Page 54

A Few Weeks Later

Ribs by Lorde

“Guys, did anyone write on the banner I bought?” I ask my apartment full of my friends. Nobody says a word. “I’m going to assume that’s a no.”

“Come to think of it, I was wondering why we were going to hang up a blank sign,” Grant says, and Hads smacks his hand as he tries to blow up a balloon.

“I can write on it, babes,” Ella says as she grabs the roll of light blue paper from me. “What did you want it to say again?”

Ella has the best handwriting of us all, and I sigh with relief that they all came over to help me. It was a little last minute, but thankfully, everyone was able to make it over to my place.

Tonight, I’m throwing an impromptu party to celebrate Henry turning in his book. I know how much he struggled with this story, and finishing it is a huge deal, so I wanted to throw him a little something to celebrate.

I am so fucking proud of him.

“Something about him finishing his third book?” I state.

“Well, we know who the author is here,” Oliver jokes as I shoot him a dirty look.

“Don’t make me call the cops on you,” I threaten.

“Don’t make me—”

Hads cuts off our bickering. “I’m going to get my fucking ruler if you two don’t stop arguing all the damn time.”

“I don't understand the animosity between you two,” Leo says as everyone murmurs in agreement. “It doesn't make any bloody sense.”

“Can we just finish decorating before he gets here?”

“Where is he coming from again?” Paige asks as she hangs streamers from all the doorframes in my apartment.

“He’s having dinner with his sister,” I tell them. “He invited me to go, but Lucy is actually doing me a favor by distracting him until we’re done.”

“Oh, right.” Paige smiles as she steps off the small stool I gave her. I have to say, this impromptu party has come together quite nicely, even though I planned it in only a few days. I sort of feel like Ella right now. That girl can whip up a themed party like nobody’s business.

The theme for tonight is writers across the centuries. I basically forced everyone to dress up as one of their favorite authors to celebrate my favorite author .

I’m dressed exactly like Henry—with fake glasses I got at the store, along with blue jeans and a button up top. I even have a notebook attached to my hip for when he gets here, because whenever he starts a new story, he always buys a new notebook.

“Okay, and do you guys think we have enough food and drinks? Because I can go to the—”

“Girl.” Paige grabs my shoulders. “Everything is perfect. There’s enough food for a small restaurant and drinks to last us a year. Everything is perfect,” she reassures me and I take a breath.

“Okay.” I shake out my shoulders. “I don’t know why I’m so stressed about this.”

“Welcome to being the host,” Ella jokes with me. “It may be my favorite thing to do, but when this one over here,” she gestures to Leo, “first hosted a party for all of us, you should have seen how freaked he was.”

“I was not that bad,” he tells us.

Ella only shakes her head as she disagrees, and Leo shoots her a look of disgust.

“Fine, then how about we each host a party and leave it up to our lovely guests to judge who is better?” Leo asks her, and Ella’s eyes pinch in thought.

“Done,” she says, holding out her hand. He shakes it, pulling her into his body.

“You two are the most competitive people I’ve ever met,” Oliver says as he turns the speakers on.

“It’s foreplay,” Paige tells him, and he shakes his head. “What? It is for them!”

I can’t help but laugh at this chaotically wonderful group of people, but it’s short-lived when I feel my phone buzz in my pocket.

Lucy: He’s too impatient to get home to you. I couldn't stall him any longer!

Lucy: Are you guys close to being ready? We’re right around the corner.

Amelia: We’re practically done, but if you can, stall him some more!

Lucy: I’ll try to walk slowly!

“Okay, he’s almost here,” I say, and everyone scrambles into gear.

Ella and Leo hang the sign on my living room wall.

Oliver and Grant blow up some more balloons, randomly throwing them all over the place.

Paige rips streamers off the roll and throws them around too, while Hads turns the playlist I made on.

I wouldn't call this a surprise party, since we’re not jumping out and surprising him, but I think he will be shocked to see everyone.

I can’t wait to see the look on his face. Even though it’s a small celebration, he deserves it. Writing a book is no easy feat, and knowing how much he struggled with this one, this is the least I could do to show how proud I am of him.

“Why is my heart beating so fast? Am I going to have a heart attack?” I turn to Ella, and she simply shakes her head.

“Reel it in, girl. It’s just a get-together, and he’s going to love it.”

“Ames, do you think he’ll be mad at me for not dressing as him?” Grant says as he adjusts his outfit.

“Babe, I think he’ll be okay.” Hads motions to his custom-made shirt with Henry’s name and face on it. “Given the circumstances, I’m sure he’ll be more confused than anything .

“He’s going to be so mad at you,” Oliver jokes—as much as he can for one day—and Grant’s face falls before he turns to Hads.

“Grant, it’s fine,” she reassures him. “Plus, I’m glad you dressed as who you did because, without that book, we would not be here right now.”

“Thank God for my man Fitzy.”

“And his wife,” Hads reminds him.

“Guys, get the streamers ready,” I say as I hear footsteps outside. “Hads, hit the music.”

She does, and as soon as it starts playing, the door opens. His face pinches in surprise as he sees me and all our friends greeting him.

“Woah,” he says as Paige sets off a few hand-popping streamers. “What’s all this?”

“Well, we had to celebrate,” Grant says. “Someone over here finished their third book!”

Everyone sets off their streamers as Henry comes closer, a smile I’ve never seen from him before showing up on his face.

“Congrats!” we all say as he wraps me in his arms.

“I’m proud of you, Hen,” I whisper into his ear as he buries his face in my shoulder.

“Thank you so much, Mills.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips. “What the hell are you all wearing?”

Laughs echo around the room as he stares at all of us, and I can tell when recognition hits.

“Are you guys all dressed as authors?”

“Our favorite ones!” Paige says while she pops another streamer. Hads reaches over and takes the bag from her.

“And since everyone has to be dressed according to the theme,” I say as I open the door to my bedroom, “I left you a very important outfit in there. So, go get changed, and when you come out, we can fully start the celebration. ”

“I love you,” he says as he presses a kiss to my forehead. “Although, it feels weird saying that to you while you’re dressed as…me, I assume?”

“You’re my favorite author, Hen,” I remind him. “And I can understand that.”

As soon as he gets dressed, he comes back out and greets the boys, the four of them trading hugs as us girls watch Ella mix our drinks for us. My drink of choice tonight is a Shirley Temple, and I’ve been in the biggest hyper fixation of my life for the past few weeks.

“Proud of you, buddy,” Oliver says quietly.

“Good job, mate,” Leo says. “I’m not much of a reader, but I can’t imagine actually writing a story, let alone three.”

“Thank you, Leo.” Then his eyes land on Grant, and I swear, he’s about to cry.

“I’m just super proud of you, dude,” Grant tells him, his voice sincere as they hug. “I remember rooting you on from the book club classroom all those years ago, and now, you’re published three times over.”

“Fuck, that feels like forever ago,” Henry says. “I think you called me your favorite almost-author or something?”

“This whole getting old thing is driving me nuts,” Oliver says, and for once, I agree with him.

“Me too,” I say to the room, and I swear, you could hear a pin drop if the music wasn’t playing. “What?”

“You just agreed with Oliver,” Paige says, her eyes shining. “I never thought I would see the day it happened in front of him.”

“What do you mean in front of me?” Oliver asks as I shake my head.

“She means nothing,” I tell him as I sip my drink. “Now, can we get to celebrating?”

“Of course we can!” Ella shouts as she pops the champagne while also pouring me a glass of water.

Everyone cheers as glasses are poured, conversations are had, and snacks are eaten.

Eventually, the karaoke machine is brought out, and just like old times, Grant and Ella sing a duet, Paige and I sing at the top of our lungs, and Oliver pretends to hate it, but I can see him smiling to himself as he watches his wife.

“I am so glad Paige and I practically trapped you two at her wedding,” Grant says, his lips loose from the alcohol. “Oh, shit.”

“Grant!” Paige says into the microphone as her solo song ends. “Out of the two of us, I thought I was going to be the one to blab!”

“Shit,” is all he says as we all stare at the two of them.

“Are you guys serious?” I ask them. “You pulled a parent trap on us?”

“A what?” Leo asks.

“It’s a movie,” Oliver tells him. “I knew those two had meddled in your relationship.”

“Well, it worked, didn't it?” Grant reminds us, and Henry starts to laugh as he pulls me onto his lap.

“We should have seen that coming,” he tells me.

“Oh, absolutely,” I agree as I laugh into his chest. “But I guess we owe you two a thank you.”

“I’ll take my form of payment in you naming any future pets or children after me,” Grant jokes. “Or a simple thank you during a wedding speech would be nice.”

“I don’t need anything,” Paige says. “Except for you two to last forever. Deal?”

“I think we can manage that,” Henry says.

“God, I thought Paige was bad back in college when she tried to ship us all together,” Hads says. “But you two were right, so I guess we all owe you a thank you.”