Page 33 of A Forever Love
“Hi, Franny,” I greet her with a smile.
“Today is a special day.” She plants kisses on both of my cheeks.
It’s a yearly ritual—she embraces me and offers a complimentary milkshake, all without uttering a traditional birthday wish. I have a feeling Carter strictly advised her not to.
Returning to her station, she picks out a blackberry lavender chocolate cupcake and deftly inserts a candle into it. “Both of you take your seats. I’ll send someone over with your special order.”
“What if Franny stops selling this flavor one day? Should we have a backup plan?” I bite my lower lip, fearing that our cherished tradition might come to an end.
“Not everything in life needs a backup, mittens. If Franny ever decides to close shop, I’ll simply learn to bake it myself. It’s that easy.” Carter shrugs as a waitress places our special cupcake and two milkshakes on the table, but I’m still hung up on his words.
“Can I make an addition to my wish?”
“Of course. It’s your wish, so you can do whatever you like with it.”
“And you’re still special, free from the curse of loving me.” I place my hands under my thighs to stop their trembling.
“Always.” He grins, flexing his biceps playfully.
“Perfect,” I whisper before closing my eyes. “God, Carter is a special human being, so can I please love him forever? Can you also add to my wish that he never changes and doesn’t become a jerk, but instead, always remains this nice?” And finally, with a steady breath, I blow out the candle.
Carter divides the cake into two portions. “Happy birthday, mittens.” He offers me one half. “Since we’ve added something new to your wish, can I add something as well?”
“What?” I ask, nervous and excited at the same time.
“A gift?”
“You bought me something?” My heart quickens its rhythm, and a wide grin spreads across my face, as if every nerve in my body is buzzing.
Carter flashes me his dimple once again, placing a thick book on the table. “The cashier mentioned that it might be boring for a twelve-year-old, but she doesn’t know that you’ve never been a typical kid. But still if you don’t like it, just let me know and I’ll exchange it for something else.”
“No. I love it already.” I bring the book close to my chest.
My first birthday present in seven years.
* * *
The lingering taste of the cake still dances on my palate when the doorbell chimes. My eyes flutter open, catching a glimpse of the dimmed sky through the frosted window glass. The bathwater has cooled, and only a few bubbles remain.
Holy crap! Did I fall asleep?
Before I can fully assess how long I might have been soaking in the tub, the doorbell rings once more. I rise swiftly, my book having slipped from my grasp to the carpet beside the bathtub.
Thank God. I would have cried if it had fallen into the tub.
“It might be Sam,” I murmur under my breath when my phone goes off this time. He often checks in on me before he finishes his shift. I wrap myself in my bathrobe and head toward the front door.
As I swing the door open, my heart flutters at the sight of Carter standing there in a charcoal gray suit with the top button of his shirt loose, engrossed in his cell phone. A beat later, he lifts his gaze to meet mine, and then his eyes travel down, sending my pulse into overdrive. Confusion and an unfamiliar expression I’ve never seen paints his face before he clenches his teeth, his jawline becoming taut.
“What the fuck are you doing?” His moss-green eyes bleed to black.
“Opening the door,” I blurt, still not entirely recovered from his unexpected arrival.
“This is how you open the door? Where the fuck are your clothes?”
I take a deep breath, realizing it should be me screaming at him for being here at my doorstep, for invading my dreams and for dominating my every thought while I’m trying hard to forget him.
“I’m not in the habit of welcoming guests half-naked, but when someone seemed determined to wreck my doorbell, I came in the most decent state I could manage.”