“Well, I didn’t want the cat to get out of the bag, so to speak. I’m throwing Liv a ten-year wedding anniversary party this afternoon. We’re going to be in the same field with the same food and flowers.”
“Aww,” she says, then smacks her husband lightly on the arm. “You should have told me.” He rubs his arm as if she hurt him, when we all know that’s not the case. “I could have helped.” She turns back to me.
“Well, I do need your help, actually. Can you call Whitney and McKinley, tell them we’re all hanging out here today and to bring their cameras? Tell them you’ve been wanting to get some pictures of the kids.”
“Why not just tell them the truth?”
“Too risky.” I shake my head and laugh.
“Hey, we pulled off your wedding just fine,” she challenges.
“You did,” I agree. “But now we have a heck of a lot more munchkins running around, and I can’t risk them overhearing.”
“It’s not nice to lie, Uncle Dave,” Mikey, as we call him, reminds me.
“It’s a surprise,” I tell him. “It’s not a lie when you’re trying to surprise someone.”
He looks over at his dad for confirmation and Mike nods.
“Fine,” Jamie grumbles, then pulls out her phone and starts making calls.
“What else?” Mike asks.
“Nothing really. Just waiting for everyone to show up. Liv should be at the tavern at least another hour or so. My parents will be here with our kids and their portion of the food in about half an hour. When they get here, they’re going to set it all up in the barn.”
“Looks like you have it under control.”
“Don’t jinx me.” I laugh as Jamie ends her call.
“Evan and McKinley are on their way. Evan spilled the beans this morning, so she was already in the know.”
I throw my head back and laugh. He never could keep a secret from Kinley. “What about Aaron and Whitney?”
“Apparently Kinley called Whit, and they’re on their way as well.”
“Perfect.”
“You should have told us,” she says again, sliding her phone back in her pocket.
“I know. I’m sorry, but I really wanted to pull this off.”
“I get it, I do. I just wish I was in on it.” She smiles, letting me know she’s not really upset with me.
“Well, you’re in on it now.”
She nods, her smile growing. “I’m going to go see if Grandma needs help. Ellie, you want to come with Mommy?” She holds her hand out for her daughter, but Ellie snuggles up to me, refusing to go. Mikey and Chase grab the basketball from the porch and start shooting hoops.
“Didn’t take them long.” Mike laughs as Aaron and Whitney pull in. Aaron helps Whit with her camera while their ten-year-old twin boys, Levi and Tate, rush over to play basketball.
“David Harris,” Whitney scolds me. “How dare you keep us out of the surprise.”
I go through the same story I did with Jamie, and I can see her anger, which was actually more sadness than anything, slip away. “I just couldn’t risk it,” I tell her.
“Fine. I’m going inside to see if they need any help.” Aaron kisses her cheek and then she’s walking up the steps. She stops to say hi to Ellie, who gives her a toothy grin but stays in my arms.
“Round three,” I say when I see Evan and McKinley pull up. Lexi, who is thirteen, soon to be fourteen, rushes to me and Ellie goes to her immediately. They head inside to get a sucker. I like to think it’s the sticky sugary treat that tempted my niece away from me, though Lexi is a mother hen and Ellie eats it up. Walker and Beau, who are now twelve and ten, join the rest of the boys who are playing basketball.
“Evan explained,” McKinley says when I open my mouth to tell her why I kept them out of the loop. “But next time, include us. We’re adults, David,” she scolds.