Sunshine and Pine (A Sequel to Everything to me)

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The smell of bacon stirs me from my sleep. It's been a couple weeks since our talk in the forest. It didn't take long for us to start sneaking into each other's rooms again and I'm so used to waking up tangled in Paul's arms, that in my still half asleep state, I'm genuinely confused that I don't find him when I turn over. When I finally clue in that he must be the reason for the bacon smell, I shuffle out of bed. After a quick stop in the bathroom to make it look a little less like a bird has nested in my hair, I wander into the kitchen to find the gorgeous sight of Paul's bare back, pants hanging low on his hips, making me breakfast. Leaning against the doorway, I bring my bottom lip between my teeth and take advantage of the fact that he hasn't noticed me yet. His hair is tousled from sleep, and the muscles in his back ripple each time he moves to flip a pancake. He's wearing light gray sweatpants, the color making him look particularly tall, dark and handsome. I let out a low whistle when he bends over to grab something.

"Happy birthday to me. I don't need anything else. You just keep doing that and I'll just stand here and watch." Paul is chucking at me now as he saunters over to me. He's walking slow on purpose so he can do exactly the same thing to me, his eyes raking up my body. All I've got on is one of his tank tops.

"Well good mornin' birthday girl. How're we feeling today?" He asks, bringing his hands to my hips.

"Oh, we're feeling great. Days off to a solid start already." I say with a smirk, my own hands slipping past Paul's hips to grab playfully at his ass. Paul shakes his head with a chuckle.

"Nuh-uh beautiful. It's my turn to spoil you all day."

"And how do you plan to do that?" I ask.

"Well, I thought something for you to eat was a good place to start." He said, slowly backing me towards the kitchen table. "Something for me too." Paul's arms scoop under my thighs to pick me up onto the table. Kneeling down onto the floor he hooks my legs up over his shoulders. The last thing I see is a smirk on his lips, before I'm falling back onto the table.

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The soft sound of the radio fills the truck. I'm comfortably nestled under Paul's arm, in the middle of the bench seat. After spending a good chunk of the day "spoiling" me, he'd finally coaxed me out of the house and over to Emily's. I'd told him I'm not a huge birthday person and that I just wanted to spend the day with him. To which he'd responded that Emily WAS a huge birthday person and that he'd been totally overruled. So I'd spent the evening in Emily's backyard surrounded by my pack, Emily making a huge fuss and shoving cake in my face.

It had ended up being pretty nice after all, but after the weight of my head on Paul's shoulder started getting heavier, he'd declared the birthday girl needed sleep.

His hand is gliding up and down my arm while he drives.

"Did you have a good day?" He asks.

"Mmm best birthday ever. Cause I have the best boyfriend ever." I hum, twisting my head to plant a kiss on his cheek, his dimples on full display in a soft smile. "Hmm. Boyfriend doesn't seem like a strong enough word, but going around calling you my soulmate seems a bit intense." Paul chuckles.

"Oh I'm sure one day we'll come up with a different word." The way he says it makes me feel like he knows something I don't, but he keeps talking before I can think too hard on it.

"You get everything you wanted?"

"You, and our pack, and cake. What more is there." I think it over for a second and my eyebrows pinch together. "Actually, I never heard from my dad. Weird."

"Why don't you give him a call when you get home. I'm sure he has a good reason." Paul replies.

"Yeah I think I will." Paul turns the truck into my driveway, coming to a stop in the light from the porch. "You coming in?"

"I just have to run to Jared's real quick and then I'll come back." He mumbles into my hair, planting a kiss there.

I turn my head to look at him. "Ok. Thank you for today Paul. I love you." His chocolate eyes melt at my words.

"I love you too beautiful." And then his lips are on mine in a short but deep kiss. "I'll be back as fast as I can."

I plant one last kiss on his lips before climbing out of his truck and making my way into my house.

Aunt Sue is sitting on the couch when I come in, she lifts her head from her book and smiles at me.

"Hey Luce, good day?" She asks.

"Great day. Just gonna run and call dad quick before I go to bed." I say on my way to my room.

"Oh I just tried him before you walked in hon. Straight to voicemail."

My face scrunches with concern. "Weird, he's never missed my birthday before."

She stands up and comes to put her hands on my shoulders. "I'm sure he's got some good reason why he's not picking up the phone. I'm sure he didn't forget. Probably having problems with his phone or something. We'll try him again in the morning." She smiles at me before wrapping me in a hug.

"Happy birthday sweetheart. I love you." Aunt Sue's hand rubs my back before she lets me go, turning to her room. "Oh hon, you got a few birthday cards in the mail. I tossed them on your bed."

"Thanks Aunt Sue. Night." I say, already halfway to my own room. Clicking the door shut, I turn to see 3 envelopes stacked on my bed. After getting ready for bed, I scoop them up and curl into a ball under my covers.

The first is a goofy card from my Grandpa in Seattle, a crinkled twenty stuffed inside. Classic.

The second is from Emily, Kim and Leah. I can't help the smile on my face. I just saw them in person, but they still had the thought to send me a birthday card in the mail. It looks handmade and the message is so sweet it leaves me sniffling a little.

My head snaps up as my window starts sliding up, and Paul's form is ducking into my room.

"Hi! That was quick" I greet him with a sweet smile. He makes his way over slowly and dips his head for a kiss. "But I still missed you." I absentmindedly tear open the last envelope.

Paul grins down at me. "I missed you too." He kicks his shoes off and strips down to his underwear before sliding into bed beside me. "Whatcha doing birthday girl?"

"Just reading my fan mail." Paul gives me a sort of sideways look and I chuckle. "Birthday cards." I offer as explanation and wave the last card in front of him. I finally look down at it to see who it's from and my heart stops. It's the familiar but unfamiliar curve of my mother's handwriting. Paul feels my mood shift and sits straight up next to me. My eyes are locked straight onto the card in my hands, so he peaks over my shoulder to figure out why, growling when he sees it.

Lucy,

It saddens me that you feel that way. I know in time I can make you see. We can be a family again. I have your father here in Volterra already. He didn't want to come at first either, but I can be very persuasive. Come join us.

Happy Birthday,

Mom

Paul's eyes snap up to me the second he's done reading. My entire bed is rattling with the violence of my body's tremors. He doesn't even try to calm me down. He just backs into the corner of the room as I let my anger and terror take control, the crack of my bed frame echoes through the house.