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“Thanks, Elodie” I kissed her cheek and turned to press ”

“You don’t look a day over twenty-five,” Clarke said sincerely

“I love you” I looked around forto usher the kids in the house “Do you hear this, Nathaniel Sawyer? That is what you should have said to ”

He grinned over at me “What?”

“Clarke just told me I don’t look a day over twenty-five”

“You asked me to always be honest with you, babe You can’t have it both ways”

While everyone tittered—except Ellie, our resident rolowered at irl in the world”

“Girl? Really?” Jossthat word now?”

“I hate you all”

They laughed and I pretended to be ues fro ere good friends “Hey” I hugged hi”

“Of course I left your present on the table back there” He gestured to Joss and Braden’s dining table that was covered in fancy linen, a ton of presents, and a birthday cake so elaborate it could have been a wedding cake

Ellie

In fact, the whole house looked as if a professional decorator had been brought in for the occasion Pretty bunting strung together to read “Happy 40th Birthday, Olivia” was pinned across the double doorway to the sitting roo room White candles and pale-colored peonies were placed carefully here and there It was sophisticated and pretty and could have been for a wedding It did not at all reflect my personality, but it reflected Ellie’s

I could have cared less

All I cared about was that I had friends who cared enough to throw me a party

“I bought you—“

“Don’t tellthe surprise “I’ll knohen I open it”

“Spoilsport”

“Pot, meet Kettle”

“Liv”

At the familiar voice, I spun around and immediately embraced the wo”

“You knoouldn’t miss it” Nathan, Nate’s dad, wrapped his aro

Over the years, Nate’s parents had become my mom and dad, too More so Sylvie, because I lost reat dad, but it was nice to have Nathan in my life

Speaking ofI turned to search the roo their grandparents while they said hello to me “Where is my dad?”

“Mick and Dee are on their way Caught in traffic”

I nodded and then gestured that he could let the girls go As soon as he did, Jan ran at her grandparents, while Lily followed at the more sedate pace of a cool eleven-year-old Still, she wrapped her arot to theot a kick out of They didn’t seem to mind that their tihters whenever they shared a room

For a while I circled the roone intogether by the bay

“We didn’t think that part through,” Ellie said, looking apologetic as she gestured to the rooreet all those people”

“Uh uh” Joss ainst inviting all these people”

“Well, all these people are Liv’s friends and fa ne, so I think it worked out alright in the end” Ellie huffed, stuffing said posh canapé into her mouth

“Are you pregnant?” Joss made a face

“No, I ane to prove her point “So”