Beautifully Awake

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A loud Happy Birthday resonated through the tiny room, followed by a very quiet “Happy Birthday, Blue” whispered in my ear. I was all smiles.

I walked straight for my BFF who was supposed to be on bed rest. “What are you doing here, Asspuck? You’re supposed to be in bed!”

“You think I’d miss your birthday? Besides, I thought a little sake might shake some things up in here.” She rubbed her pop belly. We were practically eye level, and I realized she should be shorter than me.

“Sier, you’re in heels? Are you crazy?”

“Puck—you think I’d be out celebrating my best friend’s birthday in anything other than heels? You’re the one that’s crazy.” She hated my flats. “I stuffed my swollen ass feet into these Jimmy’s, but they’re in and they aren’t coming off.”

“She wouldn’t listen to me, never does.” Dodd chimed in, pretending to look defeated, but I knew better. He freaking loved Sierra’s flair. He shook Chase’s hand, and Chase kissed Sierra on the cheek. “By the way, I owe you guys. When my plane touched ground in London, I had about eighteen missed calls and twenty-five texts. I thought for sure I missed the birth of my first child.” He teasingly rolled his eyes at his still preggo wife. “I really appreciate you guys taking care of her the other night.”

“Dodd, please. After all the times she’s rescued me, we wouldn’t have it any other way.” I affectionately squeezed Sierra into my side. Chase, on the other hand, furrowed his brows just slightly, knowing that he caused a couple of those rescue sessions. He needed to let it go, I sure as hell had.

“Enough with the mush, it’s time to party! Dodd, can you get me some sake?” Sierra was a woman on a mission. I had to smirk. “What! I’m just gonna have a little. Stop giving me your disapproving Lili look, eye roll and all.”

I laughed. “Whatever, go drink your little glass of sake. Maybe I’ll be able to meet my niece sooner than later.”

She was all talk. Lucky if she had a glass and a half total of anything the past nine months.

“Uh, hate to break it you, but the whole have-a-glass-of-wine-to-bring-on-labor thing is a total farce. Alcohol’s actually a tocolytic,” Chase said, very matter of fact, like we understood what tocolytic meant. But I had to admit, he was sexy as all hell when he got all medical. Mmm. He saw Sierra’s confusion, and who knew what he saw on my face. My mind was way deep in the gutter. A three-year sexual hiatus hadn’t helped. So Chase clarified, “Alcohol relaxes the uterus, as in, prevents labor.”

Sierra’s mouth dropped wide open. Hello, flies. “The books never mentioned that!”

The three of us tried our best to stifle our laughs. Chase, always the professional, put it in perspective for her. “Sorry, Sierra, it’s an old wives’ tale. And pretty sure the reputable pregnancy books left that tidbit out just because they were more focused on driving home all the possible dangers of alcohol in pregnancy. No conspiracy from the medical community, promise.” He held his hand up in scout’s honor. I almost peed my pants.

“Well, if that’s an old wives’ tale, what about sex and nipple stim?” she asked with zero hesitation. The girl had no shame. Zero.

I blushed for her. Chase chuckled. “Those techniques actually have some merit.”

Dodd was definitely a shade pinker than his usual coloring. He shook his head and grabbed his wife’s hand. “Wife, enough. The baby will come when she’s ready. Now stop grilling Chase, because if I’m not mistaken, he’s a neurosurgeon … not your personal gynecologist. Now before you molest me in public in the name of inducing labor, I definitely need some sake.”

Chase and I smiled at each other. Too freaking funny.

“Did someone say sake? I’m in.” I turned around. Sharon stood next to my dad. “Lili, you look gorgeous. Happy Birthday, sweetie. Now show me the way to the sake.”

“Thanks, Shar. Now follow the pregnant one...” I giggled, pointing to Sierra and Dodd making their way to the tiny bar.

“This old man needs a kiss from the birthday girl, first.” I kissed my dad’s cheek and he pulled me in for a hug. “Happy Birthday, babydoll.”

I snuggled in closer, inhaling his familiar scent. A rush of old memories flooded my brain. Growing up, my dad was always very affectionate, constantly hugging me and saying I love you. I never felt like he was trying to make up for me not having a mother, but maybe he was. It didn’t matter though—my dad gave me enough love for a hundred people. I was his little girl, always would be.

“Thanks, Dad, I really am so happy you’re here.”

“Well hell, I want a kiss from the birthday girl too. I’m not gonna be the only one missin’ out.” Asher’s green eyes sparkled as he cut his way between my dad and me. He really was a good-looking man. I wished Kate was here. Maybe she could finally dump her loser boyfriend and pursue Asher. Chase shot my idea down once, but we were definitely going to revisit that topic.

“Hey, keep your filthy paws off my girl, asshole.” Chase smirked at Asher. I knew he was totally kidding, but also totally dead serious.

“Yeah, nice to see you too, C.” They bumped fists and Asher turned to give me his undivided attention. “Happy Birthday, Lil, what a beauty you are.” Asher kissed my cheek, and I’m sure I blushed.

“Thanks, Ash, always the charmer.” I reached for my dad’s hand so I could introduce them.

“Ash, think you can find your own girl so you can stop hitting on mine?”

“Ok, enough, you two,” I interrupted. My dad was grinning, getting a kick out the boys’ banter. “Dad, this is Chase’s best friend, Asher Craig. Asher, this is my dad, James Porter, and my stepmom, Sharon is over there drinking sake with Sierra.”

“Asher, nice to meet you. Please call me Jim.”

The men shook hands. “Jim, the pleasure is all mine. You have an amazing daughter to put up with this guy.” Asher slapped Chase’s back. I loved how they constantly teased each other. They had been through a lot together and their friendship was as strong as ever. He was Chase’s family by every definition that mattered, and I was so grateful Chase had someone to stand by him through those ugly years.

“So, Jim-” My stepmom sauntered toward us, swaying her petite hips. She encircled an arm around my dad’s waist and he kissed her temple. “You’ve been holding out on me. Please tell me the new Japanese restaurant in our strip mall at home is opening soon.”

I glanced at Chase who smirked and cocked his head. Who was he kidding? A new sushi joint in the center of Wrangel was not a coincidence. He totally planned that.

“This sake is delicious,” Sharon continued. She was drinking, not sipping, from her shot glass.

I looked over my shoulder at Sierra who was pointing at Sharon and mouthing three while holding up three fingers. Sharon was on her third glass already. Oh boy.

“Shar, sake is a bit stronger than normal wine. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience.” My lips curled remembering most of that completely mortifying night. Chase chuckled beside me.

“Is this an inside joke I don’t want to know about?”

“Yeah, Dad. Let’s just say when Chase and I first met, I made a bit of a scene.”

“Baby, it was the night I fell in love with you.” Chase tucked me into his side and kissed my temple.

That was the night I fell in love with him, I just didn’t know it yet. My feminine products rolling around the hardwood floor were quite the distraction, among other things. Lips, chest, abs, hair, eyes ... oh god, his eyes … always my distraction.

“Oh, Lil sweetie, you got yourself an old romantic. Dana totally called it the first night she met him,” Sharon said. Chase flashed me a beautiful smile. Damn, I loved him. “Jim used to-”

“Um, Shar,” my dad cut her off mid-sentence, “Chase and Lili do not need to hear whatever was about to come out of your mouth.” My dad knew his wife all too well.

“Oh Jim, you’re such a prude.” She swatted his shoulder.

Chase and I exchanged let’s-quietly-excuse-ourselves-from-this-conservation looks ... like right fucking now. We didn’t need a replay of the other night. Sharon knew how to take a conversation to a whole new awkward level.