explain. To finally set to rest the idea he knew she had that he had left because he didn't love her. He had to set the record straight, not just for her, but for himself. Even if it meant a life without Kylie, it was the right thing to do. Wade was determined to do the right thing this time.
* * * *
"Okay, they're at the door,” Kylie whispered to the group gathered in her living room. She kept her eye to the peephole and watched the frustration bloom on her mother's face. Her father still puttered at the car, grabbing the dishes her mom had offered to bring. Her parents never came to the door together at a party. Knowing this for a fact, Kylie had locked the door as their car had pulled up.
The doorbell sounded again and she could see Carol say something to Pat as he filled his arms with food. Another bong of the bell.
"Now she's getting mad,” Kylie whispered and she heard laughter skitter through the room.
Finally, her father stood next to her mother and he knocked briskly on the door. Kylie turned the lock and stepped back with the crowd. “Come on in! It's open!"
The door flew open and Kylie felt a joyous warmth spread through her body as the assembled family and friends shouted, “Surprise!"
And then her mother was crying, her father was shaking hands and the crowd was jostling forward to greet the couple. Kylie fell back against someone and turned. “I'm so sorry. Suddenly the room is—"
Wade steadied her with a hand, his eyes shining with humor and something else. Something just below the surface. The same look from the other night on the gazebo. “Too small,” Kylie finished on a breath.
"Everyone's excited,” he said with a smile. Wade brushed an errant lock of hair from her face and gently traced her lower lip with his thumb. “I bet you're just relieved."
Kylie's voice stuck in her throat at the feel of his skin against her mouth. The simple gesture sparked erotic images from their last meeting. His eyes gazing at her from between her parted thighs. The feel of his mouth on her...
"I have to go say hi,” she managed.
"Of course you do.” He took a swig of beer and licked foam from his upper lip. The sight of his tongue touched off a tiny shiver through Kylie's entire body.
"I need to talk to you, though, later if that's okay."
"I was about to say the same thing,” Wade said, suddenly looking unsure. Not his usual demeanor.
"Good. I'll come get you once we get the food set out and everyone's munching and mingling. I only need a minute of your time."
Wade nodded and just smiled. Kylie went to greet her parents.
"You did all this for us,” Carol Walker whispered in her daughter's ear. “No wonder you've been run down. It's gorgeous.” She sighed. “The table is spectacular and I'd bet my last dollar you made that beautiful cake."
Kylie felt herself blush. “Fawn helped,” she offered.
"She had the idea?” her mother teased.
"No, really. She pulled through when I put my foot down. We did it together."
Carol leaned in closer and gave her daughter a serious stare. “I see Wade is here. Are you okay with that? I know you'd never turn down the Sinclairs. They must have asked if he could come."
"They did. I am. And just enjoy your party. Don't worry about stuff like that. We're okay. I mean it,” she added at her mother's skeptical look. “Mingle!” Kylie laughed, shooing her. “Some of these people drove hours to celebrate your thirty years."
Fawn helped Kylie put the food out. Food covered the dining room table, the kitchen table, and the island in the middle of Kylie's country kitchen. Fawn made her plate and they stepped back to eye the party. “Looks good to me. I'd say a smashing success!” Fawn bit into a canapé and sighed. “Let me guess, you made these little bites of heaven on earth?” she said, rolling her eyes with exaggerated pleasure.
"Guilty as charged. I'm glad you like them.” Kylie scanned the room for Wade, finally spotting him in the sunroom
* * * *
"Okay, they're at the door,” Kylie whispered to the group gathered in her living room. She kept her eye to the peephole and watched the frustration bloom on her mother's face. Her father still puttered at the car, grabbing the dishes her mom had offered to bring. Her parents never came to the door together at a party. Knowing this for a fact, Kylie had locked the door as their car had pulled up.
The doorbell sounded again and she could see Carol say something to Pat as he filled his arms with food. Another bong of the bell.
"Now she's getting mad,” Kylie whispered and she heard laughter skitter through the room.
Finally, her father stood next to her mother and he knocked briskly on the door. Kylie turned the lock and stepped back with the crowd. “Come on in! It's open!"
The door flew open and Kylie felt a joyous warmth spread through her body as the assembled family and friends shouted, “Surprise!"
And then her mother was crying, her father was shaking hands and the crowd was jostling forward to greet the couple. Kylie fell back against someone and turned. “I'm so sorry. Suddenly the room is—"
Wade steadied her with a hand, his eyes shining with humor and something else. Something just below the surface. The same look from the other night on the gazebo. “Too small,” Kylie finished on a breath.
"Everyone's excited,” he said with a smile. Wade brushed an errant lock of hair from her face and gently traced her lower lip with his thumb. “I bet you're just relieved."
Kylie's voice stuck in her throat at the feel of his skin against her mouth. The simple gesture sparked erotic images from their last meeting. His eyes gazing at her from between her parted thighs. The feel of his mouth on her...
"I have to go say hi,” she managed.
"Of course you do.” He took a swig of beer and licked foam from his upper lip. The sight of his tongue touched off a tiny shiver through Kylie's entire body.
"I need to talk to you, though, later if that's okay."
"I was about to say the same thing,” Wade said, suddenly looking unsure. Not his usual demeanor.
"Good. I'll come get you once we get the food set out and everyone's munching and mingling. I only need a minute of your time."
Wade nodded and just smiled. Kylie went to greet her parents.
"You did all this for us,” Carol Walker whispered in her daughter's ear. “No wonder you've been run down. It's gorgeous.” She sighed. “The table is spectacular and I'd bet my last dollar you made that beautiful cake."
Kylie felt herself blush. “Fawn helped,” she offered.
"She had the idea?” her mother teased.
"No, really. She pulled through when I put my foot down. We did it together."
Carol leaned in closer and gave her daughter a serious stare. “I see Wade is here. Are you okay with that? I know you'd never turn down the Sinclairs. They must have asked if he could come."
"They did. I am. And just enjoy your party. Don't worry about stuff like that. We're okay. I mean it,” she added at her mother's skeptical look. “Mingle!” Kylie laughed, shooing her. “Some of these people drove hours to celebrate your thirty years."
Fawn helped Kylie put the food out. Food covered the dining room table, the kitchen table, and the island in the middle of Kylie's country kitchen. Fawn made her plate and they stepped back to eye the party. “Looks good to me. I'd say a smashing success!” Fawn bit into a canapé and sighed. “Let me guess, you made these little bites of heaven on earth?” she said, rolling her eyes with exaggerated pleasure.
"Guilty as charged. I'm glad you like them.” Kylie scanned the room for Wade, finally spotting him in the sunroom
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