Clarissa had been a Godsend, helping me find extra pieces of clothing for my wardrobe that were perfect for my soon-to-be swelling waistline. She was such a wonderful help and we had become good friends in the process. So, with Clarissa’s amazing fashion know-how, she finally convinced me to wear a mid-length, black strapless Versace. It was loose enough to inconspicuously hide my secret, and it was perfectly simple and elegant. I loved it.
Being that the dress was black, I could pair it with pretty much any shoe I wanted, and I really wanted to pair it with the Gucci Sofia Étoile Peep Toes that had been patiently sitting in the walk-in-stadium waiting to be loved by my feet. I stared at them longingly every time I passed them, fighting the desperation to put them on and wear them just for the hell of it. The thing with these shoes though, was that they had to be respected, and wearing them ‘just for the hell of it’ was breaking that cardinal rule. Therefore, my birthday being the perfect opportunity, I didn’t hesitate in choosing the gold pailletted, beige heels. As I slipped them on, I swear a heavenly beam of light shot down from the sky, illuminating them at the same time as an angel sang ‘Ahh’ at me. Okay, maybe not.
Charli was also overly excited that we were having a party and had put on her prettiest dress—pale pink chiffon with a layered tutu style skirt and a rose on the lapel. She was also excited that Lil’s daughter, Jasmine—Charlotte’s close friend—together with all my other friend’s children, were coming along for the celebration. Bryce had organised for the hotel’s nanny-service to be in charge of the kids for the evening, supervising them at the arcade centre in the Entertainment Precinct. He had even arranged for it to be closed to the general public for the evening, making it a private event just for the kids which Nate had said was ‘totes sick’, as it was gonna be him and his ‘mains’??? I need a freakin’ Nate dictionary.
All in all though, with an amazing venue, children supervised, and accommodation taken care of, we had the foundation set for an incredible night.
I’d set aside some extra time prior to getting ready to give both myself and Charli mini makeovers, pinning her beautiful blonde curls into a bun. I even let her wear some pink lip gloss—she looked gorgeous. Nate had dressed as quickly as Bryce had, Nate in black trousers and a navy shirt, and Bryce in a charcoal suit with a black shirt.
Both of them were waiting patiently for us in the lounge area looking incredibly handsome when we appeared at the top of the stairs. Charli made her way down first, taking slow steps like she was walking down the aisle—the biggest smile radiating from her little face.
When she reached the bottom, Bryce knelt down and handed her a single rose. “A pretty rose for a pretty girl, Miss Charlotte,” he said.
She took it from him and blushed, twisting her body from side to side. “Thank you, this is my first flower from a boy.”
Bryce chuckled. “Oh, well I’m glad it was from me then.”
I smiled at them from the top of the staircase before I began my descent, Bryce raising his eyes to meet mine. He stood up, gently patting Charli on the head while continuing to eye me from top to toe as I took each step closer to him. When I stopped at the bottom, he held a rose in front of me and gently dragged it down the bridge of my nose.
“Your beauty flaws me, Alexis. It literally strips me of all cognitive function; I’m absolutely useless.”
I smiled seductively at him. “Oh, you are definitely not ‘useless’. I can vouch for that...many times.”
He smirked at my compliment and placed his hand at the top of my arse, passing me the rose with his other hand and pulling me to him. “Happy birthday.”
He pressed his lips firmly to mine and I could feel the fire igniting and burning in my core, so against all will, I doused it and pulled away.
“It’s not my birthday yet,” I breathed heavily.
“I know. I just wanted to be the first to say it.”
I lovingly scoffed at his charm. “You, Mr. Clark, are too sweet. Thank you. Oh, and thank you for organising this party for me and for putting up my family and friends in the hotel. It’s the best birthday present ever.”
He cocked an eyebrow at me. “This is not your birthday present, Hunny.”
“Oh, well I look forward to that present later.” I mirrored his expression but added a naughty smile.
He looked confused at first but then realisation spread over him. “No. That is not your present either. That is inevitable. You will have to wait till tomorrow for your birthday present.”
“Bryce. I hope you didn’t get me anything.” Of course he freakin’ did! “This party is more than enough. I don’t want anything else.”