by Vivian Arend
Ginny couldn’t bear to see the people she cared for so disappointed.
“I am so happy right now,” she declared, realizing she wasn’t lying or trying to make things better. She lifted the paper in the air and met Tucker’s gaze. “We solved part of the unsolvable riddle. I’m so proud of us. And maybe someday we’ll find another clue that will let us figure out the next part. What could be better?”
Tucker wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and leaned in slowly. “You, Ginny Stone, are one in a million.”
“I am,” she declared, winking at Kelli, who was tucked under Luke’s arm. She looked around the room at her friends and family. “How about everyone comes over to my place for a celebration time around the firepit. I baked this morning, and I have marshmallows. You haven’t lived until you’ve made Brownie S’mores.”
A cheer went up and there were nods of agreement. The party moved to outside her small cottage.
Somewhere between the sugary treats and the company, the biggest truth of all became clear.
Maybe the puzzle wasn’t solved yet, but as far as Ginny was concerned, she had already found a treasure.
21
The final days of February approached, and mischief was afoot. Luke’s birthday, and Tucker’s, were just around the corner, so ideas were being bandied about behind closed doors and out of ear shot of two curious men.
No. Not two.
Honestly, Luke was being a royal pain in the butt, popping out of the woodwork every time Ginny and Kelli attempted to make plans.
Tucker? Seemed to have zero inkling that anyone wanted to celebrate with him—another reason to despise his parents.
Especially after the entry Ginny had found in her mom’s journal a couple of days earlier. Just thinking about it pissed her off and made the need to plan a super surprise all the more important.
Like poking a sore bruise, Ginny opened the book just to read it again.
I’m so stinking mad right now, I could spontaneously combust.
* * *
Tucker called this afternoon to say thank you for the birthday present we’d sent. He caught us before we could call him—we expected he’d be busy with his birthday party until after dinner.
* * *
It appears “something came up” and his parents cancelled the party. So instead of swimming with his friends, Tucker is at home while his parents attend an event at the university.
* * *
I get it. Work emergencies come up, but damn those people. He’d already given up what he really wanted to do to please their biases, and now he gets nothing?
* * *
They have no idea how special their son is. With the bullshit he puts up with, he should be a rebellious tyrant instead of a level-headed young man. He’s got such a good heart and so much potential. Every time he’s around here I clearly see he means to take advantage of every good opportunity he’s given.
* * *
There’s a little of Walter in him, in fact, and I’m glad.
Which means, along with being mad, I’m also in problem-solving mode. Walter and I already agreed—Tucker gets a birthday party when he arrives this summer. Not that we’ll call it that, but still.
* * *
He deserves to have some fun. Plus, I’m pretty sure we can convince the rest of the horde to join in, official party or not.
Mischief-making and problem-solving seemed like similar tasks at the moment to Ginny. She was as determined as her mother had been.
Tucker needed a surprise birthday party.
“We could rent space at Rough Cut so the guys could play pool,” Kelli suggested.
“They did some of that at Ashton’s party,” Ginny said grumpily. “I mean, it's a good idea, but what I’d really like is to make this something that’s part of the past and celebrating the future.”
“Hey. Kel, you never told me my sister was coming over.” Luke sauntered into the kitchen and rested his elbows on the island, grinning maniacally at them both. He was supposed to be out picking up something for Ashton, so showing up in the kitchen unexpectedly like this meant he was trying to get in their way. “Hi, sis. What a surprise. Good to see you.”
“You’re such an ass,” Ginny offered her brother dryly.
“Yeah, but he’s my ass,” Kelli countered. “So no poisoning him.”
Ginny rested her fists on her hips. “It was one time, a long time ago. I don’t know why you all keep bringing it up.”
Luke slipped behind Kelli, sliding an arm around her waist. “We figure it's better to keep ahead of potential danger.” He winked at Kelli. “I'm glad to be your ass. That means this one’s mine, yes?”
A small squeak escaped Kelli, and she jumped as if Luke had goosed her butt. “Behave.”
“No idea why you think I'd start now,” he drawled.
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Since you have a good memory about some things, let's see how far back it goes. What did we do for your fourteenth birthday?”
Luke paused, blinking in surprise. “That's a strange question.”
Ginny raised a brow.
He looked thoughtful. Frowned, then his eyes widened. “Oh, yeah. Pretty sure that's the year we went to the indoor amusement park. Foosball, indoor go karts, that sort of thing.”
Inspiration struck in a rush. “Perfect.”
Her brother's expression grew concerned. “What are you doing?”
“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Ginny blinked innocently.
“Bullshit. I’ll pretend you’re not being annoying. Also, now that you've brought up birthdays,” Luke said slyly, “I have a request.”
Kelli leaned back against the counter and folded her arms over her chest. “Is that allowed?”
A cocky, confident grin flashed across his face. “You like it when I tell you what I want.”
Oh, gag.
Ginny made a rude noise. “How come you're allowed to make borderline sex comments around me, but if I even so much as think the word sex, you get all squirmy?”
“You're delusional,” Luke said. “I am a mature, un-squirmy adult male.”
Oh really?
Ginny turned to Kelli. “If you want to plan a getaway, Tucker and I can recommend some great hotels within a two-hour radius. You know, the places we used to meet for our secret trysts so we could spend hours and hours—”
Luke stuck his fingers in his ears and began singing loudly. “La la la la la la la.”
Kelli howled with laughter then pushed him toward the door. “You. Go entertain yourself, and that comment has no sexual connotations intended. Plus, I'm warning you now, if you want me to take Ginny up on that secret tryst information, you'd better be willing to help us with a surprise in a few days, got it?”
He used her own hand to pull their bodies together, kissing her deeply with a great deal of love before letting her go and winking at Ginny. “Always willing to help, and if the surprise is something that's going to make Tucker happy, even better.”
Her brother left, whistling like a freaking bluebird.
Kelli shook her head even as she smiled at Ginny. “He's a jerk sometimes, but damn, I love him.”
“He is a good guy,” Ginny agreed. “Now, let me tell you what I'm thinking, then you tell me how we can make it even better. We start by turning Luke's party into a surprise party for two. Tucker will not be expecting that, but he will definitely be in attendance to celebrate with Luke.”
Kelli's jaw dropped. “That’s perfect. It’s sneaky, and Luke won’t mind, I’m sure of it. And the arcade idea?”
“I have a feeling I know what Tucker would have asked for at his party at age fourteen if he’d gotten a chance to really say what he wanted. Plus, I know just how to make it happen.”
They spent the next hour planning, making shopping lists and phone calls. Nothing too complicated, but very doable and highly entertaining.
Tucker wasn’t going to know what hit him.
Or more literally, he�
��d know exactly what hit him, and that would make him happy.
Ginny couldn't wait to make it happen.
Tucker dealt with some last-minute emergencies, including an error in the mess hall kitchen order that needed to be sent off first thing Monday morning.
Too few groceries delivered late to the mess hall was not a good idea. Tucker didn't know if he was more afraid of what the men would do, or the cook, JP. It was probably the surest way to have a riot on his hands.
Which meant by the time he headed up the stairs to Luke’s house, there was a healthy collection of trucks outside. Luke would get a kick out of having all his friends there to celebrate his birthday, and Tucker was damn glad he got to join in this year.
It was the one thing about having a birthday in the winter he'd grown to really dislike. All the kids who had summertime birthdays complained because they never got to have their school friends around. Having a summertime birthday would have meant Tucker celebrating with the Stones.
Truth came in many forms. Him being here in Silver Stone now was nearly the best almost-birthday present he could have asked for.
He took a deep breath of the crisp wintery air in satisfaction.
One step into the house, and happiness struck even harder as he breathed in the savory scent on the air, and the sound of laughter echoing through the room filled his ears.
“Finally.” Luke came forward with a hand outstretched to welcome him in. He called over his shoulder into the kitchen. “Pull the food out. Tucker's here.”
“You shouldn't have waited for me,” Tucker scolded. But he pulled Luke into an embrace and patted him firmly on the back. “Happy birthday, old man.”
“You're such a jerk,” Luke muttered. “Old man, my ass.”
Tucker let him go and handed him a wrapped package. “I hear old people start to lose their eyesight. All that squinting into the sun. Maybe this will help.”
Walker stepped forward, greeting Tucker and laughing softly. “I always heard it was something else that made guys lose their eyesight.”
“Not as much of that needed these days, for any of us,” Luke quipped before groaning dramatically as he smacked a palm against his forehead. “Dear God, I just made a sex joke to the man involved with my sister.”
“I told you, you have issues.” Ginny’s voice carried across the room along with a whole lot of feminine laughter.
Luke ignored her and unwrapped his present, whistling softly when he discovered a set of compact binoculars. “Very nice. Thanks.”
“Leave them in your saddlebag. Then you won’t have to keep asking me to identify our animals when we're more than twenty paces away,” Tucker suggested with a drawl.
Luke patted him on the shoulder, then turned him into the crowded room.
There were a lot of familiar faces. People Tucker had gotten to know over the past months, including Tamara’s three brothers-in-law.
Ginny came and tucked herself under his arm. “Glad you made it.”
“No way on earth was I going to miss this.” He pressed a kiss to her temple and spoke softly, for her ears only. “This is a milestone. Getting to be here, I mean.”
She gave him a squeeze then pushed him toward the kitchen where everyone loaded up plates. It seemed the first order of the evening was to eat as much pizza, chicken wings, and other teenage menu items as possible. Dessert was individual-sized dirt cakes—chocolate pudding mixed with rich cake, with gummy worms and candy insects scattered on the surface of each cup.
It was only after they were sated that the rest of the presents came out.
Tucker paid barely any attention as Luke unwrapped his gifts, more interested in watching Ginny. She sat in his lap, speaking quietly to Tamara’s youngest sister, Julia.
Tucker was warm and relaxed, belly full of food that could only be considered high calorie treats. His woman leaned against his side as she chatted. Comfortable, as Tucker trailed his fingers up and down her thigh in a teasing caress.
Every time he stroked a little higher, until he slid his fingertips over her ass on every pass. Her cheeks slowly brightened with heat.
Oh, yeah, this was fun.
“Hey, Tucker.”
Tucker glanced away from Ginny’s flushed face to find Luke rolling his eyes. Annoying Luke was a bonus if anything. “Yeah?”
His friend thrust forward a package. “This one's got your name on it.”
What? “Really?”
“Really.” Luke shook it slightly, rising to close the distance between them. “Here. It's your name, see? Tucker. Plain as day.”
Tucker eyed the box with confusion. “Yes, I understand it’s got my name on it. But why?”
“Hell if I know, but I’m not opening it.” Luke shoved the thing against Tucker’s chest then let go, forcing him to grab it or let the box fall.
A small sound escaped Ginny.
Tucker glanced at her, suspicion rising. “What did you do?”
She pressed a hand to her chest, jaw dropping slightly to an O position. “Moi?”
“Yes, toi. Malicieux.”
“Me, mischievous?” Ginny laughed out loud, scrambling off his lap and settling on the coffee table in front of him. “Well, maybe. Now open it.”
Everyone had stopped what they were doing to come watch. Tucker shrugged and unwrapped the box.
Inside was a face mask with green light panels and a water pistol that was too heavy and shiny to be for water. “Oh my God, really?”
Luke clapped his hands and used an announcer voice to be heard over the chatting. “I challenge all of you, but especially Tucker, to the ultimate laser-tag birthday throw down.”
“May the best birthday boy win,” Ginny added.
“Or at least die with their boots on,” Caleb offered.
Chaos reigned for the next few minutes as Luke explained the rules—three lives, hits would register on the gun or facemask, masks on at all times—then everyone who wanted a try with the laser guns reached into a bag to pull out a number with the order for play.
Julia’s husband, Zach, did something to the TV, and suddenly there was a split screen showing three different views of a strangely lit place that looked vaguely familiar.
“Is that your basement?” Tucker asked.
Luke nodded, slipping head gear onto his forehead and pointing toward the stairs. “We stapled cardboard to the bare wall studs, so it’s more of a maze than a basement right now. But don’t lean too hard on anything or you’ll break through, and that’s not going to be pretty.”
Tucker shook his head in disbelief. He had wanted to play laser tag forever. So damn awesome.
“You are going down,” he said conversationally to Luke. “Just so you know.”
Luke threw back his head and yowled evilly before offering Tucker a death stare. “Bring it.”
Tucker raised one brow.
His friend snickered. “Okay, everyone not playing this round, sit and enjoy the show.”
Round one began. In addition to Tucker and Luke, there were four more players—Dustin, Josiah, Karen Coleman and Tansy Fields.
At the bottom of the stairs, Tucker paused to admire the amount of work that had gone into the set up. Three different sized openings led into the basement proper. Music rose around them to a hard, pounding beat that would cover any noises. On a microphone so he was clearly audible, Zach’s voice carried on the air. “Team one—Karen, Tucker, Josiah. Face masks in place, then enter the maze now.”
The three of them saluted each other, then slipped into the semi-darkness.
Tucker’s heart pounded, and he was pretty damn sure his cheeks were going to hurt from grinning so hard. His laser gun had three bright green stripes along the barrel, and a green glow shone from his head.
So. No shooting green teammates. Got it.
He stepped carefully, turning corners and wiggling through narrow passages. He backed into a side alcove in the hopes it would allow him to hide.
Zach’s voice sounded agai
n. “Team two, face masks in place. There is a green ring and a red ring in the maze. Find your team’s ring and return to base to win extra glory. Team two, enter the maze now.”
Shit. Tucker hadn’t been listening hard enough before. The ‘find a thing and bring it back’ was unexpected. It meant he couldn’t simply sit there and wait for the enemy to come to him.
He inched out of his hiding spot reluctantly, desperately trying to separate out the sounds of music from the potential danger of—
His gun hand lit up, and a high-pitched zap sounded. He’d been hit from the left. Tucker spun and shot at the same time, accidentally aiming far too low to hit anything.
Except Luke was on his hands and knees, and Tucker’s rapid fire hit him three times in a row and his red lights died instantly.
“Well, damn,” Luke said with a laugh, then he sprawled dramatically and shook with mock death throes.
Tucker chuckled but saluted his friend before inching farther into the maze.
Three corners later he got caught in the crossfire between Josiah and Dustin, and Tansy and Karen. When the music went down and the lights went up, the only one still standing was Karen.
She lifted the gun to her lips and blew across the opening before grinning.
The entire thing had taken less than seven minutes.
For the next two hours they took turns, random groups going down at the start, and then in teams that were good-naturedly arranged ahead of time.
The best face off of the night, in Tucker’s estimation, was when the women took over the maze. The four Coleman sisters—Tamara, Karen, Lisa, and Julia, grabbed Kelli and Ginny. Lisa switched allegiances and joined Ginny and Kelli on team two.
Tucker and his friends watched the action on the screen. The pace was wicked and fast, shouts and screams and feminine laughter loud enough to rise through the floorboards. By the time team two had finally eliminated team one—it took a lot of energy to get Karen out of commission—Lisa, Ginny and Kelli were each down to one life left. But they’d also found the bonus ring.