Page 42 of Sparks with the Single Dad

TWENTY-FIVE

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

“I can’t believe I forgot candles.” I bury my face in my hands, leaning on the counter in the kitchen of the lake house—the very fancy lake house that Amber’s rich boyfriend let us use for Chance’s party, which will now be ruined because I don’t have candles for his birthday cake.

Just as I’m deciding who to call to ask to bring candles, my phone rings. Greg’s name flashes across the screen, and I’m hesitant to answer, but I do.

“Hey,” he says. “I’m about to head up, but I wanted to check and see if there was anything else we need.”

Relief washes over me. “Oh my god. Yes. We need candles.”

“Oh, I can do that,” he reassures me. “I’ll stop at the party store before I hit the highway, and I’ll be there in no time.”

“Thank you so much.”

“No problem.”

He hangs up and I marvel at the difference in how we’re dealing with each other already. It’s already so much easier. I’m sure we’ll have hiccups along the way, but it’s nice that we’re trying and succeeding so far. I finish setting up all the decorations, and the guests start arriving.

Frank and Libby come in first, with a package that’s probably as big as Chance himself.

“Good Lord.” I pretend to shake the box. “I could wrap Chance in this.”

“He’s going to love it,” Libby gushes. “It’s—”

“Oh, don’t tell her,” Frank pleads and she sighs.

“Fine, fine. Where do we put gifts?”

“There’s a table on the back wall of the main room.” I point behind me and they file in. Next are Amber and Rachel.

“Guys, thanks for coming.” We circle into a group hug.

“Sebastian couldn’t be here because he’s out of town for work, but he sent a gift.” Amber waves an envelope at me, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Well, he shouldn’t have. Letting us use his house was enough.” I turn to Rachel. “How was your date, by the way? I don’t think I’ve seen you since then.”

“Oh my god, you don’t even want to know.” She huffs, rolling her eyes. “Jack is still the most frustrating man I’ve ever met.”

Rachel’s grandparents file in behind her. “But he’s a great worker, I have to say,” her grandfather, Junior, pipes up.

“Yeah, they hired him to work with us for the rest of the year,” Rachel says. “Can you believe it?”

People keep moving in, and my friends get pushed away.

“We’ll talk later,” I reassure Rachel and she nods, waving before heading to the snacks.

Lots of Chance’s friends come in, and Greg finally comes in with a small bag. “Mission accomplished.” He grins before going to get a drink.

Once guests stop arriving, I give myself a moment to think about Rachel going on that date with Jack. Because that takes me back to my first date with Isaac. To the way he looked at me in the greenhouse and how he kissed me up against the tree.

Things have settled down a bit more, but I haven’t reached out. Well, I did send him an online invite to the party, so I guess he may come. I hope he does, for Chance, not for me. Chance has asked about him a few times, and in a way, it makes me wish he hadn’t met Isaac yet. I know it was unavoidable with the way things happened, but I hate that he got attached.

My phone dings and I glance at the notification from Ava. “Oh, they’re almost here! Let me go out. You all get ready to shout happy birthday.”

Everyone choruses that they’ll be ready. They’re a mismatched group of misfits, but all of these people showing up for my boy makes me realize how blessed we are. How much love we have surrounding us.

Ava’s car pulls into the driveway as the sun sets, and Chance comes barreling out of the back seat.

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