He let out a shaky breath. “It’s Dayna’s birthday tomorrow. Today now, actually, technically, and I completely forgot. How the fuck did I forget that? Rachel had reminded me three times this week—and I knew I had to get things ready for tomorrow—”
He broke off, scrubbing his palms over his face, clearly beating himself up about the situation.
“Hey,” I offered, trying to be tender.
“My brain is completely fucking broken,” he said.
“It’s okay to forget things.”
“It’s my daughter’s birthday,” he said. He looked sick, like he’d committed some sort of crime. “I didn’t even have a reminder in my calendar. I always have one for birthdays. But it must have gotten deleted. I need to get back to the house. My place is a mess, and they’re coming over at eleven this morning, and I need to get decorations, and a cake—”
“You can get a cake at any store as soon as they open. It’s going to be okay.”
“I don’t want a store cake,” he said, exasperated. “Rachel makes… she makes these huge, elaborate, decorated cakes every year for the kids. And this year, the first time we do two separate birthdays, I don’t want mine to feel like… a dud. Like Dad couldn’t get it together enough for a birthday cake.”
I squeezed his shoulder. “It’s not going to be a dud. Kids love any cake. You know that, right?”
“You don’t know my kids. Dayna isn’t just any kid,” he said, his voice clipped.
I let my hand drop from his shoulder.
His eyes darted up to meet mine, regret already flooding his face. “I’m sorry. Shit. That was rude.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” I said softly.
“If I hadn’t been out in a bar, maybe I would have remembered sooner.”
“Let’s get in the truck. I’ll take you to your car, and then I’ll help you set up the party. Okay?”
“What?” he asked, like I’d just offered him a million bucks. “You don’t have to help me set up a kids’ party. It’s the middle of the night.”
I puffed out a laugh. “Believe me, I’m not getting any more sleep tonight.”
He looked at me with an apologetic expression on his face. I almost hurt for him.
“It’s the least I can do,” I said. “Promise. You gave me a world-class blow job. I had a good night. You kept me company. And now you need help with this. So let’s go.”
5
Cam
It was still before four o’clock in the morning when Luke and I pulled up outside of my house. I couldn’t believe that he’d actually gone through with it. Some hot guy I met in a bar, now roped into helping me prepare for my kid’s birthday party, just because he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Luke stepped out of his truck, gazing up at the three-story house.
“Wow,” he said. “I’ve driven past this house so many times, wondering who the hell could have lived in it.”
I was a little sheepish. “I know it doesn’t look like the other houses around town.”
Rachel and I had commissioned the house ten years ago, when both of our careers had really started taking off. It was big, and much more modern than most of the houses in Amberfield, with large paneled windows and angled wood beams. It sat at the top of a slope, nestled in a crest of trees that sloped back down to a small creek.
The windows on the third floor that faced the trees were my favorite part. I’d spent countless weekend mornings up there, looking out at deer in the trees or watching birds flutter by as I did crossword puzzles or sudoku.
But now, standing here next to Luke after seeing his tiny efficiency home, the house almost felt ostentatious. The house itself was nice, but the yards felt lackluster now. I certainly didn’t have any nice features in the yards like Luke’s did. It was mostly just green grass and trees.
“Can I admit something to you?” Luke asked.
“Go for it.”
He chewed his cheek, like he was trying to decide what to say. “I’ve noticed this month that the… the yards, here, have gotten more and more unkempt,” he said. “When I drive by, I mean. I always used to admire the lawns here, but it seemed like someone forgot about them recently.”
I nodded. “Oh. Yeah. After Rachel moved out to her new place, I… uh… dropped the ball on the landscapers, and…”
I couldn’t finish the sentence. Luke held up his hand, nodding in understanding. “I’ll help you out with the lawns, Cam.”
I tried to shove down the slow burn of embarrassment that was forming a pit in the bottom of my stomach.
“I’m already dreading you seeing what it’s like inside,” I said, leading him to the front door. “I told you I’m not used to being alone yet. It’s messy in there.”