Chapter 10

The house seemed entirely too quiet. It had been two hours since Finn had stomped over, had a quick conversation with Shane, and then stomped out the door with Shane and my car keys. I wasn't sure exactly what the deal was, but the kids had all been giggling and whispering with each other. I figured they were probably going to pick up thepizza, since Shane was having trouble getting it delivered.

Finally, the door swung open, and Shane walked in holding white takeout bags from my favorite little Italian restaurant in town.

"We picked up dinner." He held up the bags before heading into the kitchen and setting them down on the kitchen peninsula.

The rest of the kids came in with various gift bags, and then Finn stepped in behind them, carrying his own gift bag and a clear container that had a white frosted cake inside.

"Oh, my gosh." My gaze bounced around between all the kids before landing back on Finn. "Did the kids tell you?"

He cocked a brow. "I should know my wife's birthday, shouldn't I?"

The way his lips pulled up in a smirk made my heart skip. And I really didn't want my stomach to tumble when he called me his wife, but it did anyway.

After he left as soon as we got home on Saturday, I didn't know what he was thinking our marriage would be. And I certainly wasn't expecting him to show up with gifts and a last-minute celebration. Regardless of how he found out about my birthday, it certainly felt like more than something you did as part of a fake relationship.

"You didn't have to do all this."

His brown eyes narrowed, and his lips pursed. "I'm pretty sure remembering your wife's birthday and making a big deal of it is marriage 101."

"But it's fake." I swallowed and shifted on my feet.

He set the cake on the counter and leaned closer to me. The heat radiating off his body made me shiver. "There are five kids here who should learn what it looks like to be a good spouse. Just because this isn't forever doesn't mean I should be an epic asshole."

The curse bounced off my ear. I locked my spine tight, so I didn't melt, because that's how I felt at this moment. Like a puddle.

He shifted back and lifted a gift bag. When I took it in my hand, the weight of it surprised me and I almost dropped it. What could it be?

"Go ahead." He chuckled. "The curiosity is written all over your face."

I pulled out a six-pack of Pumpkined Out beer and a boatload of pumpkin spice stuff, including a candle, lip gloss, coffee, and even a T-shirt that said In My Pumpkin Spice Era.

My chest squeezed. How cute was this?

I glanced up at the man who'd tried way too hard today for something he had no reason to put effort into. "I love it."

He lifted his hand and brushed a wisp of hair behind my ear. "Hopefully one day I'll know all my wife's favorite things, so I'm not limited to the fall season."

I giggled and attempted to brush off the weird swishy feeling in my stomach. This was not real. I needed that firmly in the forefront of my brain.

I glanced away from his warm smile and focused on a letter on the counter. Reality check. "It might actually need to be sooner than later."

Finn's head tilted to the side, and I pointed to the letter on the counter. He frowned as he swiped the envelope.

I put space between us, moving to help Shane set out the containers of food on the counter, but Finn caught my wrist.

"Birthday girl gets waited on. Sit." He glared as he pointed the letter toward the table where the kids had set the other bags. "Go open your presents. Shane and I got dinner."

Before I could even respond to the grump, the kids started yelling.

"Come see what we gots you," Kai called. "You're going to love the ghost trapper I picked."

Maia rolled her eyes. "You're not supposed to tell her."

"I can if I want to because I'm me," Kai shot back.

Blair shrugged. "He's got a point, Maia."

I fought the smile pulling at my lips as I moved toward the kids. They were all so excited and my heart exploded at how cute and perfect each gift was. From the Minecraft keychain for my key fob Jayden gave me, to the black ceramic pumpkins stacked to make a black cat from Maia, I loved every one. And I could have sworn Finn was almost smiling as he watched us from across the room. Almost. But not quite. Because I didn't think he was capable of an actual smile.

"So, the interview with the people from the state is Sunday," he said gruffly as he set down my plate in front of me.

I shook my head. "Next Sunday."

"Yeah." He nodded, dropping into the chair next to me.

"We're probably going to need to learn about each other." I picked up my fork, spearing my first bite before glancing over at him. "I know you're coming for dinner this week a few times, but we're carving pumpkins on Sunday. We should probably have one for you on the porch too, so, wanna come over then as well?"

His brows slammed together. "Wait, carving?"

Was it possible he hadn't ever heard of jack-o-lanterns? That couldn't be possible. He had his own pumpkin patch.

"Did you forget we're getting pumpkins from the patch, Finn?" Blair frowned.

"Yeah, Dad, you said it was okay?"

Finn flinched as Kai once again called him Dad.

"Kai, it's Finn, remember?" I corrected him.

"Nu-uh." Kai shook his head. "He said it was okay."

Blair and Jayden immediately jumped in, and Maia started talking over them.

The loud crack of the whistle bit through the air, and I turned to Finn as the kids all went silent.

"You all are carving pumpkins with knives and stuff?"

"Yeah. How else would we do it?" I asked.

"That's gonna be a disaster," he muttered.

I smiled. "Usually it's fun."

The way his forehead creased with concern said he didn't believe me.