"Thanks for letting me stay here."
"Any time, Sam. I mean it."
His words sounded genuine so my smile turned genuine as well. Maybe the old fearsome foursome would come back with the move. I had missed it.
Lily moved next to me as Logan started to cut the cake. She gave me a small hug. "Heather and the rest of the staff are coming after closing."
"That's late. Are you sure they want to do that?"
She shrugged with a delighted spark. "I think Heather said they were going to close early. She said you're worth it."
I was taken aback. That was a lot of money since the diner was full every night now. The gesture spoke volumes to me and for a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then she started giggling beside me.
"What?"
She pointed at the cake. Logan hadn't cut the cake in small sections. He cut it into the exact amount of pieces needed. There were nine people there, so the cake was cut into nine large pieces. Six of the pieces were double in size and he delivered those to the guys. The last three were smaller, but still bigger than I wanted.
Lily groaned as she took hers. "I gained five pounds just looking at that thing."
"You gotta eat it!" Logan barked before he raised his hands again. "Okay, everyone! I have an important announcement to make." He grinned to himself. "Today is not Samantha's birthday." He pretended to wave off any boos. "I know, I know. This is a shock of a lifetime to you, but we'll get over it. We'll band together and we'll make do. Raz, where are the joints?"
"Logan!"
His grin doubled and two dimples appeared. "Okay, okay. In all seriousness, we did this a week early to shock Sam's panties off her. Which my big brother will be doing tonight." He lifted an eyebrow to Mason.
"Logan."
He continued, "But anyway, I'm doing the speech because I baked the cake, with all sorts of natural goodies." He pretended to scowl. "I wasn't allowed any of the fun stuff, but whatever. We'll get over it. Peace and prosperity, right Raz?"
"Right." A fist was thrust in the air.
Logan laughed to himself, but then a somber expression came over him. The jokes were done and he lifted his piece of cake to me. "Happy birthday, Samantha. I love you. You're going to be my stepsister and maybe my sister-in-law someday, but until those days come, you already know you're family. And I think I can speak for everyone in saying, you're going to get wasted tonight!"
He lifted his cake in the air. "Salute to Sam getting wasted!"
Everyone saluted. Then they tried their best to sing the birthday song to me, which was interspersed with Logan and Mark rapping "In Da Club" in the background.
I shook my head. My throat was thick with emotion and I turned away. I wouldn't start crying, not again.
Two arms came around me, both slender and soft. Becky was on my right and Lily on my left. They gave me a hug, squeezing me with soft smiles. "Happy birthday, Sam."
"Thanks, guys." I patted both of them on their hands and looked down. I really felt the tears now.
The doorbell rang at that moment.
Logan went to answer and came back with five boxes of pizza. They were put on the table and the lids were flipped open. Steam rose from each of them. Paper plates, napkins, and plastic silverware were already on the table and he gestured to the table. "Dig in, guys."
Nate called out, "We've got beer, some soda…I think, and other drinks in the bar outside."
The guys went first. After they trailed outside to grab a drink, the three girls followed with our own plates full of food. Everyone had taken a seat around the tables as Nate turned into the bartender. He made sure everyone had a beverage. Logan hopped around to make sure none of them ran empty.
It was easy.
I hadn't expected it to be easy, but stories were shared. The guys joked and no one was ready to bite someone's head off. The guys congregated around the bar with easygoing grins. Even when Becky sat beside me, I was glad that she was there. She'd been a good friend at a time when I needed her. I hoped she would still be a friend, maybe not the one I thought she had been, but one nonetheless. Lily surprised me the most. She had a crude sense of humor with one-liners delivered at the perfect time. The rest of the Manny's staff joined us two hours later. Anne settled next to Lily and cackled together as Heather shook her head with a small grin on her face.
When Mason folded me into bed later, I grinned up at him and whispered how much the party meant to me.
He slid in beside me and pulled me close to him. He tucked his head behind me and took a deep breath. His hand flattened under my breast and he held me there, tight to him. Then he whispered back to me, his lips a soft caress against my neck, "We just love you. All of us."
"Everything will be fine," I murmured, sleepily. "You. Me. Logan. Even Nate. All of us. And Heather."
His body trembled behind me and his arms pulled me even closer to him. "Everything will be fine."
"You promise?" I smiled as I felt him kiss my neck.
"I promise."
"Even the families?"
"Even the families." His arms bulged around me and he rocked me back and forth. "Go to sleep, Samantha. We have school tomorrow."
"I love you, Mason."
He pressed another kiss to my neck, then to my shoulder blade. "I love you too. Now go to sleep."
"..o..kay…" And I did.