Abigail

"Meemaw?"

Meemaw rushed towards me, throwing both arms around my neck. Her familiar scent filled my nose, and I gaped in disbelief at her.

She was here. She was really here! I hugged her tightly, burying my face in her neck.

"My Abby," she said into my hair, rocking me slightly. "My baby girl."

"Meemaw," I whispered, biting back a sob. "How are you here? How did you..."

"Abby darling" Gramps cheered, hobbling toward us to join the hug. "There’s my girl,"

"Let me look at you." Meemaw pulled back and took my face in her hands. "Look at you. Look how beautiful my baby is."

"Thanks, Meemaw,"

"You didn’t tell me you had a new boyfriend." The sudden change of subject had me guffawing in surprise.

"What boyfriend?"

"Oh, that tall sonny," Gramps rolled his eyes, chipping in. "When he arrived at our place yesterday, your grandmother almost fainted."

"He was very polite and sweet, how could I not?" Meemaw gushed while my face scrunched up in confusion.

What on earth were they talking about? I didn’t have a... No. Finnegan wouldn’t... We weren’t in that kind of relationship. He wouldn’t go that far as throwing me a birthday party and flying my Meemaw and Gramps.

"...His private jet was a hoot," Gramps voice floated through my ears.

On his private jet?!

Finnegan Wolfe wouldn’t scrap several hours of work, just to make the day a half day, for my birthday, would he?

"I don’t like that you didn’t tell me about Finnegan, and I had to hear about him from Annette," Meemaw smacked my arm lightly. "Even the name is so solid. Don’t you think so, Gerald?"

"Mhmm, as long as he doesn’t mess with our little girl, he can be named after that World War II guy," Gramps grunted.

My chest felt so full it almost hurt. Mere days ago, I had been gripping Annette’s hand in a car, almost dying. That would have meant I never saw these two people again, my family.

And they were here now, in a garden full of lights and flowers, with me. I pulled them both in again, one arm around each of them, pressing my face into the space between their heads.

"I’m so glad you’re here," I managed. "I’m so, so glad."

"I am happy too, my baby," Meemaw replied, patting my back.

"Is it safe to stick my head out now?" Annette sauntered into the garden, wiggling her brows at me.

"Traitor," I accused her, letting go of Meemaw and Gramps. "You planned this with him? How the fuck and why?"

"I couldn’t resist," She whispered.

"He begged me, Abby. He planned the whole thing, I think he cares, and I know, I know you care about him too. You’ve been white as a ghost ever since the rift between you two."

"Still, you could have told me," I muttered. "I don’t want to be indebted to-"

"Do you like it?"

I glanced up to see Finnegan, a few feet away from us.

He had a black jacket over his white shirt, the collar open at the throat. The garden lights threw warm gold across his face, and those eyes were doing that thing again where they made my stomach turn into jello.

"Keep Meemaw and Gramps distracted," I told Annette, squaring up my shoulders before strutting towards him.

"How did you even know it was my birthday?"

"I’m your boss," He replied, his eyes raking down my dress before flitting back up to my face when I stopped right before him. "It’s in your file."

I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to lean closer and take a deep whiff of his scent. "Getting my grandparents here must have cost a lot. I’ll pay you back."

"It’s money well spent," he rasped. "Just seeing your eyes light up when you saw them is more than enough. I’ve missed seeing them light up." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Oh god, I should not be melting at that.

"You look beautiful," He stepped closer, lowering his face to mine.

My breath snagged as the gap between our faces reduced. Yes, every cell in my body screamed as his breath fanned my lips. I should push him off me. His nose skimmed over mine, and he pressed his lips to my cheek.

Time slowed down. The noises disappeared, every single one. His lips were warm against my skin, his breath fanning across my cheekbone. His body was close to mine, so that I could feel the heat radiating off it, threatening to swallow me up.

A soft sigh left my lips when he dragged his lips up my cheeks, then over to my earlobe. My back arched, and I almost screamed when he stepped back, green eyes burning with desire, his chest heaving against his clothes.

"Happy birthday, Abigail."

He turned around to leave, and I felt the words rise in my throat.

Don’t go. Stay. Just a few more minutes.

I swallowed them back down, fighting the urge.

"Now wait just a minute, son." Meemaw’s voice rang out across the garden. She rushed past me to grab his arm.

"I... uh, I’m sorry, Mrs Kellerman. This is a family event and-"

"You flew us across the country to see our girl," Gramps added, appearing at Meemaw’s side. "You’re joining us."

He glanced up at me over their heads, and I just knew that if I said I didn’t want him here, he would leave. But I did. I wanted him here even despite everything that had happened.

I nodded, my heart welling up in appreciation towards him.

"Let’s get this party started!" Jade screeched, cutting through the tension in the air.

She and Sasha strutted down the path towards us, holding up a bag full of several bottles of wine.

I gaped at Finnegan in shock. Just how many of my friends and family had he invited? And why, oh why was he doing this? I was going to melt like fucking butter before the night was over at this rate.