Page 51 of Chasing Shadows
TWENTY-FOUR
LILY
ONCE LACHY HAS Harley out of the house, Tom and I jump into action. I call Ivy to let them know the coast is clear. Ten minutes later, Jordan, Brady, Conrad, and Tom are moving furniture while the girls and I decorate. The couches, the coffee table, and the dining room table are moved into the garage to make space for the portable stage and karaoke machine that Robbo’s girlfriend dropped off yesterday before we left for Harley’s fight. Jordan and Conrad string up the Christmas lights that I found in the Breed’s garage while Wren and Tom unload the alcohol into eskys that are filled with ice. Brady is outside, setting up the portable heaters that his dad had dropped off earlier in the week.
“Did you get the cake?” Tom asks me.
“While you were sleeping,” I say with a nod. “It’s in the fridge in the garage.”
“Where do you want these?” Ivy asks as she and Ronnie walk in carrying two massive platters of food from Patty’s. “There’s four more of these in the back of my car.”
I clear the empty boxes from the booze off the kitchen bench, and we start arranging the food. We’ve invited Harley’s mates from Knockout, as well as a few people from his uni classes. His cousin is also coming up from Sydney, which has me a little nervous in case he recognises me. Harley said he owns a tattoo parlour near Kings Cross, but Declan is a clean skin, so hopefully they’ve never crossed paths.
“You okay?” Ivy asks, hip-checking me with a kind smile.
“Fine,” I reply, forcing myself to grin back at her. I didn’t even realise that I’d been staring off into space.
“You look like you’re a million miles away.”
“Just running over the checklist in my mind, making sure we haven’t forgotten anything.”
She hugs my shoulder. “This is awesome. You and Tom have done a great job. Harley’s going to be blown away.”
I bite my bottom lip. “Do you think we’re doing the right thing, throwing him a party while his dad’s in hospital?”
“I do. Sam is being taken care of, and Harley needs this. He needs to know we’re all here for him.”
I nod, but my stomach twists with anxiety. I know I haven’t known him that long, but Harley doesn’t seem to like surprises. I’m not sure how he’s going to react to us throwing him a party behind his back with everything else going on.
I check my watch. Six forty-five. The plan was for Lachyto take Harley to Patty’s after their surf, they would grab a bite to eat and be back here by seven thirty. We’d told all the guests to park at the Blue Haven footy club around the corner and walk here so he wouldn’t be suspicious about all the cars. They’d start arriving soon.
Sure enough, just as the thought runs through my head, Robbo arrives with his girlfriend, Tamika, and a few others from Blue Haven University. Zeke and a couple of the guys from Knockout arrive next, and then there’s a steady influx of people streaming through the front door, until there’s about forty people mingling in the Breed’s living room, kitchen, and a few are outside under the heaters.
Just after seven thirty, Jordan lets out an ear-piercing whistle, and the music is shut off. “They’re five minutes out,” he shouts. “Someone kill the lights, and everyone shut up.”
A few people laugh at the glare he shoots around the room, but voices drop to whispers, and everyone hides themselves away from the view of the front entryway. Someone shuts off the lights, and I find myself huddled up in the middle of the living room with Harley’s closest friends and family.
Anticipation bubbles away inside of me, increasing as the lights from Tom’s ute wash over the room before cutting out. The whispers stop, and despite the amount of people squished into a small space, we can hear Lachy and Harley as they approach the house.
“–weird,” Harley’s saying. “Lily and Tom didn’t saythey’d be going anywhere.”
“Maybe they went to bed early,” Lachy suggests, and I slap my palm against my forehead. Is he trying to give us away?
The front door opens, and footsteps head towards us. I blink as the lights switch on, and everyone choruses, “Surprise!”
My grin fades as Harley stumbles back into Lachy. People rush forward to wish him a happy birthday, and he plasters on a fake smile.Shit.I knew this was a bad idea.
Jordan pushes a drink into Harley’s hand, and he tips it back, downing half the bottle in one hit. Brady claps him on the back, while Ivy, Wren, and Brady bring out some trays of jelly shots. Harley grabs two and knocks them back as well. I glance at Tom, but he’s deep in conversation with Zeke over in the corner.
Strange.I didn’t realise they were close.
I sidle up beside Harley and murmur, “Happy birthday, Herc.”
His eyes wash over me in my black ripped skinny jeans and over-sized Nirvana t-shirt knotted at my belly button before he licks his lips and meets my gaze. “This your doing, Kitten?”
The use of his nickname has my stomach fluttering, but his voice is gruff, and I’m not sure how he feels about the surprise. I press my lips together, wincing as I nod. “Mine and Tom’s.”
“And Lachy was in on it, too.” It’s a statement not aquestion, but I nod again anyway.