While she finished up preparing some food, she’d spent a good hour on the phone with Rhett’s mom. Obviously, he’d sprung the news on them today, and somehow that didn’t surprise her. Something had changed in him today. Some dark part lightened, became less heavy. Rhett’s mom wanted all the details, and by the end of the call, Kinsley was smiling ear to ear. His parents were excited. Rhett was happy. Maybe all this was actually going to work out.
A light flashed by the window and she hurried to peek out again, finding Rhett’s truck now in the driveway. “Ooh, he’s here. Quiet.”
The loud chatter behind her went silent.
Sure, Rhett was going to hate this. He hated every birthday, but no one ever listened to his broodiness; they celebrated his birthday anyway. But this year was different, and she wanted it to feel different too. For him.
The door suddenly swung open and Rhett walked in.
“Surprise!” rang out in the room.
Rhett dropped his head and shook it, but when he lifted his gaze again, it locked on Kinsley. The smile he gave her made her heart skip.
“You’re lucky I didn’t shoot anyone,” he said to her, igniting laughter from his friends. He shoved his keys into his pocket and walked right up to her, grabbing her hand and tugging her close. “You behind this?”
Those dark eyes were full of a warmth she never thought she’d reach. “Of course I am,” she said, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss. “But before you give me trouble, just know that I asked everyone to donate whatever they could to Sailor’s instead of buying you a present since I knew you’d prefer that.”
Surprise widened his eyes. He glanced over her shoulder, probably at Theo before looking at her again. Warmth spiraled through her, touching places that she never really thought could be touched with Rhett around. “Thank you for that, Kinsley,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” She smiled.
He dropped his chin and kissed her again before backing away, but he kept her hand in his. She gave him a little shove toward his friends. “Now go have fun. I’ve got your favorite kind of whiskey.”
He headed toward his friends, including Boone and Asher, and she glimpsed a different side of Rhett than the one she usually saw most days. He seemed lighter, freer, more comfortable, while they all congratulated him about the baby. It occurred to her then that this was Rhett not just surviving but living. The soldier. The friend. And a little part of her heart hurt, wishing he always felt this at ease.
She sensed someone watching her and looked around to find Remy staring right at her. Kinsley smiled, trying to hide her emotions. Remy didn’t smile back. Instead, she came over as the guys around Rhett began razzing him with jokes and manly hugs.
Remy said, “Men are so…”
“Loud?” Kinsley offered.
“Yeah, loud,” Remy agreed with a smile.
Peyton brought her cake in from the kitchen and set it down on the table next to the cooler full of beers. Kinsley was sure that she’d tried to make a gun cake, but hilariously, it looked like a penis. “And rough,” Peyton added. “Why do they hug like that? It looks painful.”
Kinsley fought her laughter. She couldn’t wait until Rhett saw the cake.
Before she could think up a reply, there was a knock on the door. Kinsley answered it, expecting more of Rhett’s military buddies. Instead, she found six women, all of whom looked like they’d left a strip club to come there. None of them had winter coats on, holding them in their arms instead, showing off their perfect bodies, perfect breasts, perfect everything in their skintight minidresses.
“Hey,” a stunning brunette with big blue eyes surrounded by dark makeup said. “Is this Rhett’s party?”
“Um, yes,” Kinsley said. “Sorry, but who invited you?”
“Hey, Suz,” one of Rhett’s military buddies called.
Dammit. Not strippers. She had no reason to shut the door in their face.
The woman gave Kinsley a quick grin, and then hastily ignored her, sauntering into the house with her friends in tow. Kinsley became their coat rack as the women handed her their outer garments. Then they were gone, on their gorgeous high heels, strutting toward the men.
“Geeze, that was rude,” Peyton said, taking the coats from Kinsley. “I’ll put them in the kitchen.”
“Okay, thanks.” Kinsley forced a smile.
But
that smile died as the brunette threw her arms around Rhett from behind and hugged him very intimately. In such a way that it became very clear they had been together before. She followed that woman’s hand as she slowly ran it down his arm in a familiar way like she’d traced those muscles before. The lust-filled smile she gave him. The way her breast pressed against him when Rhett turned, his hand sliding over her back before dropping. Kinsley stared at his face as he realized Kinsley wasn’t the one hugging him.
“You okay?”