Page 96 of Brick

Brick produced a lighter.“Ready to go?”

“If we don’t get started soon and get this sugar through his system, he’s going to be up until midnight.”

Brick grunted and flicked his thumb over the spark wheel.“Good point.We need him in bed and these guests gone soon, or we’re gonna have to sneak upstairs.”

She laughed, shaking her head.“You’re ridiculous.”

His hardness pressed against her jeans.“Only for you.”He touched the flame to the candle wick.

Natalie lifted the plate as Brick crossed the room to cut the lights.

“Happy birthday...”she sang.Brick chimed in, his husky baritone carrying over hers.She entered the room to watch Zain slide Bray onto his chair at the head of the table.Dana knelt beside him, pointing at Natalie.Ellie sang the loudest, crouched beside Dana.Her sister had taken their move hard, but this was already her second trip to Seattle, and she’d be back at Christmas.

Everyone sang in unison.Having the Backcountry team and Brick’s closest friends—who were now also hers—in attendance warmed her heart.Suzan, Taschen and Sephie, Zain and Dana, Toth, Savannah, and their son, Roman, Rami, August, and the twins, Ivy and Gigi: the glowing faces of her newfound family lifted her spirit and hit her right in the tear ducts.

Bray’s little face beamed with happiness.His eyes danced as he watched her approach with the cake.He clapped and bounced in his seat, then pressed both his hands over his mouth in wonderment.Everyone laughed and cheered as he took a deep breath and huffed out the candle.

“Yay!”Natalie cried, clapping and smiling through the tears washing out her vision.

Bray stood on his chair and threw his arms around Brick.“Look, Daddy!A escabater!”he yelled, pointing at the excavator sitting atop his cake.

“That’s right, champ!”Brick said proudly, rubbing his large hand over Bray’s chest and pressing a kiss to his wild dark curls.

Natalie wondered how it was possible to feel such intense heartbreak and love in the same moment.Heartbreak for the little boy who’d gone so long without this stability and love from others; heartbreak for the man who’d stepped up for their son when he had every reason to hate her.And love.God, the love.If it were possible for her chest to split in two from so much of it, it’d have happened right then.

Brick’s eyes met hers.His face shone with joy and bore the same expression of wonderment as their son’s.Knowingness crossed his brown eyes as he studied her.He was surely reading her mind and seeing her heart on the floor.“I love you,” he mouthed.

She blew him a kiss.

“Time to cut the cake,” Brick said, swooping the tray out from under Bray’s nose before he licked it.

“I’ve got the cake knife,” Gigi said.Ivy bustled over with a stack of plates, and they worked to cut the construction site Gigi had so artfully designed.“The big man gets part of the machine!”Gigi called, then passed the plate to Bray.

August looked affronted.“I thought that was for me.”

“Nah, give him the pile of dirt,” Taschen quipped.

“How about you get the worker’s hard hat to cover that head of—”

Savannah elbowed August.“Hey.Be nice.We’re raising little ones who’re going to take this language to the playground.”

“You guys are exhausting,” Ellie said teasingly to the guys as she accepted one of the plates.

“He started it,” grumbled August.

Ivy snickered and Gigi snorted.In minutes they had the cake distributed.Bray polished his off in seconds, then moved to the floor to play trucks with Roman, who was almost a year and a half old.Despite their age difference, Bray was always patient with Roman, and he let him have a turn with his new toys.

Brick placed both hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheek from behind.“He’ll make a great big brother one day,” he said softly.

She covered his hand with hers and tilted her head back to look at him, as she’d done in the kitchen.“That day isn’t as far off as you might think,” she whispered.

He froze.His eyes went wide, his face pale.“You’re joking.”

The smile spread from deep within her.She shook her head, unable to say the words because she’d explode with elation.It was too soon to share the news with everyone.Plus, she didn’t want to overshadow Bray on his special day.

Brick cupped her face and kissed her lips.“You’ve made me so damn happy.”

“Get a room!”Rami tossed a napkin over the table.

Brick caught it and hurled it back.

“Boys,” Toth said, shaking his head.“I swear, you guys are like children.”

Natalie laughed and settled back in Brick’s arms, loving every minute of the banter.For the last ten years, she’d been so alone.Isolated except for Bray.Now she had friends who were family, and they’d watch their children grow together.Her heart swelled with gratitude.

She and Bray finally had a real home.