“Thank you,” I tell him quietly, then step into the restaurant.
My nerves are already fried, so as soon as I’m inside, my gaze bounces around, searching for Dominic in the sea of people.
There are so many people.
Why are there so many people?
And why are they standing?
At once, they all turn to face me, calling out “Happy birthday!” with one singular voice shouting “Surprise!”
I freeze.
What?
I stare at the crowd before me.
Did they say…
The oxygen freezes in my lungs, halting my breath, while heat fills my eyes.
Did Dominic…？
I force my body to inhale. But it’s choppy because there are balloons and flowers. And…
And…
“Happy birthday, Angel.” Dominic cuts through the group of people looking at me expectantly.
My lips part, but I can’t speak. Because if I speak, I’ll sob. And there are so many people here.
It’s a birthday party.
For me.
My husband’s big body moves closer until he’s all I can see.
He cups my cheeks with his palms. “Breathe, Shorty. It’s just family here.”
It’s just family here.
I swallow.
And I swallow again.
He planned a birthday party for me.
“Shh.” Dom’s thumbs brush under my eyes, and I can feel the dampness. “Maybe we surprised you a little too much.”
I sniffle and bite my lip.
His thumb brushes again. “Would you like a drink?”
I nod.
“Wine or something stronger?”
I nod again.
Dominic smiles at me. And it’s so soft, so kind, it brings me that much closer to a complete meltdown.
His fingers flex on my cheek. “How about a margarita?”
A small scoff breaks free from my throat, and his smile grows.
“No? How about a shot of whiskey?”
I wet my lips. “Yes, please.”
Dominic leans in closer. “How can I deny you when you say it so sweetly?”
He comes even closer, and I close my eyes, letting him press his lips to mine.
He lingers longer than he should—with his family watching. But I don’t push him away.
I lean in.
And I press my lips harder to his.
My hands reach blindly for him, gripping the front of his suit jacket. And I let my hold on him ground me. Sink me back down to earth. Into the here and now.
Dom pulls back, heaving out a breath, and turns to stand next to me, facing the crowd. “I think we surprised her.”
Everyone chuckles, and I drop my chin in embarrassment.
Dom’s hand lands on the back of my neck, and he uses his thumb at the corner of my jaw to tip my head back up.
“Now, before you all crowd my wife for the rest of the night, she wants a shot of whiskey.”
A cheer of mostly male voices goes up, and I can’t help but smile as the wives of the cheering men roll their eyes.
An older man with white hair carries over a pair of full-to-the-brim shot glasses, the dark liquid never dripping over the rim.
He holds one out to me, and I take it.
“Thank you.” I lift the small glass in thanks.
He starts to hold the second one out, but when Dom reaches for it, the man clinks the glass to mine, then takes the shot himself.
I glance up at Dom to see him glaring at the man. “If you were twenty years younger, I’d kick your ass.”
The man grins. “If I were twenty years younger, I wouldn’t have to get your wife drunk to flirt with her.”
His answer startles a laugh out of me.
Dom narrows his eyes on me. “You think that’s funny?”
Instead of answering him, I tip my shot back.
The burn is instant, and I put a hand over my mouth as I try not to cough.
“Everyone, grab a glass,” Dominic shouts, and suddenly trays of whiskey shots are being handed around.
Dom grabs another one for me, then one for himself.
When everyone has one, he holds his in the air. Everybody follows suit. I keep mine at chest level. If I try to hold it higher, I’ll shake all the alcohol straight out of the glass.
I brace myself for his speech, scrambling to build up my walls so I don’t break down in front of everyone. But he keeps it short. And that’s almost worse.
“To Valentine,” Dominic says in his commanding voice.
“To Valentine,” the room repeats back.
Heat fills my chest.
Never have I ever felt like this before.
Dom downs his shot.
And I do the same, chasing the building heat with fire.
Dominic’s arm stays around my shoulders as the first person approaches.