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I keep the cupcake in my grip as I hold on to him with my other arm. I laugh as the kiss deepens, and moments later, Weston enters.
Easton turns and glares at him with a huff. “We just spent three weeks of fun together. What do you need?”
“Yourwife textedme,” Weston says, turning to me. I did text him because I needed them both in the same room at the same time. “What’s the emergency, Lexi?”
I give him a cheeky grin.
“SURPRISE!” All their friends and family members jump out from behind the couch and the kitchen, and several walk down the stairs.
They both roll their eyes, a perfect mirror image.
I wrap my arms around Easton. “Surprise! Maybe my timing isn’t as shitty as I thought.”
“Oh, it still very much sucks. You were lucky this time,” he says, swinging me around as I laugh. He takes a bite from the cupcake. “I missed you.”
“I missed you so much,” I say, whispering in his ear. “This will only last for two hours.”
“Good. But thank you for this. No one has ever been able to surprise us,” he admits.
This makes me smile. “A rule breaker. A heartbreaker. And now a record breaker? Who’d have thought it was possible?”
He laughs against my mouth, and it’s hard to pull away from him, but somehow, we do.
The only time he’s not touching me is when he hugs his sister. Billie squeezes me the tightest though.
“Glad you’re keeping this one,” she tells Easton, and he gives me a warm smile.
“Me too,” he says, but his eyes don’t leave mine.
The intense eye contact nearly brings me to my knees. I love it when he looks at me that way.
It’s now that I wish I hadn’t thrown this party. I’m greedy, and I don’t want to share him with anyone, not with how much I missed him. But he needed this. My heart lurches forward and I swallow hard as the silent conversation streams between us.
The room fills with chatter and he says hello to those who make it a point to give best wishes for his birthday and our wedding.
There were a few moments when I didn’t think I could pull this off. Carlee helped with cakes and decorations, and Brody gave me a list of who he believed should be invited. Without their help, I’m not sure it would’ve been possible. Surprisingly, every person I’d invited showed up.
I glance around and find Carlee chatting with Philip, the guy whose Jeep we borrowed. She’s laughing her ass off, and I wave her over. After a minute, she excuses herself.
When close, she lowers her voice. “He’s morecountrythan us.”
She’s from a small town in Texas too. It’s called Merryville, and they celebrate Christmas year-round.
“I know. Oh, I want to introduce you to someone,” I tell her, then turn toward Weston.
Immediately, he stops his conversation with Easton.
“This is my best friend, Carlee. She helped me plan this,” I say.
He gives her a smirk as their eyes meet. It’s likemagic. And I finally understand what everyone sees. I witness it on Weston’s face.
“Hi,Carlee. Weston Calloway.”
He holds out his hand, which she takes. He kisses her knuckles and she laughs.
“It’s so lovely to meet youfinally. You’reiconic.”
Weston chuckles and smirks. “That’s what they say.”