow on it,” Lena said.

“Show him,” Matt said, and AJ actually watched Clara as Lena bent down and snuffed out the candle with her breath.

She stood in Scott’s arms—that was new—no tension in her shoulders or face. She smiled at Lena when AJ had really only ever seen her try to sweep the young woman to the back of the crowd, out of the way.

“He’s eating it, babe,” Matt said. “Are you filming this?”

AJ jolted again, lifted her phone, and started recording as Asher finally figured out what the dark brown thing in front of him was. “Cake,” she said as his eyes filled with delight and he went back for another, bigger fistful.

Chatter broke out then, and Kelli started serving the cake for the adults.

“There’s shredded beef sandwiches,” Kristen called. “Corn dip and corn muffins. What else?”

AJ let Robin take over the food part of the party, because she just wanted to enjoy herself. They’d all brought gifts in blue bags and boxes, but that wasn’t the special part of today.

The food was good, but again, not the most important thing.

No, the most important thing about today wasn’t a thing at all. It was the people who’d taken the time out of their lives to be in her house, with her, celebrating her son.

She took a few more pictures and moved over to where Clara stood with Eloise. “…just loves birthday parties,” Clara said. She glanced over to AJ and backed up to make room for her. “Hey, AJ. Sorry we were late. The ferry coming from Sanctuary was a nightmare.”

“Laurel said that,” AJ said. “I’m surprised you came. You didn’t need to.”

Clara blinked at her, a bit of surprise riding in her eyes. “Would you say that to Kelli?”

AJ felt like she’d been punched in the lungs. “Uh…” She looked over to Eloise.

Clara sighed and fell back another step. “I’m sorry. That was so blunt.” She put a smile on her face. “I came, because I do want to be here. I want to be part of this.” She gestured her hand around the house, and AJ totally understood what she meant. “I belong here.”

She exchanged a look with Eloise. “I was just telling Eloise that I’ve been shifting around some of my priorities.”

“I told her to just start responding to the texts, and she wouldn’t be able to get rid of us.” Eloise grinned and turned slightly toward Billie as the teenager handed her a plate. “Thanks, baby. Did you get some?”

“I’m getting it now,” Billie said. “Clara? You want something?”

“Scott is getting it.” Clara wore a completely new suit, from head to toe, and AJ barely recognized her. Perhaps something amazing had happened at Friendship Inn this morning.

“Aaron just closed the island,” Eloise said, holding up her phone. “You have to show proof of where you’re staying or your address to get on the island.”

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