Imperfectly Beautiful (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #3)

Ties and Tosses

Author's note: The first section contains mature (18+) content. If you'd rather not read, skip to second section of Lia's POV

-LIA-

I smiled to myself as I gathered up the last few lingering cups from Jordan's birthday party and tossed them into a trash bag. Afterwards, I rested it into the pile that had begun accumulating by the garbage can before making my way back towards the house.

It'd been a fun day filled with laughter and the family time that I so cherished. On days like this, I sometimes had to pinch myself to ensure all this was real and the beautiful man that I was lucky enough to call my husband was truly mine.

We'd built a fantastic life together and I couldn't imagine sharing my world with anyone else. Jordan truly had convinced me to believe in falling in love and from that love we'd gotten four amazing children, two wonderful children-in-law, and five precious grandchildren—I was dying to meet the sweet twins Faith and Hope, and my second adorable grandson "Jamie" and the next few months couldn't go by fast enough.

"Am I dreaming?" Jordan's voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned to see him leaning against the back door as a cool breeze blew by to ruffle his hair and the open flaps of his blue plaid button down that was layered over a white tee.

I paused for a moment just to admire him and feel the warmth thread through me that always came from being the target of his alluring eyes, "If you are, we're having the same dream, but I think this is all a little too vivid for a dream."

"Very true," Jordan smiled before meeting me halfway to the deck and pulling me into him. I snuggled my arms around his waist. "You certainly feel very, very real all wrapped around me right now." he placed a light, teasing kiss on my lips and I smiled brightly.

"Well, you feel very real to be wrapped around."

He chuckled, "Good to know."

I ran my fingers up and down his back, "Did you have a good birthday, J?"

"The best, baby," he ran his fingers through my hair, "Thank you for arranging all this. It was really nice having everybody around."

"It was," I smiled.

"But it almost kind of seems it isn't quite over yet," Jordan ventured. "All the kids left—Nate and Michelle went home, Maria and Tony went to Katherine's, Natalie's with the Woods, and Logan's next door—and I found this," he pulled an envelope from his back pocket and I smiled. "It says 'Dear J, read at the end of your birthday when we're all alone. Love, Lia.' So I'm guessing that means I read it now?"

I nodded and Jordan narrowed his eyes slightly as he gave me a questioning look and I giggled.

"Alright, let's see what we've got here," he settled down onto one of the patio chairs and tugged me along with him, causing me to squeal as I landed in his lap. Jordan flashed me his dazzling grin before as he slipped his finger underneath the lip of the envelope and drug it along it to open. With one last curious glance in my direction, he reached inside to grab my handwritten note and pulled it out to skim over. "You're challenging me to a tiebreaker? A tiebreaker in what?"

I giggled, "Don't tell me you've forgotten about your Christmas gift already. We never got to use it."

"Oh," he nodded and a smile came to his face. "The dartboard."

"Yep," I grinned. "It's been twenty-something years and you and I never settled our score. I figure tonight is as good as any and I'll go easy since it's your birthday."

"No way," he shook his head. "No, no, no, no going easy on me. Let's do this!"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm as we made our way back into the house and I led him to the foyer where I'd set up the dartboard while he wasn't looking. I ran my fingers over the engraved KNIGHT across the top and the J & L on each of the doors before I opened it up and retrieved the darts before pointing to the bottle of Jack Daniel's and two little shot glasses resting on the foldout table, "Alright, same rules as back then. Whoever gets the closest dart, has to take a shot. Winner gets the chocolate cake."