Saturday.
Everyone loves Saturdays.
There's just something about the day itself that brings joy to everyone.
Maybe it's because it's the first day of the weekend and you can finally have a break from everything.
That's what I'd usually do on a Saturday, but today is a very special day.
It is James' birthday.
I have been waiting all week for this day to come, as I am excited to see his reaction to his gift, and the places I'm taking him.
I know he'll love it. I asked Finn give me his opinion on the places where I'm taking him, and he gave me the tick of approval, and said that he'd love it.
7:30 couldn't come faster....
I pick up my phone off of my bedside table and decide to give James a FaceTime call. I press on his name and let the phone ring. He picks up within a few seconds...
"Morning." He says and I smile as I look at the gorgeous sight in front of me. He is still in bed, covered by the sheets, although you can see he is shirtless as the sheet doesn't cover the top half of his body.
"Happy Birthday, to you." I start to sing and he laughs as I continue to sing.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to James, happy birthday to you."
"Hip hip, hooray." He says and we both laugh.
"Thank you." He says with a massive smile on his face, which makes me melt.
"You're very welcome."
"It's not a big deal, just turned 23."
"Aw how cute, 23." I say and he smiles, but rolls his eyes.
"Hey just cause your older than me, doesn't mean you're wiser."
"That could be true, but I am the teacher here."
"True." He says and we both smile. "There's a reason I play sport for a living." He adds and I laugh.
"Not everyone can be book smart."
"Exactly." He says and I smile.
"You excited for tonight?" I ask and he nods.
"Very exited, I have no idea what to expect from you Bontempelli."
"Well, let me just say that you will love it."
"I'm sure I will. But don't tell me you got me a present."
"Maybe, maybe not." I say as I look over to the wrapped up box of footy boots that is sitting on my desk. Finn told me he's wanted these boots for ages, but if I'm being honest, James can be a bit of a tight ass with these things, so he hasn't bought them yet.. (Finn's words not mine)... But either way he is going to love it!
"Tahls." He says and I smile.
"What?"
"Going out was enough, you didn't have to get me anything."
"First of all, I wanted to, second of all, gotta set the expectations high Worpel."
"Well I guess for your birthday I have to one up ya."
"Sure do." I say and we both chuckle. "Anyway, go enjoy the day with your family, and I'll see you at 7:30 sharp!"
"Yes boss." He says and I smile as we both exchange goodbye's and hang up...
A few hours later...
Time dragged. Like really dragged. It felt like an eternity waiting for 7:30pm, and I mean it. I found myself constantly looking at my phone, waiting for the time to get ready. And finally, when that time came, I couldn't be more excited to get ready!
I chuck on a pair of blue jean shorts and a white crop top, and grab a jacket, in case it gets a bit coolish later. And knowing Melbourne, it will.
I then grab my keys, before walking out the front door and jumping in the car, making the short drive to James' house...
When I arrive, I park in his driveway, getting out and walking up to the front door where I press the doorbell and let it ring.
After a few seconds, the door flies open and Finn stands there and I smile.
"Hey Tahlia."
"Hey Finn." I say as he opens the door to let me in.
"Birthday boy is just getting ready."
"No worries." I say walk into the house and through to the kitchen where a few of the Hawks boys are over, having a couple of birthday drinks I guess.
I recognise a couple of them, such as Jaeger O'Meara, Dylan Moore and CJ. I say hello to each of them before heading upstairs to see what the birthday boy is doing.
"JAMES." I yell as I walk up the stairs.
"In here." He says and I follow his voice into a bedroom.
Once I'm in, I look around and smile to myself. James' room.
"I'm in the bathroom." He says. I walk towards the bathroom and push the door open.
"Hey birthday boy." I say walking up to him and giving him a massive hug. And he smiles, as he turns to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to him.
"Hey gorgeous." He says with a massive smile on his face.
"You ready?"
"Just about." He says breaking away from the hug to spray some deodorant and cologne I have come to love.
I have no idea what the cologne is he just sprayed but, I know the smell from somewhere, I think Marcus has it.
I sneakily take a look at it once James has put it down and smile, of course it's Dior Sauvage.
"So what is the plan for tonight Bontempelli?" James says as I follow him out of the bathroom and into his bedroom where he grabs his shoes and takes a seat on the bed.
"We're going to get in the car, and I'm going to drive you somewhere." I say and James smiles, then rolls his eyes.
"Can't you just tell me." He whines and I shake my head.
"This is payback for all the times you haven't told me where we're going."
"Alright fine, we better get going then." He says and I smile as I take his hand and drag him downstairs where we say goodbye to the boys, and then make the short drive to our destination...
Mini golf...
"No way in hell you brought me to mini golf." James says with a massive smile on his face as I turn into the carpark and find an empty spot.
"I sure did." I say with a grin, and he shakes his head.
"How did you even come up with the idea?"
"I asked Finn for some help, and he recommended some places you love, and I thought it would be fun to do mini golf with you."
"Good old Finn." He says and I chuckle.
"Well, let's head in!" I say and he smiles, wrapping an arm around me as we walk into the venue.
"Hi, how are you today?" A lady greets us at the desk and James and I both smile.
"Good thanks yourself?" James says and she smiles.
"Yeah good, what can I do for you two today?"
"We'd like to play some mini golf."
"Sure thing, I'll just grab you your putts." She says disappearing before returning with out putts.
"Alright that'll be $36." She says and I nod, grabbing my card out of my purse, and tapping my card before James had any time to interject.
"Enjoy." She says and I smile, thanking her as we walk away to choose which course we wanted to do.
"You didn't have to pay for me." James says and I smile.
"First of all, it's your birthday. Second of all, I brought you here, which means I'm shouting." I say and he shakes his head.
"You're amazing." He says pulling me to his chest, I smile, as I smell the gorgeous smell of cologne he is wearing.
"So what course did you wanna do?"
"Hmm." He says pulling away from our hug and looking around.
"Which one's the harder one?"
"I think that one." I say pointing to where all the people our age are and he laughs.
"Fair point. But we could go play with the kiddies." He says looking over to the other course where it's mainly kids under 10, playing there with their families.
"We could, but I think we'd intrude."
"That one it is." James says, walking over to the first hole and placing his ball down. "Any other day would be ladies first, but since it's my birthday..."
"I know, you can go first... And show me how shit you are at mini golf." I say and James turns around, his mouth hanging open which makes me laugh.
"We'll see about that Bontempelli." He says as he lines the putt up with the ball, and hits it, just enough so that the ball slightly lifts off the ground for a few seconds, before hitting the ground and rolling into the hole.
James turns around, with his arms up in the air and I laugh at his celebration.
"Maybe I doubted your abilities." I say and he smiles.
"You sure did. Now let's see what you got Bontempelli."
"Sure thing Worpel." I say as I place the golf ball on the ground, and line my putt up to it, I take a swing, completely missing the ball which causes James to laugh and I shake my head as I line the putt up again, and take another swing. This time, hitting the ball a bit too far that it hits the wooden fence there, made to stop the ball from going into the other holes.
I walk over and grab the ball, heading back to the start of the hole, so that I can try again.
"Tahls." James says walking over to me.
"You're holding it wrong, that's why you're missing the ball." He says softly, as he stands behind me and fixes my hands.
"We'll do this one together okay?"
"Alright." I say, feeling my heart skip a beat at his touch.
His hands are on top of mine, gripping them, holding them down in the correct spot on the putt. His hands on mine sends shivers down my spine, as I haven't had contact like this for months.
A simple gesture of hands touching is enough for me to turn into putty.
"Now, we're going to slowly move the putt backwards..." He says as both our hands swing the putt back, then forward to hit the ball.
We get a perfect hit on it that it lifts off the ground a bit before rolling into the hole.
"Hole in one." I say, turning around and looking at James who smiles.
"It sure is bubs." He says and I smile, as we grab our things and walk to the next hole...
The game went pretty fast considering the slow speed we were hitting the balls. I think it had something to do with us not wanting the night to end, and wanting to spend as much time as we can with each other.
James was making me laugh the whole time, he even tried to reenact my missed shot on the first hole, but he kept hitting the ball every time he tried, which I found amusing.
"Come on Tahlia, last hole, you got this." James says as I swing my putt to hit the ball. It rolls along the ground, at a perfect speed that it slots right into the hole. James and I both jump up and down like idiots.
"Good game." He says holding his hand out for me to shake it and I smile, taking his hand before pulling him into a hug, which he was shocked by.
"You may have moves on the golf course, but I got moves elsewhere." I say and James nods, then smiles.
"I can agree with that." He says as we walk to the desk to hand our putts in, before walking back to the car with his arm around me.
We get in the car, and start the short drive back to James' house...
"Here we are." I say as I park my car in James' driveway and he smiles.
"You know... I've had many amazing birthday presents over the years." He says and I look at him, wondering what's about to come out of his mouth. "But this is the best I've ever had."
"Really?"
"Really." He says and I smile.
"That reminds me." I say reaching over and grabbing the wrapped up box in the back seat.
"Happy Birthday." I say handing him the box and James looks at me and shakes his head.
"Tahls.."
"I know I didn't have to get you anything, the mini golf was enough, but I wanted to get you something." I say and he smiles.
"Open it." I say and he smiles again, as he rips the wrapping paper up and chucks it to the side, smiling when he see's a plain box.
"Don't tell me you've put this in a million boxes?"
"No, it's just one." I say and he nods, lifting the lid off.
His mouth drops open as he see's his present.
"Tahlia." He says looking at me and I grin.
"Yes James."
"You really didn't have to get me these." He says and I smile.
"I really did. I heard that you have wanted these boots for ages." I say and James chuckles.
"And who told you that? Finn?"
"Yep." I say and he shakes his head.
"You better have not paid an arm and a leg for these."
"Don't worry, I know someone that works at Nike, got them much cheaper."
"Right." He says and I chuckle.
"Thank you." He says pulling me into a hug and I smile.
"You're welcome."
"This has definitely been the best birthday ever."
"I'm glad. Cause I had a really good time."
"So did I." He says and I smile.
"So I'll see you soon?" I ask and James nods, leaning over and placing a kiss on my cheek before opening the car door.
"You bet your ass you will." He says before closing the door and walking into his house. I smile to myself, as I reverse out of his driveway, the kiss still lingering on my cheek.
James Worpel, what are you doing to me?
****
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