Page 3 of Too Sweet
I text the others, telling them to meet us in the dining room ASAP.
When I look up again, Kylian is watching me. With a steady gaze that takes concerted effort on his part, he maintains eye contact. “Did you consider that if Jo hasn’t mentioned her birthday before now, there’s a strong probability she does not want to acknowledge the day?”
Shit. I had not.
Decker bursts into the dining room with Kendrick hot on his heels.
“What’s wrong?” Decker demands, looking from me to Kylian, then back to me again.
His intensity fuels me. My concern isn’t unwarranted. If Joey’s birthday is this weekend, that’s a big fucking deal.
“Locke. What is it?” Decker presses.
I blow out another breath, then raise both eyebrows and tip my chin to Kylian. “Daddy Genius over here has something he forgot to share with us.”
Kyl rises to his feet, sets down the iPad, and folds his arms over his chest. “Or I happen to possess information that’s not mine to share.”
He and I stare at each other, our silent stand-off raising the tension already sizzling around the room. He has to tell them. It’s not okay for two of us to have this information and the other two to be kept in the dark. We’re a team. She’sourgirl. All of us. I’m not backing down on this. Decker and Kendrick have a right to know.
“Spit it out.” Kendrick splays his hands wide on the table, clearly trying his best to keep it together as we all wait out Kylian. “Your text said this was urgent, and about Jojo. Don’t leave us hanging.”
Sighing, Kylian gives me one last incredulous look. Then he turns to the others and finally clues them in.
“Nicky’s all worked up because he was looking at my calendar and saw that Jo’s birthday is coming up.”
Decker’s face falls. I swear I see the exhale leave his body. “Seriously? When is it?”
I wait a breath. Then another. Kylian’s being exceedingly difficult, so I come out and say it. “It’s Saturday.ThisSaturday. Joey’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day.”
There’s a single moment of silence, then Decker and Kendrick simultaneously explode.
“Are you for real? That’s only two days away.”
“How the fuck did I not know it’s my wife’s birthday this weekend?”
My thoughts exactly.
A deluge of relief washes over me. Decker and Kendrick get it. This is a big fucking deal, and we’ve got work to do.
“How long have you known?” Kendrick grumbles, the question aimed at Kyl.
“Since September third,” he repeats, clearly annoyed by everyone’s reactions.
The others stride over, looking equal parts agitated and anxious. Decker and Kendrick look the way I feel right now: like we dodged a bullet, but just barely.
I breathe another sigh of relief. That was close. We almost fucked up big time. I’m just grateful we realized how important this weekend really is before we head up to the cabin.
We wanted to make our first Valentine’s Day special. Now that we know it’s Joey’s birthday? We’re going to make this a weekend she won’t ever forget.
Chapter 2
Joey
The change in vibration through the floor of the SUV is the first sign that we’re close. If the road has turned to gravel, that means we’re minutes away from pulling up to the cabin.
I’m so jazzed I could bounce right out of my seat—except Kylian wouldn’t allow that to happen under any circumstance. I’m securely buckled, and he’s got his arm pressed across both my legs, gripping my upper thigh as he scrolls on his phone with his free hand.
I lean back as much as the seat belt and Kylian will allow, brushing my hand up Nicky’s arm and squeezing.