They were also very excited by the idea that she would be giving them a little more freedom with the menu. She was very aware that as a chef, she would likely have some creative cravings and didn’t want that to be part of the diner’s problem. So, she abdicated all menu decisions to Finn until the baby was born. I thought it was a very mature decision on her part, and Finn heartily agreed with me.
As the weekend came, she worked a double on Saturday in order to give herself Sunday off. That meant when she came home late Saturday night, she crawled into bed with me, and we woke late in the morning. We made love before we got up and showered. Our sessions weren’t as athletic early in the morning, but they were just as intense, and I felt my entire body and mind clear and relax under the water with her in my arms.
Sunday was to be another bonfire at Deacon and Rebecca’s, and I was excited for it. It was going to be the first time we went as a couple, and I didn’t have to circle her the entire night wondering how it felt to hold her. I’d get to hold her whenever I wanted.
We dressed and got ourselves ready in a smiling silence. I could tell she was just as excited as I was, and we were both having trouble holding it in. Not even the downside of knowing she couldn’t drink wine with the girls was a remote damper to the anticipation.
When we arrived at the cabin, we parked out front behind a line of trucks and walked around to the backyard. Pretty much everyone was there, and as soon as they saw us, another round of cheers greeted us. We laughed as we made our way up the steps to the back porch, and hugs and well wishes came fast and heavy from everyone there.
The guys cracked open a few beers and I downed one of them right off before settling into the second one and chatting. Helen filtered off with the girls for a few moments, and when she returned, she had a cute little cocktail drink in her hand and was sipping on it through a straw. Harleigh was beside her, an arm hooked in hers and sipping on her own. She saw my glance and laughed.
“Tequila sunrise,” she said, holding hers up, “and just a plain old sunrise.”
I laughed with her as Helen took a deep sip.
“So, just orange juice and grenadine?” I asked.
“And a cherry,” she said.
“Of course,” I said. “Can’t forget the cherry.”
I pulled her in tight to me, forcing Harleigh to let her go, and planted a deep kiss to her lips.
“So,” Deacon said after a few seconds of my lips being locked to Helen’s, “while they tongue-wrestle, has anyone else seen Desiree? She promised Rebecca that she’d teach her how to make this Italian dessert thing.”
“She’s inside,” Helen said, breaking the embrace with me. “Already running a class on it. Rebecca is in there too.”
“Oh good,” Deacon said.
“Why aren’t you in there?” I asked.
“I already know how to make bombolini,” she said. “Tony taught me. They are delicious though.”
“I’ll take your word for it for now,” I said. “But I might need you to make me some.”
“Me too,” Deacon said, looking around conspiratorially. “Just between us, Rebecca isn’t great at desserts.”
“On it,” I said. “I’ll get you some clandestine bombolini through my middleman here.”
She motioned at me, and we all laughed.
As the night wore on, we relaxed into the fun of hanging out both with our friends and together. It was the first chance we got to see how everyone reacted to our relationship, and it felt like we slipped in seamlessly. She sat on my lap as we hung out by the fire and chatted with these people that I had come to refer to as my family. My brothers and sisters and extended friends who were like blood to me.
In many ways, aside from my Uncle Harry, they were better than blood.
I settled in my chair, a cold lemonade by my side and Helen on my lap. Aside from the two celebratory beers when I got there, I wasn’t going to drink if Helen couldn’t either. She told me repeatedly that I didn’t have to do that, but I wanted to. I felt like it was a tiny price to pay to make sure she felt comfortable and included. I knew how hard it was to be the only one at an event that didn’t have something. For me, it had been my parents.
That was something I would definitely not pass on.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out. Normally, I avoided using my phone at the bonfires, but this was a message I had been waiting on. It was from Uncle Harry, congratulating us on the pregnancy and asking if there was anything he could do. Anything at all.