The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)(70)

“Surprise!” A chorus of what seemed like a hundred voices all screamed at once and my eyes adjusted to the light. There were at least fifty people inside the house. Rainbow streamers hung from the ceiling. Balloons were taped to the walls and covered the floor. Everyone had on little party hats with elastic straps tucked under their chins.

LJ and Berk stood in the doorway of the kitchen, balancing a huge cake between them. It was a white unicorn with a rainbow mane, and sparklers streamed out of the unicorn’s horn. I glanced back at Reece. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and walked me forward, never letting go. Marisa stood beside them with a party blower that curled in and shot out straight with a whistling noise.

“Happy Birthday, Wild Child.”

If my heart hadn’t already belonged to him, it would have been wrapped up with a bow and presented to him on a rainbow platter at that moment. “But it’s not my birthday,” I whispered over my shoulder.

“It doesn’t matter. You deserve a party.” He nipped my earlobe and buried his head in my neck, nuzzling my skin. I laughed, tilting my head to escape his tickle assault.

“Come blow out your candles, Seph. This thing is heavier than it looks.” Someone grabbed a lighter and relit some sparklers and the candles along the front. Most of the lights were turned off again. There was a countdown and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” in a mottled mess of a chorus, but I’d never heard anything sweeter. How was I supposed to leave all this at the end of the semester? My first real friends, the first time I felt like I belonged.

Blinking back tears, I blew out a breath and laughed at the cha, cha, cha Berk added in at the end of each line. The glow of the candles lit up the room and I took it all in. Everyone was there for me—well, maybe not just me. I was sure when Reece asked people to come to a party, there was no shortage of those wanting to stop by, but still, he’d planned it for me.

Tucking a loose bit of hair behind my ear, I leaned over and closed my eyes. A wish didn’t come to mind because I’d already gotten it. I blew out the candles, and the room broke out into applause.

The guys set the cake down on the table and handed the knife to me to make the first cut. Apparently fondant was harder to cut through than it looked. Reece covered my hand with his and helped me cut the first piece, his body against my back. I peered up at everyone around the room, waiting for someone to start asking questions, like What the hell are you two doing together? Lifting it out, there were layers of rice crispy treats, chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and rainbow layers.

“Wow, you went all out for this.” I grabbed a fork and took a bite. The chocolate was heavy and rich, so thick I needed a glass of milk.

“Nix got it from that bakery I got the cupcakes from, Bread & Butter.”

“Where is Nix?” I craned my neck, scanning the party.

Reece shrugged.

As if on cue, the front door opened and a blast of cold air blew in with the man in question. Nix closed the door behind him, turning off the glowing screen of his phone. He shrugged off his coat before joining the rest of the party.

“Thanks for the cake, Nix.” I pulled him in for a hug.

“It was no problem. I got a good deal since my dad’s assistant uses them a lot for their charity and corporate events.”

Metal clattered to the floor and I turned around. Berk stood a couple feet away, mouth hanging open with his plate teetering in his hand and his fork on the floor. “He gets a hug and I don’t? I think I should be offended.” He tilted his head to the side dropping his chin to his shoulder with a dramatic sigh, biting his knuckle. The rainbow and unicorn hats everyone else had discarded had been added to Berk’s head, so he had a mane of pointy party hats around his face.

“You might want to give him a hug or he might go into full baby meltdown.”

“I’m sorry, Berk. Can you ever forgive me?” I held out my arms and he set down his plate, running to me in slow motion. Lifting me in his arms, he spun me around.

“Happy Birthday, Seph. Did you like the unicorn?” He set me down. “That was my suggestion.” Of course it was.

“It’s the best birthday cake I’ve ever had.”

“You’re not just saying that because it’s your only one?” Reece took me out of Berk’s hold and I rested my hand on his chest.

“No, not because it was my only one. Any other ones I have after this will have a lot to live up to. Thank you everyone. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.” My throat tightened and I pressed my lips together. I’d lost out on having people like them in my life before, but now that I knew what it felt like to have friends, there was no going back.

“Enough of the sappy stuff. Let’s play pin the tail on the donkey. If you miss, you have to take a shot.” LJ cupped his hands around his mouth and broadcast the rules and line-up to the party.

“I had to call off The Pink Menace again next door,” Nix grumbled and massaged his shoulder.

“You did hit her in the face with your balls.” Reece shrugged.

My head shot up.

Nix’s mouth thinned into a line of annoyance. He turned to me. “Ball—singular. A football. Not that I only have one ball or something.” His cheeks brightened like he’d been on the beach all day and had forgotten sunscreen.

“It was at the beginning of junior year. I apologized a million times.”