Page 104 of Starting Back
I lumbered over to the door, still not that awake yet, and found Kristina, Emma, and Chloe when I peeked through the window. When I spotted the balloons, I realized they’d been tipped off.
“Happy birthday, Leo!” Emma barreled into me, her hand still white-knuckling the balloon strings. “I bought the balloons!” She held up her hand, the shiny string tangled around her little fingers.
“I love them, thank you,” I said as I scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “You bought them for me yourself?”
“Yep, I gave Mommy the money from my piggy bank. You can’t have a birthday without balloons.”
“We contributed the rest,” Kristina called out behind her. Her cheeks were red from the frigid air as she cracked a wide smile. Even Chloe shot me a grin as she shivered around the large containers she was holding.
“Come in, it’s freezing,” I told them, leaning against the open door with Emma still in my arms. “I guess someone told you it was my birthday.” I arched a brow when Kristina’s eyes met mine.
“Your aunt,” Kristina said as she set down two large shopping bags and peeled off her coat. “And she also said that you don’t like to celebrate, but we decided to try to convince you.”
“Yeah.” I had to laugh at Emma’s narrowed blue eyes. “Everyone should have birthdays and birthday cake.”
I set her down and unwound the string from her hands.
“How about we tie these to one of my kitchen chairs?”
“I thought you’d have more than just this by now,” Kristina said as she swept her gaze over my living room. “More than just a kitchen table and chairs, a couch, and a TV.”
“That’s all the basics,” I teased. “I have a bed and a working bathroom. You know I don’t need much.”
Her brow furrowed as she craned her neck back and forth. She opened her mouth to say something when Emma ran between us.
“After we tie the balloons up, we can have cake.”
“Anything you want, chiquita.” I kissed her forehead and wrapped the string around my hand. “These are great balloons.”
“I knew you’d like them even if you don’t like birthdays. How could you not like your birthday? That’s why we brought extra presents and cake to change your mind.”
I crouched down in front of Emma, her baby-blue eyes searching mine.
“Because when I was young, my parents went to heaven. And I missed them too much to have my birthday without them.”
“What about having new birthdays with us? Maybe you’ll like them again?”
I couldn’t look at that sweet face and refuse to celebrate my birthday, especially when her wide smile faded into a deep frown.
“I like any day I can spend with all of you.” I stilled when I noticed all the containers Chloe had dropped onto my kitchen table. “How many cakes did you make?”
“Tía Lucia told me how to make the butter cookies, but the coconut ones seemed complicated.” Chloe scrunched her nose as she popped off the tops of each container. Emma rushed over to kneel on one of the chairs, ready to pounce.
“She said when I had more time, I could come back and try.”
“Come back?” I turned to Kristina. “When were you there?”
“All day yesterday. Well, maybe not all day.” She stepped up to me and looped her arms around my neck. “But definitely most of the afternoon. She said Chloe was a natural and her cookies were better than Lona’s, but we aren’t supposed to tell anyone.”
She pressed a long kiss to my lips. Sweet and chaste since we were in front of her kids, but the wicked glint in her eyes as she eased away made it dirty enough. “Can I even say happy birthday, or is that not allowed?”
“It is if you say it like that.” I pulled her to me and pressed my mouth to hers while the girls were distracted. “How about this. Since I just woke up and haven’t eaten, why don’t we order something to eat before we go on a sugar high? As long as you ladies don’t have any other plans,” I said, drawing Kristina into my side.
“Nope, I’m free!”
Kristina and I smothered a laugh at Emma’s reply.
“You just woke up?” Chloe asked. “Don’t you want breakfast instead of dinner?”
