“Oh God,” I murmur. I know about crushed hopes all too well. And I know about rejection all too well. I feel sick.
Esben passes the phone back to Kerry. “Jesus.”
“She’s six!” Kerry says angrily.
“I know.” Esben’s feet are tapping against the hard floor.
Danny still has the harmonica in his mouth, and Esben glares at him when he produces a long, sad note.
“This kid has to have people show up to her birthday party. You have to make that happen,” Jason insists.
“I know!” Esben says sharply. He is visibly upset. “Sorry, sorry . . . just give me a minute. I don’t know what to do.”
He looks to me, and I give him a calm smile. “Yes, you do.”
Esben spins in his chair and gets on the Internet while we all wait. The sound of his typing echoes throughout the room.
“Okay. The party is at one of those places with giant inflatable structures and slides and stuff. It’s about twenty minutes from here. Here’s what we’re going to do. Kerry, comment on that post and tell her that a party is coming Cassie’s way, and she is to take her beautiful daughter to Bounce Till Dawn and prepare her for the best princess party she could ever want. Don’t let her argue with you; just tell her that the party is on. End of story. Share the post, and tag everyone you know.” He glances at us. “Jason, find Professor Donahue. She’s got triplet girls who I think are around this age. Tell her what’s going on, and see if she’ll come. Ask her to tell other parents. Then call anyone you can think of who has a car, and round up as many people as possible to fill those cars. We’ll need a caravan of sorts.” He turns back to us. “Who do we know in the theater department?”
There’s collective silence.
“Who do we know in the theater department?” he says with more urgency. “Think!”
“Oh, oh . . . Jennie Lisbon is a theater major,” Danny says. “And she’s megahot.” He punctuates this with a whistle into his harmonica.
Esben claps his hands. “Good. Ask her to raid the costume department. Take anything that’ll work. Princess dresses for everyone.”
“Well, the girls,” Jason corrects.
“No, everyone. This kid wants a princess party, then we’re all going to be goddamn princesses. You’ll love it.”
“Dude, I’m not wearing—”
“Zip it!” Esben says gleefully. “You interrupted what was a very, very nice afternoon”—he pauses to wink at me—“even though it was for a good reason, and you put me in charge. So, you’re going to be a princess, goddamn it. Allison, can you and Kerry find a toy store and grab whatever princessey things you can find? Glittery stuff, ribbons, whatnot. Oh, and some helium balloons. Lots.” He opens a drawer and pulls out a small zipped bag and tosses it to me.
“What’s this?”
“Petty cash,” he answers with a smile. “You know, for emergencies.”
I toss it back. “I got this.” Simon keeps my bank account more than solid, and the only thing I ever spend money on is takeout.
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
“Thanks, babe.”
“Sure.” I manage to say this without whimpering. No one has ever called me babe, and the way it naturally rolls off his tongue makes me melt.
He goes back to the computer and begins typing furiously as he talks. “I’m posting this. We’re going to flood this place with people who understand that Cassie deserves the best birthday ever. This kid is going to know how many people are on her side.” His face has such solid determination as he works on his post, and I am even more captivated by him. “There. Done.” Esben stands up. “Okay, everybody, move. We’re on the clock.”
Danny stands and towers over us. “I’m gonna make a much better princess than you, Jase.”
“Yeah, good luck with that. Just you wait. I am going to rock this out so hard.”
Esben shoves them both playfully and pushes them to the door. “Go, go, guys.” We hear their princess debate and screeching harmonica sounds continue down the hall.
Kerry gives him a quick hug and takes the car keys. “Love you, Baby Blue. We’ll be fast, I promise.” She goes to the door and coughs too loudly. “I’ll give you two a second. Sorry for breaking things up.”
Esben reaches for my hand and pulls me up. “I’m going to stay here and keep track of the comments. See what else we can come up with. I bet anything that someone will come up with something awesome. I’ll also call this bounce place and let them know what’s coming their way. See if they’ve got more rooms they can open up.”
Everything about him is electrified right now. He’s got an energy and a drive that has him totally on fire.
I put a hand on the side of his face, and I can’t help but shake my head a little with disbelief. “You’re like a goddamn superhero, aren’t you?”
He laughs lightly. “Hardly. I just can’t let this little girl be sad. At least not today.”
The next five hours secure that I am falling for Esben the way he is falling for me. He creates much more than a birthday party. He creates a near festival. The bounce place opens every room they have, and people stream in—with the overflow crowd hanging out in the parking lot like tailgaters at a football game—and there are so many balloons and metallic streamers and dresses and crowns and presents that I can hardly see straight.
Best of all, there is a truly happy little girl who has the party of all parties and who is undeniably and totally delighted by it all, and a mother who’s nearly speechless with gratitude.
When the party begins to wind down, I find Esben. He’s pulling off his pale-blue dress with its poufy tulle skirt, and I take his hand.
“You’re wonderful. You know that?” I say. “I could have used someone like you when I was a kid.”
He looks at me so intently and with such care. “I’d have moved mountains for you, Allison.”
“I believe that.” I start for the door, then turn back. “Esben? No more push and pull. No more wariness. I’m completely in this with you. I think I have been from the minute you picked up my ice cubes, but I just didn’t know it.”
CHAPTER 18
SHATTER ME
It’s the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, and I’m getting ready to go to Kerry’s art show. Last week, I hitched a ride down to Massachusetts with Esben and Kerry, and although I could tell Esben wanted to meet Simon when they dropped me off at my house, and I know Simon wanted to meet Esben, I wasn’t ready. That blending of worlds felt weird at the time, but I’m regretting it a little now. Maybe over winter break . . . and I cannot wait for Steffi to finally meet Esben when she comes for Christmas, as she does every year.
Back in my dorm room, Esben is at my desk and has been alternating between catching up on his social-media pages and sneaking glances at me. I’ve been fussing with my hair and trying to put on eyeliner the way Steffi taught me, and I’m not sure what’s so interesting about that. But he keeps looking at me.
When I’m finally done, he spins to face me with a mischievous expression. “You look good,” he says with a certain edge that I like.