Heart to Hart ✔️

19. Vodka Wishes

The lights off in the farmhouse and annexe, we strolled up to the entrance of the main house. I glanced around the driveway and noticed his parents' car was missing from its usual spot. But they'd just got home from holiday.

"Where are your-" I started to ask while Alec unlocked the front door and switched the lights on.

"SURPRISE"

The music kicked in, everyone whistled and shouted 'Happy Birthday' wishes.

I jumped at the noise; my pulse quickened and my eyes blurred, needing to adjust to the sudden brightness. My cheeks ached from the wide grin I had plastered on my face in shock.

Alec stood beside me and I slipped my arms around him. "Did you do this for me?"

"Who else would I do it for?" he whispered into my hair. "Go, they're all here for you." He tenderly nudged me towards the waiting crowd.

All my friends were here, even some I had lost touch with over the years. Sian shoved through to the front and placed a cold beer in my hand.

"Happy birthday, Wilson." She squeezed me tight. As she rocked me from side to side, James, Daniel and Rosie circled us to join our embrace.

"You lot are so sneaky. So, no emergencies? Did you know he was doing this?" I scanned around the Hart's main living room. All the bulky furniture was cleared away, along with any breakables. The glass doors of the conservatory, to the back of the room, were opened up. People were spilling into the garden and walking over to the pool house.

"Maybe he called us last week and asked us if we were planning anything for your birthday. And Maybe we have been helping him set everything up. Sorry, we ditched you, today. You have to admit, it was worth it. Come, you haven't seen the best part yet." Sian looped her arm through mine and pulled me outside.

Within the shrubs and trees, fairy lights and lanterns illuminated the walkway through the garden. It was magical. As we wandered towards the pool house, I stopped a few times to speak to my friends.

A girl from school kissed my cheek and handed over a shot of some luminous green liquid. We threw them back and giggled as we watched each other wince at the sour apple taste.

The pool house was actually a summer cabin with a small swimming pool inside. There was about enough space for a tiny bar, sun loungers and the pool. One-third of the cover was glass. Neon lights reflected out into the garden.

Alec waited for us as we neared the entrance. I stepped in to discover he had transformed the whole room. Multicoloured light-up neon balls were scattered in the pool. The sun loungers were removed to make space for a small dance-floor and the makeshift bar was cleared so Andy could play DJ for the night. Like the garden, fairy lights hung from the walls.

"Didn't he do well?" Sian placed her hands on my shoulders and her head near mine as we took the room in.

"It's just-, wow, Alec! This is too much. How did you even find the time? I thought you were away?" I marvelled.

"It's nothing. I didn't do it on my own. Everyone helped. None of us got to celebrate your eighteenth birthday, so we had some making up to do," he explained, his cheeks, slightly pink.

I swung my arms around his waist and squeezed him tight against me. "No, you don't have any making up to do. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love it so much."

He mirrored my action and held me close as I rested my head on his chest. "Also, I didn't go with my parents. They're still away. I was worried you'd guess we were up to something if I saw you. Chloe stayed with me to help."